By Reader Staff
The overhaul of Travers Park in Sandpoint has earned statewide recognition, with the Idaho Recreation and Parks Association naming the project its 2026 Outstanding Park or Facility.
Announced in an April 9 news release by the city of Sandpoint, the accolade highlights the yearslong — and sometimes contentious — redevelopment that turned Travers Park into a year-round recreation site with the 37,000-square-foot James E. Russell Sports Center at its core.
With work completed between 2023 and 2025, the overall project included a 15,000-square-foot inclusive playground and splash pad, an expanded and lighted skatepark — which recently received a shade covering — and the Tiny Woods Bike Skills Park.
While JER was funded with a $7 million gift from the Russell family, the project as a whole represented more than $10 million in public and private funding, alongside volunteer labor and support from local businesses.
“Together, these improvements have expanded year-round recreation opportunities, improved accessibility and strengthened Travers Park’s role as one of Sandpoint’s most important public gathering places,” City Hall stated in a news release.
Pend Oreille Pedalers led the creation of the bike skills park, fully funding the feature through grants, donations and volunteer labor to create a dedicated space for young riders. The Bonner County Skatepark Association supported expansion of the skatepark, while the East Bonner County Library District and United Way of North Idaho partnered on an interactive story trail that incorporates literacy into outdoor play near the new playground.
Materials, funding and expertise came from local businesses and service groups, including Sandpoint Rotary Club, HMH Engineering, the Selkirk Association of Realtors and Skyright Roofing, which helped make construction of a new picnic shelter possible. Other partners assisted with upgrades to baseball fields, batting cages, landscaping and site features. Additional backing came from organizations and companies including the Kalispel Tribe, Idaho Forest Group, Peak Construction and Backcountry Electric.
“The project was not simply a municipal capital project. It was a citywide effort made possible by residents, donors, nonprofits, local businesses, volunteers, user groups and public partners who came together around a shared vision for the future of the park,” City Hall stated. “The nomination materials specifically recognize broad community collaboration as a defining feature of the project’s success.”
City officials also applauded the leadership of former-Parks Development Manager Maeve Nevins-Lavtar, who oversaw the project from early planning through completion.
“The award nomination reflects the extraordinary complexity of the effort and the disciplined management required to bring multiple interconnected projects to completion while preserving and enhancing the park’s long-standing role in community life,” city officials stated.
Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm underscored that the state-level recognition reflects the collective efforts that made the project possible.
“This award is a tremendous honor for Sandpoint,” Grimm wrote in a statement. “Travers Park is a powerful example of what can happen when a community rallies around a shared vision.”
The award will be presented at the IRPA annual conference, scheduled for Monday, April 20-Thursday, April 23 in Twin Falls.
