Post Falls opens Black Bay Park with ribbon-cutting celebration

Black Bay Park opened to the public in Post Falls with a ribbon cutting by Mayor Randy Westlund, and the first visitors moved straight toward the new dock and the Spokane River. Photos from the celebration showed children playing on the dock and one child jumping into the water as families gathered along the shoreline.

Visit Post Falls describes Black Bay Park as a 56-acre park at 1200 East 3rd Avenue, with two entrances, one off East 3rd and another at the end of Bay Street. The site includes paved walking and biking trails that connect to the Centennial Trail, fishing access, scenic views of the Spokane River, a large shaded shelter, two smaller covered shelters, upper and lower paved parking lots, a basketball court and two lighted tennis courts.

KREM said the renovation added paved trails, bridges, a public gas grill, fire pits, a pavilion, a public restroom and an ADA-accessible waterfront dock. CIVITAS described the park as a 60-acre site along the Spokane River and said the design was meant to preserve the property’s natural features while adding restrooms, trash receptacles, more elaborate play areas, riverfront overlooks and safe water access.

The City of Post Falls had already put a Black Bay Park Renovation Celebration on its calendar, and a later city post marked completion of phase 1 of the project. Westlund’s ribbon cutting, along with the presence of parks, recreation and urban forestry commissioners, made the opening a public handoff of one of the city’s newest civic spaces rather than a simple photo opportunity.

For Post Falls, the park adds a shoreline gathering place where families can spend summer afternoons without leaving city limits. In a fast-growing corner of Kootenai County, Black Bay Park now gives residents more trail mileage, more river access and one more visible test of whether public space is keeping pace with development.