Neighborhoods Need To Become More Active

As the Spokane Valley continues to become more densely populated, the need for open space grows more critical.

Brown’s Park, located on the corner of Pines Road and 32nd Avenue, is an example. On a recent evening, the park was filled with activity.

A baseball game was in progress. No surprise to anyone playing the game since all the diamonds are filled all summer.

Volleyball is catching up. Games overflowed from the sand courts to the additional nets on the grass.

Children enjoyed the newly installed play equipment, although my young daughter misses the swings.

I doubt that anyone enjoying the evening knew that without the efforts of the community and the commitment of Sam Angove, retired Spokane County parks director, Brown’s Park would be only a memory.

During the 1980s, Spokane was in the throes of a recession. County government suffered massive budget reductions. Many parks could not be maintained and some were up for possible sale to developers.

I remember my niece, now a young adult, bringing home a flier asking the neighborhood’s help in saving the park.

Sam inspired the community to save these jewels for the future by working at half salary for a time until the county found money for parks, motivated by the clamor of the voting public.

For the people in the park that evening, and for my children and others who have enjoyed Chester Elementary picnics and field trips on its grounds, thanks Sam!

The Spokane County Parks Department should be looking at further expansion of parks and community services as multifamily housing expands.

Neighborhoods are formed when residents have public spaces to share. Loss of neighborhood gathering places negatively influences the urban neighborhood and isolates its residents.

The removal of the play equipment from Balfour Park was one recent example.

I attend services at the church across the street. Spokane Valley United Methodist Church opens its doors to many outside groups, such as the Boy Scouts, at no charge. Camp Fire has offered all-day programs during school holidays for children. Having a safe place for children to play was a benefit for the entire community.

Spokane Valley United Methodist Church has a long history of supporting all residents of the Valley, not just its members. Many services that now function out of the Valley Center, such as the food bank, Meals on Wheels and clothing bank, started inside the church.

I was delighted to recently read that the Spokane County Parks Department has decided to replace the playground equipment and also expand the park.

The current park is diminutive and may have been called a “dog kennel,” but I am one happy puppy if Balfour Park can be expanded!

STA currently owns the adjoining land and is discussing a land swap with the county.

The local Pepsi Cola bottler is working out an arrangement with a grocery chain for a fund-raiser to buy new play equipment for Balfour Park.

I hope that the Pepsi program begins soon. It is now July and the summer days are long and boring if you have no place to play.

We Methodists are big coffee drinkers. We end our Sunday service with coffee hour in the Fellowship Hall. I know that our congregation would be willing to do its part. I don’t know if Pepsi hour will ever replace coffee hour, but our teens might enjoy a new addition.

I would say that “I bet” that other churches would join the effort but Methodists aren’t supposed to gamble.

My hope is that the other neighborhood churches will join in the project as a community service to the children of the neighborhood.

Moreover, if we can revitalize Balfour Park in the University City area, imagine the possibilities. Having a YMCA facility in the Valley was once a dream. Could the Valley Center of Performing Arts at U-City be far away?