Panel seeks public comment on aquatics plans

The Aquatics Citizens Advisory Committee for the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department wants to hear from the public about development of pools and spray-pads in the city.

A public meeting will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the first-floor meeting room at the Downtown Library, 906 W. Main Ave.

The committee will be making recommendations on aquatics facilities and programs.

According to minutes from the Sept. 29 meeting of the recreation committee of the Spokane Park Board, current recommendations include building a full-featured indoor pool in the vicinity of Albi Stadium to replace Shadle Pool; renovating the A.M. Cannon, Hillyard, Witter and Liberty Pools; replacing Comstock Pool with an outdoor (possibly indoor) aquatics facility at Thornton Murphy Park; and constructing 10 to 20 spray pads to replace wading pools.

These recommendations are in draft form and are subject to change based on comments received at the public meeting Wednesday.

The recommendations suggest charging admission fees at new facilities at Thornton Murphy and near Albi, as long as there is some provision to accommodate low-income youths in those neighborhoods.

The Hillyard, A.M. Cannon, Liberty and Witter pools would maintain free swimming.

District 2 candidates forum

The Manito/Cannon Hill Neighborhood Council will host a candidates forum for City Council Position 2 with Mary Verner and Dallas Hawkins at 7 p.m. next Thursday at Wilson Elementary School, 911 W. 25th Ave.

Neighborhood cleanups planned

Residential yard waste will be accepted at two locations Saturday. Acceptable material includes leaves, grass clippings, sod less than 2 inches thick, pine needles, pine cones, brush, and limbs less than 3 inches in diameter and less than 4 feet long.

Materials must be disposed of without bags. Bags are fine for transport, but residents should be prepared to empty them for disposal.

Dirt, rocks, sod greater than 2 inches, animal feces, flocked Christmas trees, lumber, and previously composted material are not acceptable.

• Comstock residents can dispose of clean and green yard waste from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Sacajawea Middle School parking lot. Enter on 33rd Avenue and be prepared to help unload.

Only members of Comstock neighborhood can participate, so bring ID and proof of address.

The Comstock Neighborhood boundaries are Perry Street to the east; 29th Avenue to the north; 53rd Avenue to the south and High Drive to the west.

• Manito/Cannon Hill residents can dispose of clean and green yard waste from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wilson Elementary School, 911 W. 25th Ave.

ID (driver’s license, utility bill, etc.) is required to verify neighborhood residency.

Manito/Cannon Hill boundaries are 17th Avenue on the north; 29th Avenue on the south; Grand Boulevard on the east and Cedar Street and High Drive on the west.

Become a Habitat homeowner

Would you like to own a home?

To find out if you may qualify for homeownership through the Habitat for Humanity Spokane Program, attend an informational meeting. Eligibility criteria and homeownership applications are available only at quarterly information meetings.

Meeting schedule:

• Nov. 1 at 3 and 6 p.m. at the East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone St.; a Russian interpreter will be available at the 3 p.m. meeting.

• Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. at the Salvation Army Community Center, 222 E. Indiana Ave., and at 6:30 p.m. at the Spokane Valley Community Center, 10814 E. Broadway Ave,

• Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. at the West Central Community Center, 1603 N. Belt St., and at 6 p.m. at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook St.

West Plains benefit

The Quest for Fire and Ice West Plains auction benefiting the Cheney Rotary, Kiwanis Club and the West Plains Chamber of Commerce will be Nov. 4 in the Pend Oreille Pavilion at Northern Quest Casino.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with a silent auction at 6, dinner at 7 and live auction at 8.

Auction items include a Starbucks gift basket, golf packages, car detailing and full tank of gasoline, Eastern Washington University Governor’s Cup tickets, wine tasting, tickets to the Lion King, Spokane Chiefs packages, signed Edgar Martinez shirt and a variety of “stay and play” hotel packages.

Tickets are $30 each or $240 for a reserved table of eight. Tickets are available from any Cheney Rotary or Kiwanis Club member or by calling the West Plains Chamber of Commerce at 235-8480 or 299-8480.

Meetings

• The Riverside Neighborhood Council will meet from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in Room 1-A of the Downtown Public Library. Gavin Cooley, financial director for the city of Spokane, will discuss the property tax initiative and the 2006 city budget.

• The Manito/Cannon Hill Neighborhood Council will meet at 7 p.m. next Thursday at Wilson Elementary School, 911 W. 25th Ave.