The Spokane Valley Parks Department is constructing a splash pad in Brown's Park, but there's a problem with the water supply. Water District 3 has a well and a pump house in the park, and has supplied water for the park in exchange for not paying rent. However, the lease expired three years ago and now the Water District is pushing for an easement instead of a lease. 

At its Aug. 30 meeting, the Spokane Valley City Council appeared reluctant to grant an easement as it wants to keep all its park land. 

Water District 3 wants the easement because it wants "permanence" - it does not want to risk eviction or a future sale of the park land surrounding the pump house.

While parties negotiate there is no water to the splash pad. 

The Spokane County Library District also gave a presentation at the meeting. The District tried twice to pass a bond to fund a new library, but voters didn't approve it. The District purchased land along Sprague Avenue - across from where the new city hall is being built - with the condition that it could sell the land back to Spokane Valley at the purchase price, if the bond didn't pass.

After the bond failed the second time the District decided to listen to voters and not try to pass another bond.

The Spokane Valley City Council encouraged the District to not give up on finding funding for a new library and offered to help find funding, because a new library near the new city hall is a priority. 

The Library District will discuss its options at its next board meeting. 

Spokane County Library District covers Spokane Valley, which voted to annex into the district. This is not a contractual relationship like the one Spokane Valley has with the Spokane County Sheriff's Department. 

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