Oasis Park opens

Thu., June 12, 2008

Juan Juan Moses Correspondent

After a year of hard work and just in time for summer, Oasis Park is ready to open to the East Central community it serves and a community that has supported its creation from the very beginning.

The park is a playground for children of the Crisis Shelter for Women and Children and will be open to the public. It is the brainchild of the shelter’s director, Rich Schous, and his staff.

“The children were playing in the fenced-in parking lot area in front of the shelter. It is just not safe,” Schous said.

Schous and his staff came up with the idea of a designated playground last June. When they approached Eco Depot about the vacant lot next to the shelter, Eco Depot agreed to donate the use of the land.

Next, Schous approached Washington Association of Landscaping Professionals, whose members not only agreed to provide the basic services free of charge, but also decided to upgrade everything, from sod to sprinkler system to bark. Play equipment was funded by a private grant, with other private donations covering details from a particular piece of eco-friendly equipment to the cost of upkeep.

“The park is not just for the children from the shelter,” Schous said. “We intend it to be a community park, open to all the children in the area.”

Schous hopes the hundreds of children in the neighborhood will come enjoy the safe, clean environment. By providing the playground, Schous and his colleagues hope to enhance the quality of their youngsters’ life and that of every child in the neighborhood and help change the dynamics of the neighborhood.

The park is located at 1318 E. Sprague Ave., next to Eco Depot. A dedication ceremony is set for Friday from noon to 2 pm. There will be music and food. Voiceless – a choir of homeless and formerly homeless men, women and children – will perform at the ceremony. The community is invited to come enjoy the park and help celebrate the accomplishment of this joint effort by the shelter and its sponsors.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.