Liberty Park to feature fencing, a first for Boise

BOISE — A 50-year-old park on the Boise Bench will be getting a much-needed facelift following a Thursday ground breaking.

Liberty Park off of Emerald Street is undergoing renovations for improved accessibility, the addition of bathrooms and new playground equipment. The park is the oldest city park to have gone so long without any renovations. It was first opened in 1975.

“I have heard loud and clear … how important it was to invest in this park,” Mayor McLean said Thursday. “This park, the playground, is old as I am and the city hadn’t reinvested in it yet.”

The renovations will include accessible swings, slides, climbing structures and more aimed towards inclusivity. During construction, the park will remain closed to public use.

The $2 million investment comes from multiple sources according to Boise Parks and Recreation Director Sara Arkle, including the Funded by Land and Water Conservation Fund and the city’s general fund.

“One of the things we’ve been challenged with, and I know many people have, is just the increased cost of construction,” Arkle said. “So it does take a really creative mind and a good partnership between our city departments to make good work happen.”

The final design was created with community feedback in mind including a fitting color theme for the playground equipment.

“Through that neighborhood engagement, they landed on a design that’s also red, white and blue — perfect for a park named Liberty,” Boise Council Pro Tem Kathy Corless said, pointing to feedback from the local neighborhood association.

Also due to popular demand, the park will have a fence around it, a first for Boise’s parks. According to Arkle, fences quell concerns of kids running away. The park’s overall landscaping is also being redone.

The renovations are expected to be completed by the end of summer. The park will serve more than 1,000 residents that live within a 10 minute walk.

Corless also applauded the addition of bathrooms, which were heavily supported by the neighborhood association.

“So here we are today with liberty and bathrooms for all,” Corless joked. “I look forward to next year, as we ground-break today. In the summer, we’ll break in those swings.”