SPOKANE, Wash. — Crisp fall weather has families flocking to Spokane’s parks, but some of the city’s beloved green spaces are showing their age. This November, voters will decide whether to approve a levy that could help revitalize them.
The $440 million Together Spokane package includes a $240 million levy for the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department.
The initiative aims to significantly upgrade Spokane parks and ensure a quality park is within a 10-minute walk from every home in the city.
Minnehaha Park in northeast Spokane is one of the parks identified as due for a major overhaul, if the levy were to pass.
Gabriel Mwamba lives near the park and often takes his son there to play.
“My son loves coming to the park. We can be here for hours,” Mwamba said. “Whenever I come here, I find a lot of people connecting with other people, which is very, very good.”
Despite being a popular spot for families, Spokane Parks Department says Minnehaha Park is in poor condition. The playgrounds are rundown and graffiti covers many of the walls.
Rachel Dewitt, who lives across from the park, sees the untapped potential.
“Every kind of person uses this park and would probably do more so if it was up to date,” Dewitt said.
The prospect of improvements has generated enthusiasm among neighborhood residents.
“Boy, that would be amazing,” Dewitt said when asked about potential upgrades.
Almost 90% of the park levy funding would go toward improving and maintaining the city’s existing parks and properties.
“It’s a very big park for the size that it is. And with the people that it draws, it needs upgrades,” Dewitt said.
For Mwamba, the potential improvements would be more than just upgraded facilities.
“It makes me feel so good, you know? It’s very close…. The development will help a lot,” he said.
If voters approve the levy, the Parks Department plans to upgrade up to 10 acres of Minnehaha Park. The improvements would include a new large playground, additional community gathering areas, and new sports courts.
Mwamba finds particular appeal in the community-focused elements of the proposal.
“The combination of communal spaces and the safe places for the kids, I think this is the best,” he said.
The November election will determine whether Spokane moves forward with the combined Parks Department and Spokane Public Schools ballot measure.
For more information on Together Spokane, visit www.togetherspokane.org.
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