Greenacres Park to be finished in fall
Eight-acre facility the first built by Spokane Valley
Residents in Greenacres who have been able to pick their way through the road construction have probably noticed that the long-awaited Greenacres Park is now under construction.
The city of Spokane Valley has owned just over eight acres at Boone Avenue and Long Road for years. There have been long discussions with the neighborhood about what amenities should be included and what the park should look like. “They were very involved in the design and layout,” said Parks and Recreation Director Mike Stone. “I think they’re thrilled to finally see their efforts coming to fruition.”
Greenacres has never had any sort of neighborhood park. The closest parks are Sullivan Park, which has no amenities, or Mirabeau Park. Both are miles away. The new park will be the first neighborhood park built by the city, which inherited all of its parks from Spokane County when the city incorporated.
The city is constructing the first phase of the park, which will include some elements originally planned for phase two after bids for the project came in much lower than anticipated. The park will include a parking lot, playground with splash pad, picnic shelter, restrooms, play fields, a walking path around the perimeter of the park and an amphitheater with a stage.
The entire park will be landscaped and irrigated. The heavy use areas near the playground will get sod and the rest will be planted with grass seed. A baseball field will be there, but the backstops and other improvements are planned for phase two. Also included in phase two are a basketball court, tennis court, community garden and skate park. Stone said he estimates it would cost about $600,000 for the second phase, but there isn’t enough money in the park capital fund to pay for it and there won’t be for several years. “We do not have much left,” he said. “I don’t see phase two happening in the next year or so.” The city will likely look for a grant to help fund the rest of the park, he said.
Phase one is expected to be complete in October. Construction was planned to start in May but was delayed by the weather and by sewer projects in the neighborhood. The overhead power lines were also removed and put underground. “We were paving both Boone and Long and putting in curbing,” Stone said. “We widened (Long) a little bit.”
The park will be fenced on three sides to clearly mark the boundary between the park and neighboring homes. The east side on Long Road will remain unfenced. “We talked to all the owners there,” Stone said. “They’re pleased with fences. We want to be good neighbors.”
Stone said residents will not be able to use the park this year because of the late completion date. The city plans to have a grand opening ceremony in the spring. “Certainly this is going to be very well used by the neighborhood,” Stone said.