Work Continues On Park On West 14th Avenue

Construction work is moving ahead this fall on development of a still-to-be-named neighborhood park in historic Cannon’s Addition.

Nelson Landscaping Service Inc. of Spokane is grading the site at the west end of 14th Avenue and installing curbs, walkways and a sewer line.

Restrooms, grass, electrical lines and a play area will be built next spring, said Mike Stone, a manager in the park department. The contract with Nelson is for $214,000, and includes the work next spring.

“It’s nothing very flashy. It’s basically a small neighborhood park,” Stone said.

The neighborhood and Park Board must still come up with a name. Stone said the board will take suggestions from residents of the area.

The site was once used as a dumping area for construction debris. The city bought the sloping 5.7-acre site in 1992. It is atop the bluff overlooking the Hangman Creek valley.

The city has been working to develop the park for several years.

Last year, the park department paid for engineering work to make sure the property was stable enough to support a building. The department also did preliminary grading and dumped fill material to level the property, Stone said.

City staff members won state funding to pay for half of the construction costs, which will total about $370,000.

The park department and the Cannon’s Addition neighborhood are combining their money to make up the 50-percent local matching share for the state grant.

The community development neighborhood group is contributing about $100,000 to the project from its allocation from the federal government.

Although it has taken several years to build the park, Stone said the development has occurred quickly, considering what’s happened with Ben Burr Park in southeast Spokane.

Construction of that park has stalled because the state parks committee, which hands out grants to local parks, has declined to provide money for that project.

, DataTimes