AUDUBON-DOWNRIVER
Jeff Stevens, Neighborhood Council ChairStevens has served as chair at least three other times over the last 20 years.
What’s your neighborhood’s best landmark?
I think Audubon Park is what’s associated a lot, but also the downriver area and Downriver Golf Course. We have the river to the south, and we’re close to Riverside State Park.
What sets Audubon-Downriver apart from the rest of the city?
Access to recreation, being so close to the river and Riverside State Park. We have Drumheller Springs Park as well. We have a lot of recreational facilities here, that’s one of the reasons my wife and I live here, why we love it.
If you had $100,000 to fix an issue in the neighborhood, what would you spend it on?
We did a neighborhood plan for the Shadle area that would increase the supply of multifamily housing and access to the park. It requires funds to do that.
What’s your favorite place to eat or drink in the neighborhood?
Downriver Grill. They do a great job, it’s a nice quiet place to eat.
Who is someone working to improve the neighborhood and what do you admire about their efforts?
There is a person that walks along Downriver Drive a lot and picks up trash with his dog. We gave him a good neighbor award last year. He does a lot to keep that area clean.
How would you describe the neighborhood in three words?
Comfortable, family friendly. (SW)
BALBOA/SOUTH INDIAN TRAIL
Claudette Ganger, Neighborhood Council ChairGanger has participated in her neighborhood council since moving to Spokane 18 years ago.
What is your neighborhood’s best landmark, hidden gem or gathering spot?
There’s one park in the neighborhood, Indian Trail Park. That could probably count as our landmark and gathering spot. Salk Middle School is also a gathering spot. They let organizations like our neighborhood council host their meetings there. But the hidden gem might have to be Excelsior Wellness, which has a long history. There’s a landmark on the property, a rock that has painted runes on it that people have proposed were of Viking origin. Whether or not that’s true, it’s an interesting story, and I still think of it as “Viking Rock.”
What sets your neighborhood apart from the rest of the city?
We seem to have a high number of elementary schools — Indian Trail, Assumption and Balboa. We’ve also got a lot of churches for a neighborhood.
If you had $100,000 to fix an issue in your neighborhood, what would you invest it in?
It would definitely be traffic calming on Indian Trail Road, from Francis to Kathleen Avenue. The traffic on that stretch moves way too fast. The posted speed limit is 30 miles an hour, but a traffic study that was done last year found an average speed of 39. Speed has just been a constant issue. Over the past four years, there have been four traffic fatalities, mostly involving speeding, and we’ve seen houses hit by speeding cars. The bright spot is that we’ve worked really hard to get attention brought to that, and it’s finally working. We’re getting a full-stop crosswalk, but a lot more needs to be done.
What’s your favorite place to go out to eat or drink in your neighborhood and why?
There’s a couple. We’ve got one of the best gastropubs in Spokane, Cascadia Public House, which is a really cool spot. It’s always pretty busy, and it’s got that classic gastropub feel and a great menu. We’ve got another up-and-coming restaurant called Pint House [Burgers & Brews]. Both of them offer a different kind of atmosphere depending on what mood you’re in.
Who is working hard to improve your neighborhood and what do you admire about their efforts?
There have been many people who’ve worked hard over the years, and I’d feel bad calling out one individual. We had a prior neighborhood council chair, Karen Kearney, who brought attention to the speeding issues on Indian Trail Road and did a lot for the neighborhood. But we have some newer members who just moved here a few years ago and are also really involved. I should also mention Spokane Full Gospel Korean Church. They’ve been helpful in the past and have volunteered to help with our cleanup event.
How would you describe your neighborhood in three words?
Peaceful, scenic, vibrant. (EI)
NORTH HILL
Scot Webb, Neighborhood Council ChairWebb has lived in North Hill and participated in the neighborhood council for five years.
What is North Hill’s best landmark, hidden gem or claim to fame?
