The city of Umatilla on Monday, Oct. 28, announced the reopening of Nugent Park following significant upgrades that enhance its facilities and accessibility.
The city is holding a ceremony to reopen the park today, Oct. 29 starting at 4:30 p.m. Nugent Park is at 500 Eighth St., Umatilla.
Improvements include a new playground that replaced the more than 50-years old playground, a new large outdoor pavilion with power, water, barbecues and picnic tables that replaced the small pavilion and an expanded parking area with 10 additional parking spaces. Visitors will also have access to a new outdoor kitchen facility.
Each of these enhancements also were built to ensure disability access making Nugent Park one of the most welcoming and accessible to parks in Umatilla for people of all abilities, according to the city.
“We are thrilled to unveil the newly renovated Nugent Park and invite the community to rediscover this beautiful outdoor space,” said Esmeralda Perches, Umatilla Parks and Recreation director. “With improved amenities, the park is now better equipped to serve as a hub for recreation and community gathering. We look forward to seeing community members of all ages and abilities enjoy everything the park has to offer for many years to come.”
These improvements align with the Master Park Plan the city adopted in the summer of 2021, according to the press release, “which reflects the community’s strong desire for enhanced park facilities and amenities and complement other.” The recent improvements include the new restroom, new broadcast booth and concessions building, the first mural of the city’s 6 by 2026 Mural Program, and improvements to the Little League field.
Nugent Park’s prime location— just outside downtown and near transportation, trails, and schools — makes it an ideal site for these upgrades.
The city in early-winter 2026 plans to replace the boat ramp at Nugent Park to meet more modern river access designs and sustainability goals.
A grant from the Oregon Land and Water Conservation Fund, in partnership with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, supported the improvements. For more information on this project and other City initiatives, visit www.umatilla.gov/city-projects.
