SOUTHEAST BOISE, Idaho — The newest addition to Boise's "Ribbon of Jewels" is one shovel scoop closer to bringing neighbors and kids a new place to play outside.
City leaders broke ground the future Alta Harris park on Wednesday.
“I think it’s beyond just going and having fun, that really means something to people’s well-being," said Lee Parton, who has lived in Harris Ranch for about a decade.
Parton says he's excited to see his neighborhood continue to grow with the addition of the 20 acre park.
“I think it’s gonna increase the recreation opportunities, probably bring some more people out here to Southeast Boise but really for kids and neighbors a place to go and play soccer or Pickleball or whatever else we enjoy doing out here," Parton added.
WATCH | Hear from neighbors and city leaders about the future Alta Harris Park
Plans for Alta Harris Park include three soccer fields, a nature playground, and pickleball courts along with a new section of the Boise Greenbelt trail.
The Harris Family donated $1.5 million to help fund the completion of the park, with the exception of the pickleball courts, which Boise Parks and Recreation is still working on securing funding to build.
“When this is completed, it’ll create a place for over 2800 people that can walk to the spot within 10 minutes," said Boise Mayor Lauren McLean.
The park will be located at 3910 S. Eckert Road. An full completion date has not been announced yet, but work on the next phase of construction is expected to start soon and should be done by next spring.
Alta Harris Park will be the latest addition to the city’s “Ribbon of Jewels” — a series of parks named in honor of prominent local women.
Alta Harris and her husband moved their sawmill to the Boise area in the 1950s. It eventually became Producers Lumber Company, and later the couple established a ranch raising Hereford cattle. The city says the real estate development project Harris Ranch takes its name from the family enterprise, and the park is located on the north bank of the Boise River within the Harris Ranch development. Alta Harris died in 2012 at the age of 93.
At Wednesday's ribbon cutting, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said the new park "will create an opportunity for folks in the neighborhood and beyond to come and to gather to connect with each other, and to play as the as the park builds out, to enjoy community that has been created by the Harris family."
