Two new parks in new Electric City plan

Electric City’s 25-year Pathway and Revitalization plan is complete.

This week, the Star newspaper looks at two new city parks as they are outlined in the plan.

Funding for parts of the Pathway and Revitalization is anticipated through grants as they are available to the city.

The two new parks are: Grand Avenue Park, with an Ice Age focus; and McNett Splashpad Park, behind the fire department building and just temporarily named.

The Pathway project was just recently completed by a team of instructors and students from Washington State University’s Rural Communities Design Initiative, part of the University’s School of Design and Construction.

The Grand Avenue Park is located near the city’s arsenic treatment plant on level ground in a low-traffic area. It will feature a near full-size, surfaced basketball court, which will provide a basketball practice area. The basketball court will provide a competitive area where athletes can perfect their skills, and could enhance Lake Roosevelt schools’ basketball programs.

The court would also double as an event platform that could include small concerts, a farmer’s market and other types of public events.

The plan calls for a shade structure, picnic tables, an event shelter and a fountain. Also planned are a restroom, benches for the public, and an art wall.

Some type of Ice Age theme, probably through signage, will become part of the park.

City officials point the plan is outlined for 25 years, and pieces of the plan will be accomplished as grants are available.

The McNett Splashpad Park site was recently purchased by the city for $25,000 from the Banks Lake Bible Church.

It is seen as a neighborhood family-oriented park, for picnics and activities for smaller children.

It would feature a splash pad water slide for small children, an open area for various types of recreation, a rope climb, a variety of small seating items, a shade structure, picnic tables, event shelter, barbecue area, two water fountains and restrooms.

This park has been promoted by city Councilmember Lonna Bussert. The first part of this park’s development would be a retaining wall to contain the park’s slope behind the fire station.

Bussert had convinced council- members that families needed to have a place where they could take their small children where the elements of the park were geared to the younger set.

The city has $25,000 in its park account that would enable construction of the retaining wall. The city, however, plans on improvements largely coming from grants.

Next week, the Star will feature “symbols and structures” as they appear in the Pathway plan.