Conceptualized as a tilted plane, the park captures a transect of the major natural plant communities historically found in the Willamette Valley:
freshwater pond
emergent wetland
wet prairie
oak woodland
All plants in the park are native to the Willamette Valley, from the wetland sedges to the stately Oregon White Oak tree used to “invade” the urban streetscape on the western edge of the park.
A spring bubbles up at the top of a large open grassy meadow, trickling down to a wetland pond, sunken 6 feet below street level. The east edge of the pond is scribed by an undulating “Art Wall” constructed of reclaimed railroad rails, some nearly a century old. Lawn terraces, like urban bleachers, run down opposite sides of the park providing lunchtime seating and vantage points to enjoy the scenery. Pedestrian paths within the park are crafted from recycled basalt cobblestones, once found in the streets of the neighborhood. This is a place of many historic references, from a natural creek and wetland, to the memory of industry and train yards, to today’s modern city.
However, Tanner Springs Park is not a wetland museum. It is an urban habitat. It has its own authentic ecology while utilizing art for interpretation. Though inspired by nature, it is an urban park, with precise terraces and walls creating a frame for the organic core.
The pond is cleansed biologically, without added chemicals. All stormwater runoff from the entire block is directed into the cleansing biotope, rather than out to the curb and gutters of surrounding streets. Vegetation within the park is also managed without chemicals, in order to protect the biological viability of the pond.