TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Thanks to the addition of 6.3 acres after the construction of a new firehouse, The Twin Falls Parks and Recreation Department is looking to expand one of the city's 30+ parks.
- Built as an addition to a subdivision in 2001, Vista Bonita Park in southern Twin Falls has served as a neighborhood park.
- Twin Falls Parks and Recreation Department held a community open house to hear from residents about what direction the new Vista Bonita Park should take.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
“We think it's a great opportunity to bring additional park space and to serve a part of the community that has been underserved,” said Wendy Davis, Twin Falls Parks and Recreation Director.
Built as an addition to a subdivision in 2001, Vista Bonita Park in southern Twin Falls has served as a neighborhood park.
“Generally, a neighborhood park is designed to serve that neighborhood,” said Davis.
Thanks to the addition of 6.5 acres of land the city acquired to build a new fire station, the future of this neighborhood park is going community wide.
“We recognize that a lot of the expansion is going north and so most of the new parks are on the north side of town. So, to have the opportunity to expand and bring amenities to the southern part of town, into the growth that's going out here, is a pretty exciting opportunity,” said Davis.
On Thursday, the Twin Falls Parks and Recreation Department held a community open house to hear from residents about what direction the new Vista Bonita Park should take.
“We have two scale drawing of the park space as well as amenities that could go in,” said Davis. “So, people can go in and play around with it to see what fits and what doesn't fit and understand some of the complexities in trying to put a park together.”
Some of those potential amenities included splash pads, new playground equipment, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball, softball and even a soccer field. Just to name a few.
For neighborhood resident Nikki Miller; she's grateful that the city is taking such an open approach in the decision-making process.
“I think it's awesome, I think community input is very important and I think the community really gets into it when they're involved,” said Miller.
Thanks to $2 million in State and Local Fiscal Recovery funds, much of the expansion cost is already covered.
Which opens the door for something new in the Twin Falls parks system.
If you weren't able to make it to the open house, and you have a few ideas of your own, you can still share your thoughts with the city online by scanning their QR code on the website. Click Here.
