Sandpoint's identity found in its people

"The real identity of Sandpoint is not the nostalgia of certain places or how they look, but it's the love and all the support that goes into this community and everything we do to help each other. I would just hope that some feeling of nostalgia does not prevent certain people in the community from embracing those who either now have a difficult life or maybe were born with a difficult life." 

These words were spoken during public comment on the Travers Park Inclusive Playground schematic design at the Jan. 3 city council meeting by a generational lifelong local who has himself experienced firsthand the struggle that Sandpoint's lack of truly inclusive infrastructure imposes on those in our community who have different abilities. Council, in a 3-2 vote, went on to approve advancing the playground to the construction design phase, with the expectation that construction will begin in the spring and Sandpoint’s first inclusive playground will open later in 2024.  

Sandpoint’s City Council, with its two new members, chaired by our new mayor, Jeremy Grimm, will continue to advance improvements at Travers Park in 2024 and will continue listening to those in our community whose lived experiences can best inform the investments we need to make going forward to make Sandpoint truly livable by all, regardless of their level of physical ability or economic standing.

Sandpoint’s community master plans are not, despite what some would say, about building glitzy amenities for tourists; they are about implementing needed infrastructure investments that will improve the quality of life for Sandpoint residents. Those who want to slow down or pause the implementation of these master plans should first understand who they are for and why we have invested so much in developing them over the years. All of Sandpoint’s master plans can be viewed at sandpointidaho.gov/your-government/master-plans. 

JASON WELKER

Sandpoint

City Council Member