SPOKANE, Wash – Spokane Public Schools and the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation Department want to transform the city’s future through major projects at schools and parks.
SPS and the city presented the “Together Spokane” plan Thursday, which is dependent on the will of the voters this fall.
The plan would fund 200 projects across Spokane, highlighting collaboration among community groups.
SPS and Spokane Parks plan to present this as “separate but aligned” November ballot measures, but the plan is contingent on approval by the City of Spokane Park Board and the Spokane City Council.
Spokane Parks and Recreation is proposing a $240 million, 20-year levy. Spokane Schools would propose a $200 million, 5-year bond.
Together, it would cost taxpayers an estimated 29 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The organizations believe if that if they stayed in their “silos” the projects would cost 31 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
You can go to this link and calculate how much it would cost based on your address.
The organizations believe the collaboration would be transformative for the future of Spokane – and that collaboration would lower the cost to taxpayers than if the entities worked separately to pass ballot measures.
Plans include Boys and Girls Clubs built inside several Spokane elementary schools, a major expansion of the Merkel Sports Complex, restroom and playground improvements at city parks and the creation of a master plan for a new elementary school in Latah Valley.
The plan also calls for the city to take over a mothballed pool at Spokane Community College that has been unused since the COVID pandemic. The pool would be transformed into an indoor aquatics center.
School modernization projects
If passed, Spokane Schools would complete major modernization projects at North Central High School and Garry Middle School.
One of the major projects is the Franklin Park School and Recreation Center. The aging Madison Elementary school in north Spokane would be rebuilt and combined with a recreation center and Boys and Girls Club.
A multi-use field house could be used to meet community needs for things like basketball and volleyball tournaments and leagues.
A project at Adams Elementary School would also integrate a Boys and Girls Club, allowing for kids to be part of programs after school and on weekends in a growing area of the south hill.
The school district is also planning new trades high school on the Spokane Community College campus. It would provide full-day classes for students who want education focused on a career and technical education.
Park improvements, additions
If the funding is approved by voters, the city would build three new parks in North Indian Trail, Shiloh Hills and the Latah/Hangman area.
This is an attempt to meet a national benchmark for there to be a park within a 10-minute walk of every neighborhood.
A yes vote would also secure funding to renovate parks at Minnehaha, Grant and Harmon.
The partnership also calls for the integration of school playfields into after-hours parks, giving neighborhoods access to resources after the school day is over.
The city plans to enhance the daily maintenance and security of existing parks, renovate/replace all 85 restrooms and 54 playgrounds and create six outdoor learning centers.
Glenrose Sports Complex plans
The plan would put an end to a long debate on the Glenrose Prairie. For years, some neighbors have fought SYSA plans to build a sports complex in a large field at 37th and Glenrose.
Signs opposing the project still stand in the area and the neighborhood association has waged a legal challenge for years, objecting to the sports complex and saying it would ruin the rural lifestyle of the area. The most recent update from the Glenrose Neighborhood Association says there’s a hearing next month on the future of the project.
Under this proposal, SYSA would abandon that project and contribute instead to construction of a sports complex at Ferris High School.
The complex would include three rectangular fields with lights and an all-weather baseball field that could be used by community groups, SYSA and school teams.
More information, project plans and detailed parternships
You can read more about the proposals, see links to the projects and calculate the cost at this link.
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