New park in final plan phase
Post Falls Parks and Rec asking for written comments from city residents
A new park is taking shape in Post Falls, and the city wants some help in finalizing its plans.
The Post Falls Parks and Recreation Commission is accepting written comments on the five-acre park at the corner of Howell Road and Grange Avenue in northwest Post Falls. During the summer, city officials met with residents of two nearby subdivisions, Prairie Meadows and The Meadows, to solicit comments, said Parks and Recreation Director Dave Fair.
Those comments helped shape the preliminary plan. While residents differed on some ideas – and asked for some big-ticket items – Fair said the group reached consensus on one wish.
“The big thing is that people wanted it to feel like a neighborhood park,” he said.
So while there are no plans for splash pads or skateboard ramps, which are too expensive, the park should have something for everyone. Basketball, volleyball and pickleball courts. Swing sets and playground equipment geared toward a broad age range. Restrooms and bike racks. Horseshoe pits and a picnic shelter. Pathways, grass, trees and a demonstration planting area.
What shape the demonstration planting area takes remains to be seen, Fair said. It may involve “water-wise” planting, or maybe a variety of grasses, as the park sits on land that used to be prairie.
“The challenge is that you’re starting out with a piece of raw land out on the prairie,” he said. “The biggest feature we have out there is rock.”
They’re also considering a fitness course, featuring equipment where people could do basic exercises such as bench presses or leg presses, Fair said.
“It allows people to look at fitness in a different way,” he said. “We’re taking a hard look at that.”
Most likely the finished park won’t look exactly like the concept drawings, Fair said. “It’ll change a little bit from what it is,” he said. “How much, I don’t know.”
Some of what the park finally looks like will depend on public comments. Mostly, though, it’ll depend on money. The preliminary master plan, prepared by Gavin Associates Landscape Architecture of Post Falls, puts the final price tag at $920,000.
“Obviously, I don’t have anywhere near $900,000 in the budget,” Fair said. Instead, the parks department hopes to save money by having staff do some of the work, applying for grants and phasing in the project. Fair expects to begin construction this summer. Phase I would likely include the park’s infrastructure: site preparation, electric, water and sewer system installation, irrigation and a parking lot, among other items. The plan also calls for the two acres on the north of the park to be developed first. The rest may have to come over time.
“I’d love to have it done instantly,” Fair said. “But without money in the budget, it’s not going to happen.”