City of Boise

Join us for this month's Watershed Studio! Learn how to make your backyard garden not just beautiful, but bountiful with owner of SplitPea Edible Landscaping, Niky Dryden. Discover how you can work with nature to craft an edible ecosystem right in your backyard and create a unique piece of art with our local artist.

Watershed Studio - Feeding People and Pollinators Learn and create with us at Foothills Learning Center! These classes are taught by a team of artists and experts who will explore a topic and then instruct you in an art method to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art. This summer we are focusing on renewal. Renewal is at the center of sustaining and....

The Ada County Highway District (ACHD) is working with Capital City Development Corporation, Valley Regional Transit and our team to improve safety on State Street. ACHD will consider adopting one of the three concepts proposed for State Street, 8th Street to 14th Street on July 24 at 6 p.m.

State Street, West of 8th Street to 14th Street Concept Design ACHD is working with the City of Boise, Capital City Development Corporation, and Valley Regional Transit to improve safety on State Street, especially for people crossing State Street while staying in the existing public right-of-way. When completed, the project will:

With more record heat on the way, here are a few tips for keeping your home cool while conserving energy and saving money.

1 - Close curtains/blinds during the day.
2 - Open windows at night or early morning to let in cool air.
3 - Do laundry and run the dishwasher in the morning or evening when it’s cooler.
4 - Use an electric pressure cooker, air fryer or slow cooker instead of the oven.

We are working with Idaho Conservation Corps, Treasure Valley Canopy Network and other partners to support a youth-led urban heat study in the Borah neighborhood to identify areas within the neighborhood where heat impacts are most felt. The ICC Urban Forestry youth crew have installed and are monitoring data collection stations at 4 sites including a park, a busy roadway and a residence. Data collected will help us make decisions about where to extend tree canopy and make other enhancements to reduce urban heat island effects now and in the future.

Urban Heat Study: How temperatures impact the way we live An urban heat study is being conducted until August 13th documenting heat in Boise, and how high temperatures impact the way people live.

We are moving forward with plans for two of our historic but aging pools. Members of the Boise City Council affirmed the following direction regarding the future of Lowell and South Pools. Next steps include:

• Renovate Lowell Pool and bring the facility up to modern safety and accessibility standards.
• Build a new pool at Whitney Elementary School (located less than one mile from the existing South Pool facility) in partnership with the Boise School District.
• Seek community input on reuse of the existing South Pool historic structure.

https://ow.ly/3WXl50SBJEI

If you cannot attend tonight’s open house for our Police Chief candidates starting at 6 p.m. at the Boise Depot, you can watch live here.

https://www.youtube.com/live/e0zaFXgE9ys?feature=shared

Police Chief Candidate Open House Live from the Boise Train Depot

🎉 Volunteer for this year's Boise Comic Arts Festival! 🎉

Be a part of the excitement at the Boise Comic Arts Festival, a vibrant multi-day comic convention! We're looking for volunteers to help with the event. Whether you're a comic enthusiast or just want to support your community, we'd love to have you.

https://ow.ly/MnIX50SABUb

Register today to learn, explore and ask questions about our plan to replenish Boise's groundwater and create a new water supply for our community! This summer is our final season of tours at the Advanced Water Treatment Pilot before we go to full scale operation and begin replenishing our water supply in 2029.

https://ow.ly/Bmfn50SyhSC

Join us for a special "Character Encounter" this Sunday, July 14 at the Boise Depot! Meet characters from your favorite shows and stories at our 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. open house. This is a free, family-friendly event. A face painter and a food vendor will also be on-site and our usualy Depot tours will be offered at noon and 1:30 p.m.

https://www.cityofboise.org/events/parks/2024/july/boise-depot-special-event-character-encounter/

On Thursday, July 18, join us for a community open house and meet the finalists for Boise’s next Chief of Police. The event will be hosted at the Boise Depot at 6:30 p.m. and registration is encouraged but not required.

Jeffrey Bert currently serves as Chief of Police in Tomball, Texas. During his time in Tomball, Bert also served as Interim Assistant City Manager. Prior to that, Chief Bert served in several leadership roles in the Los Angeles Police Department.

Chris Dennison is the Assistant Chief of Police for the Tucson Police Department, leading Central Investigations, Counter Narcotics Alliance, and Forensics. Dennison has been with the Tucson Police Department for twenty years, starting as an officer in 2004 and moving up through the ranks.

