Blue Cross grant award brings park upgrades

Published by admin on Wed, 05/07/2025 - 7:00pm

The area just north of Memorial Park’s tennis courts holds some major upgrades, thanks to a cooperative effort between Blue Cross of Idaho and the City of Weiser. New covered areas, a fire pit, gazebo, and, further north, sidewalks to the bathrooms at the football field are in place. Photo by Nancy Grindstaff
By: 
Pat Caldwell
WEISER – A joint effort between the city, area residents and the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health cleared the way for some major upgrades to Memorial Park recently.
 Fueled by a $85,000 grant from the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health, a local group – led by Layna Hafer, who was appointed to the position by Weiser Mayor Randy Hibberd – laid the groundwork for a new 40-by-60-foot covered gathering space by the playground at the park. 
 “I was still on the council at the time but getting ready to step off and the mayor asked if I’d be willing to spearhead this,” said Hafer.
 The covered area next to the playground includes rubber-covered metal picnic tables with extended ends for wheelchair convenience, a firepit, two barbecues and new sidewalks. A sidewalk was also added from the bleachers to the street and restrooms. 
 The seating area next to the playground was also covered with an octagon roof. 
 Bike racks were also added throughout the park and, in a pre-existing covered area toward the north end of the park, a new fire pit and two new barbecues were added. 
 The barbecues have “covers on them so we can keep the rain and dust out and they are mounted on concrete and will replace some very old and dirty barbecues.”
 The barbecues, said Hafer, were an idea suggested by the city parks department.
 Hafer said the park upgrade idea can trace its origins to Hibberd, who initially worked with the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health to seek funding for the community project last year.
 Hafer said the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health grant was crucial.
 “First off it isn’t very often you get handed $85,000 with the only strings attached is it has to be a project based on community feedback,” said Hafer.
 Hafer said a “lot of work” went into seeking community input for the project.
 “We wanted to make sure that whatever we were going to fund was appropriate for our community and would get used,” said Hafer.
 Hafer said her group sought input in the form of surveys during a football game and quizzing the public and local merchants regarding possible upgrades to the park. The group also put together an online survey that attracted input from about 250 people.
 The project also included “quite a bit of conversation with our city manager because whatever you come up with has to be maintained,” said Hafer.
 “You have to look beyond just now. You have to fill a need,” said Hafer.
 Hafer said Memorial Park is already a pretty busy place.
 “It was interesting to hear from our parks manager because he said you don’t realize this open space is utilized by youth soccer groups and people come and pitch their canopies there. There is just a lot of use for that open space. So, we tried to add opportunity without taking away the open space,” said Hafer.
 Hafer said the city played a key role with the project.
 “A lot of what we were able to do is leverage the $85,000 to do a lot more because our city crews did a lot of work that we would have had to contract out,” said Hafer.
 Hafter said she believes the project was a triumph.
 “I went down the other day and just stood in the park and went, ‘we are a fortunate community,’” she said.
 

 

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18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
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