New playground, splashpad at Tualatin’s Las Casitas Park soon to become reality

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Tualatin is moving forward with plans to make just under $2 million in renovations to significantly revamp a small neighborhood park. That will mean the installation of a new playground, splashpad, half-court basketball facility and more.

On Monday, Jan. 27, the Tualatin City Council approved plans to hire PHK Construction, LLC, which does business under the name ARTIS, submitted the winning bid of $1.99 million for Las Casitas Park.

Formerly known as Stoneridge Park, Las Casitas Park, a so-called “pocket park,” is located on the north side of Southwest 68th Avenue just off Southwest Sagert Street.

Other amenities planned for the park site include picnic tables, benches, trash cans, lighting, landscaping/irrigation, and an accessible walkway to Rolling Hills Apartment Complex, according to Rich Mueller, parks planning and development manager.

The park will gain in size from one-third of an acre to almost a one-half acre after the city obtained two private property easements and will include an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant accessible ramp that connects to Rolling Hills Apartments.

Built in the 1970s and early 1980s, the former Stoneridge Park has been badly in need of remodeling for years, Ross Hoover, Tualatin Parks & Recreation director, told The Times in 2021. At that time, access to the park was through a hole in a chainlink fence.

That same year, the Tualatin Parks & Recreation Department held several open houses at the park to determine what types of amenities residents in the area — many of whom speak Spanish — wanted to see. The city also reached out with online surveys in English and Spanish.

In 2023, more than 420 people voted to change the name of the park to Las Casitas Park, which means “little houses” or “the little houses,” a name that refers to the smaller duplexes or apartments in that area, a neighborhood that some residents refer to as Las Casitas, city officials say.

Approval of the contract means construction will begin sometime in March with the park open by winter 2025 or early 2026, Mueller told the council.

Asked by Councilor Maria Reyes how the city will get information out to the public regarding the park’s closure, Mueller explained: “City staff already has some engagement opportunities set up and we’ll provide information on the project, the schedule, closures, things like that.”

The closure also will be posted online and signs at the park will note the closure dates as well.

“I just want to say I’m really excited to see this move forward,” Councilor Valerie Pratt told the council.