‘Concerts Under the Pines’ a tradition for Audubon-Downriver area residents

Sun., Sept. 24, 2017

By Mike Prager The Spokesman-Review

A fairly quiet neighborhood, the Audubon and Downriver area sits in the northwestern part of the city.

Victor Frazier, outgoing chairman of the Audubon-Downriver Neighborhood Council, said the neighborhood is made up of a loyal community of neighbors who watch out for each other and are willing to help out.

“First and foremost, I think it’s the people,” he said.

A police crime analyst studied crime reports for the neighborhood and discovered that Audubon-Downriver has the highest apprehension rate for burglars, thieves and other types of criminals, he said.

The neighborhood is home to Northwest COPS crime prevention office at Shadle Center.

“Neighbors watch out for neighbors,” Frazier said.

Under the city’s neighborhood council structure, Audubon-Downriver was part of the Northwest Neighborhood until 2015, when the neighborhood split off Audubon-Downriver because the previous arrangement was too big to keep well organized.

Now, Audubon-Downriver is bounded by Wellesley Avenue on the north, Ash Street on the east, Fairview Avenue on the south and the Spokane River on the west

Frazier has served as a neighborhood council officer under both arrangements since 2003 and will continue in the coming year as Audubon-Downriver treasurer.

Frazier said the area is now blessed with a group of locally-owned small businesses with owners who support neighborhood projects, especially the summer concerts. Those businesses include River Ridge Hardware, Downriver Grill, the Flying Goat restaurant, Judy’s Enchanted Garden, the Little Garden Café and Fieldhouse pizza and brew pub among other businesses.

One of its defining landmarks is Audubon Park, which was established in 1905 and named after John James Audubon, a famous ornithologist. Each year, Spokane residents head over to Audubon and Shadle parks with lawn chairs, blankets and picnics for the “Concerts Under the Pines” series.

In a neighborhood characterized by modest well kept homes, Frazier said, “The special sauce is that people are really tight and friendly.”

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