Tom Worthy is Chief of Police in The Dalles, Oregon. Worthy’s prior experience includes over a decade with the Oregon State Police in increasingly elevated command positions and fifteen years as a trooper and patrol sergeant.

Boise Police Chief Finalists - Community Open House An opportunity for community members to meet the candidates for Boise's next police chief.

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for the Upper Treasure Valley area, effective until this Friday at midnight with an Excessive Heat Watch continuing through Sunday evening.

The extreme heat poses a significant risk for heat-related illnesses, especially for those engaged in outdoor work or activities. To mitigate these risks, please follow these precautionary measures:

1. Pre-plan outdoor activities to limit heat exposure
2. Stay hydrated
3. Reschedule strenuous tasks to early morning or evening hours
4. Familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke
5. Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing
6. Take regular breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.
7. Monitor the conditions of those around you and provide assistance if someone is affected by the heat.

In case of heat stroke, which is a medical emergency, move the person to a cool, shaded area and call 911 immediately.

Curb It and JUMP are co-hosting a Repair Café on Thursday, August 22! Volunteer repair specialists will come together to help our community restore their broken items and keep them out of the landfill. Do you have a talent for fixing small household appliances or mending clothing? Join the Repair Cafe Boise team and share your skills!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScI8fFoYnRSU5kHeioU2uukDatqFsHl0OjKGQJXbyHrpSvxSw/viewform

Become a master water steward at the IDAH20 Master Water Stewards Workshop on Friday, July 19 with The WaterShed! Master water stewards can volunteer to monitor the health of our local rivers and streams, making sure they can support fish, animals, plants and recreation! This program includes a 3-hour asynchronous virtual session and a 3-hour hands-on field session in the Boise River on July 19. Plus, if you are a teacher, you can use IDAH2O protocol in K-12 classrooms using the included Project WET curriculum guide.

Register today at https://www.uidaho.edu/extension/idah2o/workshops

Join Mayor Lauren McLean and Zoo Superintendent Gene Peacock to talk about Zoo Boise conservation, education and recreation.

🗓️ Thursday, July 11
⏰ 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
🦒 Julia Davis Park, Agriculture Shelter

https://ow.ly/1TqW50Su96N

Jasmine Best is a fiber and installation artist joining the James Castle House from Athens, Georgia. A true Southern artist, Jasmine uses her memories, and manipulations of her memories, of her Carolinian family and childhood to create dialogues about the black femme identity in the South.

Join Jasmine at the James Castle House for an open studio this Saturday from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

https://www.jamescastlehouse.org/residencies/the-participants/jasmine-best/

Image credit: Power Object #2 (2024) by Jasmine Best

Happy Fourth of July, Boise!

We’ll see you tonight at Ann Morrison Park for fireworks 🧨

Join us tomorrow, July 4 for fireworks at Ann Morrison Park! Spend the evening at the park and enjoy the free fireworks show synced with music from 107.1 Hank FM. Concessions will open at 6 p.m. and will be available for purchase throughout the evening.

Tips for attending the event tomorrow:
🚲 Plan to walk or ride a bike, there is no vehicle access or parking in the park.
⛔ Fireworks, drones and glass bottles are not allowed in the park.
🐶 Please leave your pets at home.
🎇 The fireworks show will start around 10:15 p.m.

Many city facilities, including all Boise Public Library locations, City Hall and City Hall West, will be closed Thursday, July 4.

No trash, recycling or compost collection will occur on Thursday, July 4, and collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. Please be safe when throwing away fireworks. Soak spent fireworks in water to make sure they are fully extinguished before placing them in the trash bin.

There's still time to sign up for our new Foundations of Skateboarding camp at Fort Boise Park in partnership with the Boise Skateboard Association!

Instructor Kurt Derow will teach participants the skills and knowledge needed to confidently navigate their neighborhood, cruise to class, push to practice and have fun with friends and family. Weekly sessions start in July for kids ages six to 12 years old.

https://tinyurl.com/FoundationsofSkateboarding

In Boise, we use Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) to manage our stormwater. This means we utilize things like permeable pavement, green roofs, bioswales and underground filtration beds to absorb and cleanse stormwater on-site. If you're interested in learning more, the Partners for Clean Water developed a virtual tour of places throughout the city where we're utilizing GSI.

https://boise.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=051136d2476a42b88db86d683cde5ecd

Register today for this special WaterShed Studio, where local artist, educator and behavior intervention specialist Wendy Blickenstaff will lead a conversation on renewal, creativity and the natural environment and guide you through a printmaking and bookbinding activity.