If I had to name just one claim to fame, it would be the Garland District as a whole, where we have so many individual landmarks: the Garland Theater, which is hopefully experiencing its regrowth; Ferguson’s, which also has a history with the film industry, the best known being Benny & Joon; and the Milk Bottle. We’re lucky to have all of that. As for a hidden gem, that would be Ruth Park. It’s a small park tucked away on Whitehouse [Street] and Dalke [Avenue] that not a lot of people know about. We’re working on putting in some benches there.
What sets North Hill apart from the rest of the city?
Aside from our business district, the one thing that pops out when I review a lot of the demographic info is that we have higher density as far as housing goes, but it’s a strong working class neighborhood. People take pride in where we live. And I truly feel like every corner of our neighborhood feels safe. I’m a runner and at no point have I ever felt like I’m in a pocket that’s unsafe.
If you had $100,000 to fix an issue in your neighborhood, what would you invest it in?
Traffic calming and walkability. The neighborhood council’s answer to this is that we really want to increase the sidewalks and especially add them around the elementary schools in our neighborhood. There are a lot of streets that still don’t have sidewalks. From a personal standpoint, I would really like to fix the tennis courts in Franklin Park. That would help increase the usage of that park.
What’s your favorite place to go out to eat or drink in your neighborhood and why?
I love Bon Bon, the cute bar that’s attached to the Garland Theater. It’s one of my favorites. They make a lot of old-school cocktails. The staff’s always friendly, and it’s a quaint, fun place. The North Hill on Garland restaurant also has a patio that gives you really nice views of Garland. It’s a great outdoor location.
Who is working hard to improve your neighborhood and what do you admire about their efforts?
I can give credit to the executive team on the North Hill Neighborhood Council. We’re all doing the best we can, putting in years and years of effort. Someone who deserves special mention is Julie Shepard-Hall. She used to be president of the Garland Business District and now she’s taken on our social media and communications. I admire her for what she does for our neighborhood.
How would you describe your neighborhood in three words?
Diverse, inclusive, caring. (EI)
NORTHWEST
Gail Cropper, Neighborhood Council Chair, Community Assembly Representative
Cropper has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years and served on the council since November 2019.
What is the Northwest neighborhood’s best landmark?
Loma Vista Park. It has one of those disc golf courses and it’s used for soccer and rugby practices, too. It has a beautiful greenspace as well as play features and picnic tables, and a lot of trees. There’s actually a project that we started last year where, working with the Parks Foundation, we’re applying for a grant to see how we can add some features to the park regarding special needs.
What sets Northwest apart from the rest of the city?
Our western border is marked by the Spokane River. It runs along the river’s edge, so we’ve got that easy access to a wonderful part of Spokane County. And though we don’t have actual retail shopping within our boundaries, it’s very close by. We also have the [Mann-Grandstaff] VA Medical Center, which is a great draw for our region.
If you had $100,000 to fix an issue in your neighborhood, what would you invest it in?
From what I hear from long-standing members, what’s important to them is the intersections of Driscoll Boulevard and Wellesley [Avenue] and also Assembly and Wellesley. There have been some [traffic-calming] projects that were agreed on and put forth by the neighborhood, but the plans got changed. They were supposed to be roundabouts, but they just ended up being sidewalk bump outs. Some people on Assembly near Dwight Merkel [Sports Complex] would also like to see those special hawklight crosswalks to make it safer to cross.
What’s your favorite place to go out to eat or drink in your neighborhood and why?
It’s just outside of our neighborhood, but I really like the way that the Fieldhouse Pizza & Pub has updated that space. They have a large area for families, but they also have a bar area for 21 and over. There’s a really good barbecue place, Outlaw Barbecue, next to it, and there’s a coffee hut there, too. So it’s a little bit of everything. Now we just need ice cream.
Who is working hard to improve your neighborhood and what do you admire about their efforts?
