BOISE, Idaho — Just months after breaking ground, Kaixo Corner is officially open.
Steps from Boise’s Basque Block, the new public park honors not only the city’s Basque roots but also the many cultures that helped shape the Grove Street neighborhood. For sisters Diana Sabala and Delphina Arnold, the space holds personal meaning– it was once their childhood home.
“For me, this is a very good moment because I never knew what would become of this location... I just feel it is an extension of the Basque block and it's so beautiful,” Sabala said.
WATCH: Sisters reflect on Kaixo Corner’s rich history as Boise opens new park
“It was a great, great tribute to us,” said Arnold.
Kaixo Corner now sits where their grandparents once ran a Basque boarding house, a gathering place for immigrant families like theirs.
“Oh yes, never less than maybe 13 people at the table,” Sabala said.
“Mostly 20, I would say and then at Christmas, we had 120. We'd just tear one table and set another table, and just kept them coming. It was wonderful,” Arnold added.
The name “Kaixo” means “hello” in Basque, a symbolic welcome to Boise’s multicultural past.
The park features hand-carved sandstone pillars, steel sculptures, and a large Sky River Shade structure. Each element honors the layered history of Grove Street, once home to immigrants from China, Germany, Japan, and the Basque Country.
Sabala said it was especially meaningful to see the park completed just in time for Jaialdi, Boise’s once-every-five-years celebration of Basque culture.
“A lot of fun, but music and dancing, and that's what warms our hearts… you know, they're just happy people, loving people, and family,” Arnold said.
The sisters have spent decades preserving Boise’s Basque traditions. In 1960, they helped found the Oinkari dancers after a trip to Spain.
“We're the only two living of the first Oinkari group,” Sabala said. “We were in Spain with five of our friends and brought the dances back in 1960 and started the Oinkari Best Dancers. So we're both very proud of that.”
While many see Kaixo Corner as a new space, Jeanne Eiguren, a longtime member of Boise’s Basque community, sees it as a return to something much older.
“This lot has been a big part of the Basque community for years and years and years,” Eiguren said. “Then, as times changed, we went to a parking lot, so this is like heaven. It’s fantastic.”
The city hopes Kaixo Corner will serve as a gathering place for generations to come.
You can check out our full Jaialda guide here.