Register now at https://ow.ly/7oE250SnvsO

WaterShed Studio: Mind and Body Renewal
Friday, June 28 6-9:30 p.m. at Jim Hall Foothills Learning Center

Image Source: Creators, Makers, & Doers Blog: Wendy Blickenstaff. Photograph by Brooke Burton, Courtesy Boise City Department of Arts & History

Planning to cool off at one of Boise’s swimming ponds this summer? You can borrow a free life jacket to use at Quinn’s Pond or Esther Simplot Park ponds thanks to a partnership between the City of Boise, St. Luke’s Health System and Idaho River Sports. Remember to return it when you’re done so others can stay safe too!

Sign up today to learn more about our plans to replenish Boise's groundwater and preserve drinking water for our community at the Advanced Water Treatment Pilot! This summer is our final season of tours and your last chance to see our water purification technologies in action before we take them to full scale operation in 2029. Learn more and sign up for the tour on Wednesday, June 26 at

Tour the Advanced Water Treatment Pilot See the City of Boise's innovative water purification process in action and discover how it will keep water local in this one-hour tour.

Join us on June 29, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Erma Hayman House to learn about the creative journey and purpose of the Idaho Black Community Alliance's Black Excellence Gala from the visionary minds who created it, Trish Walker and Shari Baber.

The 2023 Black Excellence Gala was the inspiration for the Erma Hayman House's current exhibition, Afro Blue: An Ode, Celebration, and Meditation. Created in partnership with the Idaho Black Community Alliance, and featuring the photography of Boise-based artist Gracieux Baraka, this exhibition showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Black community in Idaho.

The Creators' Talk is a ticketed event with pre-registration required.

Black Excellence Gala: Creators' Talk feat. Trish Walker and Shari Baber Learn about the creative journey and purpose of the IBCA's Black Excellence Gala from the visionary minds who created it.

Many city services and facilities, including City Hall and City Hall West, all Boise Public Library locations, WaterShed, and city pools will be closed on Wednesday, June 19th in observance of Juneteenth.

Zoo Boise, Idaho IceWorld, golf courses, Ridge to Rivers Trails, and Boise city parks and cemeteries will be open.

Join District 5 Boise City Council member, Meredith Stead for updates on what's going on at the city and give your feedback about the issues most important to you.

🗓️6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25
🗺️ Dick Eardley Senior Center – 690 N. Robbins Rd. Boise, ID

Join us as we talk trash at an upcoming EnergizED workshop session with presentations from the Curb It Team as they share ways to manage waste with recycling, composting and low-waste practices. Curb It's Catherine Milner, Lisa Knapp and Stacey Olachea will cover how you can reduce, reuse and reimagine food waste in your own home.

We'll see you Tuesday, June 25, at the Boise Urban Garden School. Bring a blanket or folding chair as this session will be hosted outdoors and this event is free and open to all.

EnergizED Workshop Series | City of Boise EnergizED is Energize Our Neighborhoods’ upcoming workshop series that will focus on motivating, engaging and connecting Boise’s residents

Next week, Writer-In-Residence Heidi Kraay hosts her third session of "Refilling Your Creative Well" at the Library! at Cole & Ustick.

In these workshops for writers and artists across disciplines, participants will explore new pathways for refilling their creative wells, renewing artistic energy and reawakening their wild spirits within.

In Session 3, Heidi will guide participants into examining some of the debris that may clog up their creative wells. This workshop may include some challenging topics, including grief and forgiveness. You will explore what we can do without, what might be getting in our way and the possibility of letting go to find lightness.

Boise Arts & History Boise Arts and History

This month, we've been talking about how you can keep the Boise River healthy by keeping stormwater clean. But what is stormwater and why is it important?

Stormwater is rain or melting snow that does not infiltrate into the ground. As stormwater travels across lawns, parking lots, gardens, roofs and roadways, it can pick up pollution like trash, gasoline, motor oil, fertilizer or pesticides and bacteria from pet waste. The polluted water - or runoff - can enter a storm drain, flow untreated to the Boise River and impact the river's condition.
https://www.partnersforcleanwater.org/media/1175/stormwater-monitoring-fact-sheet-final.pdf

Tonight, Mayor Lauren McLean was sworn in for her second term as Mayor of Boise alongside our new Boise City Council: Council Member Luci Willits, Council President Colin Nash, Council Member Kathy Corless, Council Member Jordan Morales (pictured with his family), Council President Pro Tem Meredith Stead and Council Member Jimmy Hallyburton.