One of our newer members to the board, Norbert Leute. We created a position [on the neighborhood council] last year called “member at large,” and he stepped up to join us. He’s focused on sidewalk problems and safety. Across from Browne Elementary, if you ever travel along there, you’ll see this space where there’s always seasonal flowers. Norbert and his wife tend those flowers and maintain that area all year long, just to beautify it.
How would you describe your neighborhood in three words?
Mid-century modern, walkable, green. (EI)
FIVE MILE PRAIRIE
Aaron Reese, Neighborhood Council Chair
Reese grew up on Fairchild Air Force Base and has been a Five Mile resident for over 15 years.
What is Five Mile Prairie’s best-known landmark?
It’s hard to pinpoint just one. We have Sky Prairie Park, which has a huge play area and has walking trails and everything. They have cross country meets and soccer games there, and it serves as a place for a lot of events. But if we’re talking about an iconic landmark, it would probably be the historic schoolhouse at the corner of the Strong [Road] and 5 Mile [Road] intersection, which is now the Lilac Learning Center. The grange is right across the street.
What sets your neighborhood apart from the rest of the city?
Five Mile is a unique neighborhood in that, essentially, it’s kind of split. While the city has the Five Mile Prairie neighborhood, the entire Five Mile community is 50% Spokane County and 50% Spokane city. There’s still farmland up here, too, and it’s kind of interwoven between large, developed areas. So you could be walking through a developed neighborhood one minute, and the next minute you’re walking past a farm with pigs, chickens, horses and cattle.
If you had $100,000 to fix an issue in your neighborhood, what would you invest it in?
That is a spicy question to ask right now. There’s a historic Sears home at 7601 North 5 Mile Road, and it’s set to be either relocated or demolished, and they want to put 12-unit apartment complex buildings in that space. Nobody is a fan of that. So the community might want to hear me say that they would love to see $100,000 put into fighting this development. But, as I’m thinking through this, we have some of the worst [emergency] response times in the entire city, so maybe that money could be allocated toward solutions to that. Developing connectivity trails, revitalizing the park and really creating regular community gatherings would be another three areas I think many people would appreciate.
What’s your favorite place to go out to eat or drink in your neighborhood and why?
Because there are no restaurants and no commercial properties out here, I think the ideal location would be going to Sky Prairie Park for a picnic. When my kids were younger, we would go there all the time in the summer, and they would just run around.
Who is working hard to improve your neighborhood and what do you admire about their efforts?
There are two people that have, for many years, really poured a lot into the community. Kathy Miotke, a former chair of the neighborhood council, is definitely one of those Five Mile OGs who has put in a lot of time and effort. The other is Candace Mumm, who is a former city councilwoman. It takes a tremendous amount of time and bandwidth to have legitimate influence and impact, and they have worked on behalf of our neighborhood to have that influence and impact.
How would you describe your neighborhood in three words?
Community-oriented, rural, suburban. (EI)
NORTH INDIAN TRAIL
Terry Deno, Neighborhood Council Chair
Deno has lived in the neighborhood for nearly 48 years and has participated in the neighborhood council for two decades.
How would you describe your neighborhood in three words?
Awesome place to live (hopefully “to” doesn’t count).
What sets your neighborhood apart?
We don’t really use the term suburb anymore, but we are a suburb. We have the landfill and Five Mile that kind of separate us from everybody. We’re kind of like a little town. We have pretty much everything that you need except for a movie theater and a larger hardware store.
What’s your favorite restaurant to go to?
I would like to go to the Mexican restaurant [Cantarito], but we’re caregiving for my mother-in-law, so we have stuff brought in, and my wife is a terrific cook.
If you had $100,000 to fix an issue in your neighborhood, what would you spend it on?
I’d probably say our number one issue would be Indian Trail Road — something to slow people down. Or we’d spend the money on the park. We’re working on a future park [called Meadowglen].
What’s the best landmark?
Pacific Park. The whole month of July we have neighborhood concerts there.
Who is working hard to improve your neighborhood?
One of our chairs, John Dietzman. He’s worked on the planning commission. (SW)
