North Greenacres Neighborhood

Park Report to City's Park Director and Consultant February 14t

Neighborhood Focus Group Summary - Why Plan?

North Greenacres Neighborhood
Spokane Valley Parks & Recreation Meeting
February 14, 2005


Neighborhood Focus Group Summary of Results

North Greenacres believes we should be one of the highest priorities for a new park and places a high value on park and recreation services.
Zoning changes have brought unprecedent growth –already vested developments outnumber the existing homes in the area between Mission & Centennial Trial. New school will attract families but lot sizes are very small. Increased traffic will make walking through neighborhood dangerous unless we plan paths to protect pedestrians. Concern to provide healthy choices for youth for recreation – not just sports but fostering a delight in nature, arts and education.

Parks builds a sense of community
Provides a place for gathering for all ages
Enhances the Quality of Life
Preserves Greenspace and Openspace that is highly prized since most of North Greenaces has been rural in nature composed of small acreages.

Overwhelming Need for Park Space - Recreational Needs -

Pressing Park & Recreation Needs for North Greenacres
Close proximity to river makes river an attractive danger to children looking for recreational opportunities – Playground equipment, lighted play fields for games,
Pavillion for Community Entertainment (i.e. bands, square dancing, picnics,
Movies, neighborhood theater, center for outdoor community events).
Sprinkler area for children to play (cost of water, pool upkeep, and supervision makes this option an attractive sustainable investment for the city.)

Trails: Provide bike, walking and horse trails to interconnect community to park/school, and centennial trail, (possibly trail connection between parks.)
Develop Equestrian Trail on Boone (Rails to Trails Project) Many Equestrian Clubs worked hard to create the Centennial Trail and are being excluded from its use – designated horse land needed to keep trail safe or a schedule of uses
Example: certain days or hours for horseback riding on the trail and this would be posted at the entrances to the trail, ex. Flora, Sullivan, Barker, etc.

Spokane Valley Park Department Action Needed - Comments

The City’s Parks and Recreation Department should be responsible for
Land Purchase – land acquisition is vital while it is still open and available
Seek Partnerships with Schools and other Community Members
Establish Impact Fees – Big Priority to obtain park land and maintain existing parks
Put Park Levy on the Ballot this Fall
Activities for all ages and abilities
Providing access via activity bus
Organizing Events such as Folk Dancing Classes, Art on the Green Displays, Bird Watching Clubs organized, Gardening and Flower Cultivation information,
Creation of Greenhouse, Arboretum, specialty features to help with economic development as well as recreational opportunities –creation of a plan to encourage tourism such as Manito Park. Creation of Memorial Forest

Actively buffering developments with screens of trees, foliage and creation of open space to keep neighborhoods attractive
Developing design standards for streets and all developments to give people common space to enjoy nature and preservation of our wildlife.
Preservation of Wildlife and education about our local plants, trees, etc. available.

Generally little knowledge of Parks & Recreation Services – Mirabeau Park is great!
If we were going to drive – it was just as easy to go to the lake than drive to a park.
Liberty Lake’s Pavilion Park has attracted some use of this area due to it’s schedule of events and the sprinkler park for the children.
Swim team and swim lessons have always been popular.

City Partnerships to Improve Parks & Recreation

Groups to partner with could include Equestrian clubs, Developmentally Disabled Programs, College Landscaping Programs, Landscape Companies, University Extension Services Tree Planting, Historical Society, Schools, Neighborhoods,
Developers, and the Building Association.