Colonel Summers Park

Colonel Summers Park is a city park in the Southeast Portland, Oregon neighborhood of Buckman. The park was created in 1921 and was originally called Belmont Park for Belmont Street which runs east-west on its boundary. In 1938 it was renamed in honor of Colonel Owen Summers, who as an Oregon legislator, introduced a bill that combined the state militia units into the Oregon National Guard. Colonel Summers was the commanding officer of a volunteer regiment in the Spanish-American War, which served in forty-two different engagements during the war.^[1] The park includes recreation areas and a community garden added in 1975.^[2]

During the spring, summer, and fall as the weather warms up, Col. Summers sees a large increase in its amount of users, especially on Mondays. Unofficially on Mondays Col. Summers park hosts what is known around the city as "Monday Funday". People come from all parts of the city, as well as other parts of the Metro area; some even come from Washington state to partake in the fun. The general eclectic personality of the city is on full display on Mondays with kickballers, picnicers, hula hoopers, jugglers, spinners, LARPers, skateboarders, frisbee players, basketballers, charity groups, bicyclists, tennis players, park rangers, dancers, tai-chiers, drummers, musicians, bar-b-quers, face painters, artists, gardeners, police officers, and many others. Monday Funday is most famous for its dodgeball though.Starting at dusk the tennis courts fill with upwards of 100 people and dozens of dodgeballs. The game goes until park closure at 10PM. The park closes earlier than most other parks in the city due to its proximity to neighborhood homes.

See also

• List of parks in Portland, Oregon

References