SPOKANE, Wash. — Comstock Park reopened Tuesday following months of clean-up from the January 13, 2021 windstorm.
In a press release Tuesday, City of Spokane Parks and Recreation Spokesperson Fianna Dickson said visitors should use caution around any unsettled ground or holes from tree roots.
Staff will continue to do repairs at the Comstock bath house, fencing, tennis courts and playground, Dickson said. There is also unknown damaged to underground irrigation systems. Dickson said a full assessment will be done later this spring.
The City of Spokane estimates the storm resulted in $700,000 of damage to parks across the city. The windstorm damaged about 200 trees and other park amenities. Tennis courts, a playground, a golf building, lights, fences, benches and tables all require some level of restoration.
Viewer photos: Spokane windstorm 2021
The city is working to replace downed trees at a 2-to-1 rate. Volunteer tree plantings this spring, fall and into 2022. Dickson said parks with the greatest need for additional tree canopy will be given priority
A 71-mph gust recorded at the Spokane International Airport made the 2021 windstorm, which left more than 100,000 people without power at its peak, as strong as the historic storm in 2015. The 2021 storm killed two people and left 200,000 people without power for days.
Downed trees fell on homes and cars across the Inland Northwest and blocked roads. The storm also left tens of thousands of people in the area without power and the outages could last for multiple days.