Restoring Balfour

“I don’t take no for an answer,” Theresa Woolery, a spunky mother of three, proudly said. Woolery is a self-appointed guardian, fierce advocate and staunch preserver of Balfour Park, a 2.8-acre neighborhood park hidden behind the fire station on Sprague Avenue across from U-City.

The park was a favorite spot for Woolery while she was growing up. “This is where I’d come to have lunch and play,” she said. “This is the center of the Valley.”

Woolery is tenacious, earning the title of neighborhood activist among the city Parks Department where she admits she can be a “thorn in the side” at times.

In 2002 the Woolerys moved two blocks from Balfour Park. “One of the biggest things when we were looking for our house was a park close by for the kids,” she said. “Shortly after that they took out the playground equipment and said it was going to be three to five years before we’d get new equipment.”

Woolery admits Balfour was in dire straits then. The grass was brown, there were no picnic tables and the playground equipment was a safety hazard.

“I love this park. I never thought I would be an activist on something but when they said we weren’t going to have playground equipment for three to five years I ran with it.”

She hasn’t stopped running since.

She called Olympia, sent letters to then-county Commissioner Kate McCaslin and got to know Doug Chase of the Parks Department. She insisted Balfour be preserved, improvements be made, demanded new playground equipment and fought to keep the volleyball court.

“Doug kept saying, ‘We can’t do this,’ and I said, ‘Yes, we can.’ Shortly after that he’d call me and say, ‘Yes, we can,’ ” Woolery said.

With each “no can do” Woolery proved “yes, we can.” Phase one to renovate Balfour Park was in full swing.

“Phase one brought the park back to its original size, landscaping for the walking paths, a new fence, new irrigation, sod and new playground equipment,” Woolery said. She picked the playground equipment.

In 2003, there was a rededication ceremony at Balfour. “We had a minicarnival. There were so many people.” With phase one complete and the park rededicated most would consider this a job well done.

“Yeah, but I want more,” Woolery said with a smile.

She wants phase two (splash pad with water toys, two picnic shelters, walking path, a basketball court, permanent benches and volleyball upgrades) completed.

She would like the Parks Department to acquire the vacant land west of the park and expand Balfour from a neighborhood park to a community park. “I’ve talked to Jack Pring (the owner of the land) a couple of times. He said I could have the land for $3.5 million. So I suggested that we build a ball field and dedicate it to his son and he said I could have the land for $3.5 million. He didn’t budge.”

In her field of dreams, there’s a skateboard park, a ball field, “even a three-on-three basketball court in the corner.” A broad smile stretched across her face as she talked about the Balfour Park of the future.

“I looked at the budget online and the city has the money for the parks. It’s whether they want to part with it and give us something instead of just giving to Mirabeau Park. Mirabeau is everything.

“This is not Mirabeau Park. This is the Valley. This has always been the Valley. U-City has always been the center of the Valley. Why is all the money going to Mirabeau?”

The city’s plans include an urban community center built around U-City and adjacent lot to the east. Woolery believes the park will be a vital asset. “This area is prime,” she said.

When Woolery presented her vision for Balfour Park at the Spokane Valley Business Association meeting last month, she was met with several obstacles. “Mike Jackson (Parks and Recreation director) said the park needs a master plan and if someone private wants to fund that then it can get the ball rolling.” Money and that the park is little-known also were mentioned. “I have my work cut out for me, that’s for sure,” she said.

First and foremost, Woolery wants phase two completed. “The kids would love the water pads,” she said. “This park has to stay. The city has been a city long enough. We need to have this park done.

“It’s worth it for the community,” she added. “We have to provide a safe, fun place for our children.”

Woolery formed the University Neighborhood Association. “That’s me,” she said. “A one-woman show.” She said her husband and kids and Dick Behm are her biggest advocates in this crusade.

“I would love to see the community help out more,” she said. “This is their park. It isn’t my park; it’s the community’s park.”