Spokane breaks ground on 14-acre Meadow Glen Park, funded by local levy and state, federal grants

Spokane Parks and Recreation Director Garrett Jones opened the groundbreaking for Meadow Glen Park, saying the city had not built a new neighborhood park in 23 years and that the Together Spokane parks levy dedicates roughly 12% of levy funds to new parks and acquisitions. Jones said the 14-acre park will bring many households within a 10-minute walk of a park and that officials expect a ribbon-cutting in summer 2027.

Bob Anderson, president of Spokane’s Park Board, outlined the site’s long history: the city acquired land for a park in the Indian Trail area in 1986, and neighborhoods waited decades for a park. Anderson said the North Indian Trail area has among the lowest park-walkability scores in the city, with more than 2,800 households lacking walkable access to a park, and thanked voters, the neighborhood, design and construction partners, Spokane Transit Authority and matching grants that helped move the project forward.

Terry Denno, chair of the North Indian Trail Neighborhood Council, described decades of neighborhood advocacy dating to the 1970s and thanked volunteers and park board members for keeping the project alive. Council member Zac (District 3) said the park will strengthen neighborhood connections, improve walkability and add a safer crossing of Indian Trail so both sides of the street can access the facility.

Don Poland of the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) described the agency’s role in funding outdoor recreation and conservation. Poland said RCO contributed two matching grants totaling $2,500,000 to pair with local Meadow Glen levy funding and that the office has invested in dozens of Spokane projects over time. He also noted federal support from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and highlighted the economic and public-health benefits of parks and outdoor recreation.

Eight-year-old neighborhood resident Zara spoke for local youth, saying she currently has no park within walking distance and that she is most excited about volleyball nets, slides and pickleball courts planned for Meadow Glen.

The ceremony closed with a ceremonial shovel-dig involving elected officials, park board members and project partners, including the design team and general contractor Cameron Riley. City officials reiterated a target ribbon-cutting in summer 2027 and thanked the community and partner agencies for their roles in funding and design.

Next steps: construction will proceed with partner oversight and a planned public ribbon-cutting in summer 2027; officials credited the Together Spokane parks levy and state and federal grants for making construction possible.