Rose Park leaders and city staff pursue Slant Street gateway improvements; DNRC grant pursued

Rose Park’s neighborhood leadership updated the City Council on planning for improvements at the Slant Street gateway — two small city-owned triangles near Franklin Park — during the Dec. 1 meeting.

Audrey Hayes, speaking for the leadership team, said members have been working with city Stormwater staff on a conceptual plan that previously included a rain garden but lacked funding. Stormwater staff connected the neighborhood with a Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) grant opportunity, and the team is actively preparing an application. Public works and mobility staff also briefed the group on planned sidewalks, boulevard improvements and other site treatments.

Hayes said the Parks and Recreation Board approved a capital campaign for a local ‘honoring our heroes’ element planned for Rose Park. Council members thanked Hayes and neighborhood volunteers for their partnership with city departments.

Separately, during mayoral communications the mayor noted community partners including Heritage Timber coordinated donations and transport of furniture and supplies from the closed Johnson Street shelter to tribal shelters (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe and Crow Nation) and praised an accelerated roofing permit process the city has implemented for urgent repairs.

Action items: the neighborhood team is submitting a DNRC grant application; any capital campaign or public improvements requiring city funding or permits would return to council or staff for approval per normal processes.