Travers parking lot to close for paving as part of overall park renovation

By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff

Big things are happening at Travers Park, as crews will pave the south parking lot located off of Pine Street. The work will run from Monday, Oct. 14 to Friday, Oct. 25, during which time the entire lot will be closed, temporarily removing access to the outdoor tennis courts, Tiny Woods Bike Skills Course and asphalt path on the southeast side of the park.

The skatepark will remain open, though accessible only from the southeast Pine Street sidewalk. Parking will be available at Great Northern Park, while the pathways on the west and northern sides of the park will stay open, as will the ball fields, which can be accessed from the north.

According to city officials, the closure is necessary as part of the overall renovation of the south side of Travers, including the 7,000-square-foot skatepark expansion that opened in July, the James E. Russell Sports Center, and inclusive playground and splash pad.

The cost of the paving project will run to $120,000, drawn in part from the $7 million gift from Jim and Ginny Russell, which has supported the development of the James E. Russell Sports Center. Remaining funds are being taken from the Sandpoint Parks Capital Budget.

At the Sept. 18 meeting of the Sandpoint City Council, Community Planning and Development Director Jason Welker said the asphalt work is “going to really transform the face of Travers Park.”

Also in September, Welker announced that with irrigation and landscaping work slated for mid-October — including the planting of about 88 trees — “We are on track to have the building occupied by city staff around Nov. 15.”

After that, City Hall is aiming for a public unveiling of the finished James E. Russell facility to coincide with the annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot event, which this year will land on Thursday, Nov. 28. 

Playground equipment is expected to be installed by the last week of October, leading to a “complete transformation of the playground area over the next few weeks,” Welker said.