The City of Boise’s newest park is under construction in Downtown Boise, but it is still without an official name. The new park, located at 11th and Bannock, is a public-private partnership between the City of Boise, the Capital City Development Corporation (CCDC) and Eleven Eleven West Jefferson, LLC. A variety of unique and promising name suggestions were compiled in a naming process coordinated by CCDC last year. Now, the city is offering one more opportunity for suggestions from the public before a final decision on the park’s name is made.
PARK DESIGN AND AMENITIES
This new park space will serve as a hub for community events and it will enhance the urban lifestyle of downtown Boise employees, residents and visitors while providing a place for people to connect with the outdoors on a daily basis. The park will include new amenities and streetscape improvements including a large, tree-lined green space, public art, shaded seating, a pedestrian alley, public restrooms, and bike storage.
“We are excited to see what the community is able to come up with and look forward to naming this unique community space,” said Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway. “The area has an interesting history with residential, automotive and commercial uses – and this new park will create an increased connection to the outdoors in an urban setting.”
Over the next two weeks, the public is invited to submit name suggestions for the new park using a form on the city’s website. Documents and information have also been provided to spark ideas, including a history of the site and surrounding downtown area provided by the Boise City Department of Arts & History. Photos and renderings of the park and public art designed by Matthew Mazzotta are also available for reference online.
NAMING CRITERIA
Boise Parks and Recreation has established some criteria for new name submissions. Names submitted should:
- Be culturally, historically, or environmentally significant
- Be in any language
- Not be named after a particular individual, company, or organization unless it has significance to the site or other appropriate Boise connection
The City of Boise reserves the right to remove any name submissions from contention that do not meet the established criteria. Once the submission period closes on March 16, a committee made up of a variety of stakeholders will convene to choose three to five finalists for a public vote. This vote will then inform the final selections given to the Parks and Recreation Commission to consider for the site – with the goal of making a recommendation to Boise City Council for approval.
Construction on the new park is expected to wrap up later this year. If a member of the public submits the name that is ultimately picked for the new park, they will be invited to take part in the formal dedication.