Spokane’s Riverfront Park bond vote has river running through it

The ballots have dropped for the City of Spokane’s proposed $60 million dollar Riverfront Park master plan. Click here to see some of the design concepts.

The Spokane River, of course, runs through it. The citizen’s advisory committee made a point of improving walkways and viewpoints to the river. At the same time, the Spokane Park Board has partnered with the Spokane Tribe of Indians to establish a Riverfront Park Spokane Tribal Heritage Committee. The committee will develop interpretive signage to tell the 9,000 plus year story of native culture in the area, with Canada Island being a particular focus.

Said Randy Cameron, the Park Board President, “When Avista funded redevelopment of Huntington Park to provide easy access and stunning views of the falls, it put an exclamation point on the river being front and center in the master plan. Take the river, add good design, and provide superior lighting. What you get is a place residents and tourists alike want to visit 24/7.”

On a parallel track, Parks and Rec has also completed the design work for putting in access beneath Division Street Bridge. The design, said Spokane River Forum Executive Director Andy Dunau, “is now going through the permitting process and will hopefully be in place soon.”

“If the bond is approved,” said Cameron, “we’re at the leading edge of a Riverfront Park renaissance with, indeed, the river running through it.”