Voters in the city of Spokane, Washington, have voiced their fervent approval for the city’s $440 million referendum supporting park and school improvement projects. While the votes will be officially certified on Nov. 25, election night results indicate the parks levy received overwhelming approval while the school bond has secured a narrow majority.
The combined vision is part of a plan that has been years in the making – called Together Spokane – to provide the funds needed to advance approximately 200 projects. The parks levy received 54.8% of the vote, ensuring it has more than enough support to pass as the city counts the remaining 22,000 ballots. The school bond, however, requires a supermajority with 60% of the vote to pass. As of now, the bond has approximately 60.8% of the votes needed for ratification.
The parks levy will provide $240 million to support projects across the city. Among the featured projects, the city will renovate three major parks – Minnehaha, Sharpley Harmon and Grant. The city will improve Minnehaha by building a large custom playground, upgrading and replacing restrooms, installing a splashpad and building an off-street parking lot and paved pathways. Additional work will include building a dog park, implementing ADA improvements, irrigation, restoring landscape, building a multi-purpose field and installing either a pump track or sport court complex if the budget allows.
Plans for Grant Park involve replacing the east parking lot and upgrading the west parking lot. The city will create a farmer’s market courtyard space with support utilities, build an enhanced playground, splash pad, sports courts and paved pathways. Additional work will include ADA improvements, irrigation and park landscape restoration.
Sharpley Harmon Park will be renovated to include a large playground, replace restrooms, build sports courts and make ADA improvements. The project vision also calls for installing utility hookups, irrigation, multi-purpose field space and restoring park landscaping. The city may also, if funding permits, build an artificial sports field and a replacement splash pad.
Aside from renovating existing parks, Spokane has also received permission to build three new neighborhood parks. The first of these – Qualchan Hills Park – will cover 10 acres of park area and feature a community playground, restrooms, pavilion, splash pad and a dog park. Additional components include a paved off-street parking lot, paved pathways, multi-purpose turf field and a sports court.
Shiloh Hills Park will feature similar amenities to Qualchan Hills Park with 5-10 acres dedicated to a neighborhood playground, restrooms, paved pathways and a multi-purpose turf field. The city will also make ADA improvements, install an irrigation system and improve the landscape.
Meadowglen Park will cover the largest development area at 14 acres with preservation of at least 16 acres as natural land. Project components include building a neighborhood playground, restrooms, utilities, a gazebo, parking lot, sports courts and a sand volleyball court. Additional work will prioritize a multipurpose turf field, connections to existing trails, landscape and ADA improvements and an irrigation system.
The approved levy will enable the city to make several additional enhancements to the city’s park environments, including renovating or replacing approximately 85 restrooms and 54 playgrounds. The city will renovate all sports courts; build an all-weather, lighted sports field; disc golf course; pump track; modernize old weather systems; renovate or develop five trail and trailheads; buy land; and renovate existing softball and baseball fields with all-weather surface infields and practice lights.
Due to the school bond’s narrow lead, the future of its project is less certain until city officials certify the election results. Should the $200 million bond receive the necessary supermajority approval, the district would be able to implement a wide swathe of projects to improve educational facilities across all campuses. A selection of these initiatives include:
- Rebuilding Adams Elementary to improve building efficiency and ADA accessibility.
- Building a fieldhouse at Madison Elementary with five indoor basketball courts, eight volleyball courts, 16 pickleball courts, an exterior basketball court, practice lights, all-weather field turf and improved parking.
- Developing three all-weather rectangular fields with practice lights and one all-weather baseball infield at Ferris High School.
- Building a full-time trades high school.
- Developing eight lighted rectangular fields as part of expanding the Merkel Sports Complex.
- Constructing an indoor tennis court at Shadle Park High School.
- Modernizing North Central High School to ensure all facilities can adequately support the student population.
- Updating high school auditorium spaces.
- Creating an indoor aquatics facility at Spokane Community College.
Photo by William Jacobs from Pexels
For more of the latest from the expansive government marketplace, check Government Market News daily for new stories, insights and profiles from public sector professionals. Check out our national contracting newsletter here.
