Boise River Recreation Park Description

Project Brief
The Boise River Recreation Park will support a wide range of nonmotorized, outdoor sports enjoyed by paddlers, anglers and nature lovers. It is adjacent to a 55-acre property slated for development as the Esther Simplot Park, another Jewel in the Boise Parks System that includes the Katherine Albertson, Ann Morrison, Julia Davis and Bernadine Quinn Parks.

The Boise River Recreation Park includes:
- Upgrades and improvements to a quarter-mile stretch of the Boise River to include 1900 linear feet of whitewater.
- A flat water system, connecting three existing lakes via a slow moving stream. The feature will enable beginning kayakers to practice skills and allow non-white water users to enjoy a different aspect of water recreation. The "lazy river" stream is anticipated to be approximately 200 yards long and connect lakes of approximately 22, 9 and 8 surface acres of water.
- Enhancements to the adjacent shoreline including the addition of spectator access and improvements to riparian habitat
- Restrooms, a picnic shelter and parking to be located in the adjacent property, slated to be developed as the Esther Simplot Park.

A Public/Private Partnership
A community group has formed a formal organization with the mission of completing the Boise River Recreation Park, the Friends of the Park. Friends of the Park board members, representatives of youth organizations, and river recreation enthusiasts have begun a public campaign to create this new park. To date, they have contributed more than $250,000 of personal funds towards an estimated $4 million goal. They are setting Boise on a path similar to other Western cities that have produced similar parks in other cities such as Golden, Colorado and Reno, Nevada, in doing so catering to a growing and enthusiastic audience of paddlers and spectators. These parks have generated millions of dollars for their local economies. The same benefits can easily be projected for the City of Boise.

The Boise City Mayor and City Council are endorsing and funding this effort and are committed to building and maintaining this incredible addition to our community through the Boise Parks and Recreation Department. The city has allocated $750,000 toward the completion of the Boise River Recreation Park in 2007 and pledged an additional $750,000 for 2008.

The mission of the Boise City Parks and Recreation is to enhance Boise’s quality of life by working in partnership with the community to foster and support citizen well-being and healthy community environments.

For more information about the Boise River Recreation Park portion of the development click here.