County Commissioners Agree To Funding For Road Through Mirabeau Point

Money to build a road through a community center complex proposed for the Valley was approved Tuesday by Spokane County commissioners.

The commissioners agreed to commit $1 million from real estate excise taxes to building Mirabeau Point Parkway, a road that would cut through the proposed 70-acre multi-use community complex. It would connect Euclid and Indiana avenues.

In return, Mirabeau Point Inc., the non-profit group pushing the project planned for the former Walk in the Wild Zoo site, agreed to donate land for the road, a community park and a senior citizen center. The group must also form an association or other public body to maintain the park.

“The ball no longer has any moss, it’s rolling,” said Denny Ashlock, the Valley insurance executive who has been heading up the community complex push.

Now, Mirabeau Point Inc. hopes to work with Inland Empire Paper Co. to finalize the donation of 10 acres to the YMCA by the end of the year. The YMCA’s executive committee voted earlier this month to build its new $6 million fitness facility at the Mirabeau Point site.

That agreement is contingent on the donation of the land and the county’s commitment.

Mirabeau Point Inc. also is trying to sign a group that operates basketball camps to an option to purchase land near the Mirabeau Point site during the next couple of weeks, Ashlock said.

In 1997, they will turn their attention to soliciting $1.6 million from the state Legislature to pay for design and site preparation work. The group also will try to entice for-profit attractions into building around the non-profit site.

Work on the road through Mirabeau Point is scheduled to begin late next spring. The YMCA plans to open its new Valley facility in early 1999.

A building that will house two competition-sized ice skating rinks also is planned as a for-profit attraction. Construction on the building is scheduled to begin next summer.

“This really is a big day for us,” Ashlock said. “Mirabeau Point is now a reality.”

, DataTimes