Thanks to community effort, Greenacres Park soon a reality
The North Greenacres Neighborhood is overjoyed by the Legislature’s recent last-day budget item, approving $300,000 for Greenacres Park.
This means actual site planning and build-out can begin. We’ve argued over myriad details of Spokane Valley’s early city steps, but this park process stands as one example of how quickly a dream can become a reality if we will agree on one thing. Spokane Valley leaders can write it down in their annals as something they did right.
On Dec. 28, 2004, in full winter, we chose to dream. The North Greenacres Neighborhood group gathered to discuss the winds of change and the city’s resounding “No” to continuing our more pastoral lifestyles. They were slated to end, and city life was poised for build-out. Every road was represented, and we voted to pursue building a park. The quest began, and many people are owed thanks in achieving this goal.
Jim Frank of Greenstone Homes encouraged us to plan and offered the assistance of Mike Terrell a consultant, who guided us to be fair and inclusionary, organizing neighborhood meetings, how to work with government and to stay on the “high road.”
Central Valley School District Superin- tendent Mike Pearson shared a part in the dream. He attended our meetings and welcomed the school/park concept that had been posed. When CV bought property on Long Road and Mission Avenue, he alerted our neighborhood and the city Parks Department. Huge thanks go to the visionary property owners, Mr. Brown and the Raddachs, who, despite developers knocking on their doors, reserved their properties for two years while waiting for the city to obtain park funding.
New children in the neighborhood have crystallized the public need for this park, as their games have spilled into the streets. Tiny lot sizes are unable to hold children’s play and giant imaginations that sprawling parkland can safely accomodate. It’s not a moment too soon. It will gently erase our differences and allows us to share in common one place we can easily welcome one another.
Mike Jackson, our parks director, had just finished the public process and the humungous task of writing the city’s master park plan. There was only two weeks left to write the grant application for park land acquisition. He trusted us to take park photos, get letters of community support, and the timeline of community involvement while he plowed through the paperwork and met the deadline. We are years ahead of the game due to his dedication.
Diane Johnson, part of North Greenacres Neighborhood planning, remarked, “It’s very exciting! Here is something that pulls us together, the old and the new. North Greenacres Park gives us a focal point serving everyone, somewhat like a town hall.”
Park dollars will go further if we can come up with sweat equity to build the park. Here’s an opportunity for the development community to step up and join hands with us in the actual work.
I don’t think it was by chance that God placed man in a garden. We need the green of nature to maintain balance. We’re one step closer.