‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Portland Made Its River Cool
Have you ever swam in the Willamette? Kayaked? Tiki toured? There are tons of opportunities to get in the river, yet lots of locals still avoid the water because of its (outdated) reputation of being polluted. The river is now safe and swimmable thanks to decades of work from advocates, journalists, and politicians to restore the ecosystem and cleanliness, and City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza joins Your City Could Be Better to talk about all the ways the Willamette can now be your urban playground.
Mentioned on the show:
- Portland’s riverfront park, named after former Governor Tom McCall
- Swiss residents using river to swim home from work
- RFK Jr. swimming (in jeans) in Rock Creek in Washington, D.C.
Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now!
We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter
Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Portland and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Racist Tweets Tank a Blazers Hire, the Arts Tax Gets Challenged in Court, and Oregon's Governor's Race Has Democrats Sweating
We're talking about the hiring and firing of a new Blazers broadcaster over some pretty heinous old tweets, and why the Portland Metro Ch...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: This Basketball Court Is Saving Residents From Floods — Presented By City Cast Portland
When Portland looks for inspiration for the future, does it look to the Netherlands? That’s what designers and officials in New York City...

Portland's Most Underrated Restaurateur Is Retiring, a DIY Bar Takeover, and Miami Beats Portland at Food?
We’re talking about an upcoming event hoping to bring attention to Portland’s bar scene. We’re also looking into some recent food news co...

Your Guide to October 2026 in Portland
Whether you’re stuck in a corn maze, catching a local theatrical production, or drinking your weight in pumpkin cider, October is the sta...

Old Town’s First Grocery Store in 50 Years, the Plan To Increase Portland’s CEO Tax, and Scout the Huggy Golden Retriever
Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about one nonprofit's mission to open a grocery store in Old Town, and how two city councilors...

Why Gov. Tina Kotek Wants To Keep Her Job
Gov. Tina Kotek is running for reelection in a tight race against the same Republican opponent she faced back in 2022, former state Sen....

Meet the 3 Candidates for Multnomah County Chair
Today, we're continuing our coverage of the upcoming fall election with the three candidates running for Multnomah County chair. Joining...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How One Oregon City is Lowering Energy Costs — Presented By City Cast Portland
What’s a seemingly small project in Portland that’s made a big difference? About 12 miles away in the Oregon suburb of Tualatin, a drinki...

Round 2: Why These 3 Portlanders Want To Represent District 3
Today we’re finishing up our Portland City Council interviews for our fall election coverage with the second panel of candidates for Dist...

The City’s Campaign Finance Watchdog Is Also a Lobbyist? Plus, What To Do With 20 Empty School Buildings, and Mailbag!
We're looking into why a city campaign finance officer was lobbying city leaders in her free time — and just what might happen to roughly...

