SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane’s Riverfront Park is undergoing a new phase of construction that will add more activity areas to the park.
The largest addition will in the north side of the park.
A one-acre Ice Age-themed playground will bring a splash pad, climbing tower and tube slides to the area, according to Spokane Parks and Recreation Director Garrett Jones.
“Traditionally, this was always the back door of Riverfront Park, not a lot of improvements or activation,” Jones said.
He said the park’s history inspired the theme of the playground. Floods during the Ice Age era kept streams of the Spokane River running through the area.
“It’s really just telling that story of what we see today and why we see it,” Jones said.
An 8,000-square-foot.skate park will be adjacent to the playground.
“That’ll have an urban kind of street feel to it, and then your traditional (skate) bowl that you’ll see in other skate parks,” Jones said.
A 10,000-square-foot basketball court with six hoops will sit near the skate park.
“It’s a great option whether it’s your lunch break or on the weekends to come and play a pickup basketball game,” Jones said.
The courts will be part of the Hoopfest layout when the competitions come to town.
On the southeast corner of the park, across from the Washington Water Power Building, will be a smaller playground with interactive games for children and adults, along with an additional restroom, Jones said.
The projects totaled about $10 million and were funded by private donors and a grant from the Washington State Conservation Fund, Jones said.
The projects are expected to be complete by Spring 2021. .