NAMPA, Idaho — One of the fastest-growing cities in Idaho has a plan for its neighborhoods: open more space and give people a chance to walk or bike around town.
It's something that's very much on the mind of Nampa's Parks and Recreation supervisor Cody Swander.
"As we get more congested with growth, green space within the city becomes more and more important to the citizens and that's what we're hearing generally from everybody," Swander tells Idaho News 6.
Like the rest of the Treasure Valley, Nampa has seen explosive growth, but Swander says the city has a plan.
"I think the growth is actually what's driving the funding mechanism for most of the parks' growth. We rely on impact fees in Nampa, and part of the fees for every residential permit that's sold, part of that money goes back to the cities parks division, and that's what's funding all the new park growth in Nampa."
Two parks are going through expansion phases, Swander explains. "Midway is going to be a 52-acre baseball-specific complex when it's completed."
And across town, Orah Brandt park will double in size. "We're anticipating that location to be a future home for pickleball courts, additional parking lots, [and a] long-range master plan does show a third outdoor swimming pool in the park."
When you look at the map for the city's new pathways, Swander says you better take your time.
"If you look at it, it kind of looks like spaghetti thrown on the paper because there's pathways proposed for all over the city. Nampa has a different view than Boise with their Greenbelt. We're trying to get pathways in most of the residential areas in the city and bring people into downtown from different areas."
