TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Twin Falls is preparing for its first City Park expansion in over a century, with construction on a new flagship playground set to begin June 15.
WATCH: Twin Falls is expanding its City Park for the first time in over 100 years, starting with a new playground set to open this summer.
Phase One of the Twin Falls Outdoor Learning Plaza will use roughly $250,000 in H.U.D. grants to upgrade park amenities, starting with a large new playground structure.
Twin Falls City Planner Will Klaver said the new playground will stand out.
"From the ground to the top of the structure will be 22 feet, and it will have a 14-foot slide," explained Klaver. "It will add a little bit more adventure for the kids."
The new playground will span approximately 5,000 square feet and include climbing structures, a spinning ball that will be ADA accessible, additional swings, and an old-fashioned merry-go-round.
"It adds a lot of structure— it's about 5,000 square feet of new playground equipment," Klaver said.
The broader expansion will also include family amenities that pay homage to Twin Falls' past, including a replica of the two-story gazebo that stood in the park 100 years ago and a small kids' playground designed to look like the old Shoshone Falls electric rail car that once passed by the park.
The expansion will also extend the park's footprint by cutting off a section of Hansen Street and connecting the park to the front steps of the Twin Falls Public Library.
"It's really to connect the city park and library together. As part of that, we're looking at creating a pedestrian pathway, similar to this Hansen street," added Klaver.
Klaver said the reconfigured Hansen Street corridor will feature removable bollards at each end to allow emergency vehicle access.
"However, for the general public, the majority of time, it will be closed off," Klaver said.
Neighbors in Twin Falls say they welcome the changes.
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Spring, a Twin Falls resident, said the downtown location is a draw: "I think it's awesome that the kids can come downtown instead of going clear across town to the Red Park, as we call it."
Samantha, another Twin Falls neighbor, said the expansion reflects the city's growth: "Population is just growing and growing, and we need to expand with the life that we're bringing into this world."
Samantha added that the new space could encourage kids to spend more time outdoors.
"It's going to open up the community and have more kids actually out and about instead of hiding on tablets and their cell phones," Samantha said.
"It's just a great place. And to expand it will just bring more to the environment and more to the community," added Samantha. "It's just going to be an all and all win for everybody."
Work on closing Hansen Street and expanding the park to the library is expected to begin next spring.
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