A seismic study spurred the city of Troutdale to shutter a unique public basketball court.

In late 2024, Public Works commissioned a seismic and structural assessment of its drinking water reservoirs, including Reservoir 1 located adjacent to Helen Althaus Park, 248 S.W. Seventh Street.

That one-million gallon in-ground concrete reservoir was built in 1981, and later had a basketball court added to its roof. The latest assessment determined that while not at risk of imminent collapse, folks should stop hooping atop the reservoir.

The 44-year-old roof can “no longer support ‘live loads,’” including people. So the basketball court has been closed. That decision was unanimously made by the Parks Advisory Committee during a March meeting.

City staff will remove the basketball hoops and fence the top of the reservoir. The goal is to preserve its life as long as possible.

For those who want to play basketball in Troutdale, visit the full court at Kiku Park, and the half-courts at C.P. Park and Weedin Park.

Helen Althaus is a partially-developed 9.51-acre park that was once part of the city’s watershed (and thus originally named Watershed Park). It was named after Helen Althaus, who served on the city council and parks advisory committee for nearly 20 years.

The park has a small open grass area, play structure, and about a mile of trails that connects Fourth and Seventh Streets.