Spokane Valley, Washington

Spokane Valley is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is the largest suburb of Spokane. It lies east of Spokane and west of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The city surrounds the smaller city of Millwood on three sides.

Spokane Valley became an official city on March 31, 2003. It is home to many community events, such as the Spokane County Interstate Fair and Valleyfest. It is also home to the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum and the home ground of the Spokane Indians minor league baseball team.

History

The City of Spokane Valley became an official city on March 31, 2003. It was the third-largest newly formed city in the United States at that time, after Centennial, Colorado in 2001 and Miami Gardens, Florida a few weeks earlier.

The city was created by joining together several areas east of Spokane City. These areas included places called Dishman, Opportunity, Trentwood, Veradale, part of Greenacres, and East Spokane. However, some places like Millwood and Liberty Lake were not included, nor were protected natural areas such as the Dishman Hills Natural Area.

Before this, there had been four unsuccessful attempts to form a city in the Valley. People wanted to become a city to have more control over local decisions and to avoid being part of the City of Spokane. Others thought services from Spokane County were good enough and were worried about higher taxes and more complicated government rules.

Geography

For broader coverage of this topic, see Spokane Valley.

The city of Spokane Valley, Washington, covers 38.06 square miles (98.57 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. One of its water features is Shelley Lake, which is fed by Saltese Creek. The city lies along the Spokane River, which flows from Lake Coeur d'Alene to the Columbia River. Most of the city is south of the river. To the south are the Selkirk Mountains. The area shows signs of very old floods from thousands of years ago.

Spokane Valley is east of the city of Spokane and west of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. It is part of a larger area called the Inland Northwest, which includes parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon. Before World War II, the valley had many farms and orchards. Over time, more people moved there for a quieter life, and it grew into a suburb of Spokane. The city became the City of Spokane Valley in 2003.

Spokane Valley has a temperate climate with warm summers and rainy winters. The city gets about 16 inches of rain each year. December is the wettest month, and July is the driest and warmest. January is the coldest month.

Demographics

Spokane Valley became a city during the 2010 U.S. census after it was created in 2003 from parts of several areas.

As of the 2020 census, Spokane Valley had a population of 102,976 people. The median age was 38.2 years, with about 22.3% of residents younger than 18 and 17.8% aged 65 or older. The city had 41,821 households, with about 28.4% including children under 18. Most households were led by married couples, but many were led by individuals or single parents.

As of the 2010 census, there were 89,755 people living in the city. The racial makeup was mostly White, with smaller groups of African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, and people from other races. About 4.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. The average household size was 2.43, and the average family size was 2.99. The median age was 37.3 years, with children under 18 making up about 24% of the population.

Arts and culture

Places of worship

The city has many places where people can gather for worship. There is a special church called Holy Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church, and a center for the Spokane Islamic community that opened in 2009. There is also a synagogue for messianic Jewish people, two temples for Sikh people, and the 59th temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was built in 1999.

Arts and theater

The Spokane Valley Arts Council helps support local artists. They show art in the CenterPlace Regional Event Center and create sculptures for parks and buildings. Every October, they hold an art auction to raise money. The Spokane Valley Summer Theatre puts on live shows each year at Central Valley High School.

Museums

Spokane Valley Heritage Museum

The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum opened in 2005 in a historic building. It shares stories about the valley’s past, including its Native American history, apple orchards, industries, and early days of flying.

Community events

Spokane County Interstate Fair

Every year after Labor Day, the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center holds a ten-day fair. There are carnival games, rides, food, a rodeo, and shows for farm animals, with live music too.

The fair center has lots of space for events, with big indoor and outdoor areas, fields, and parking.

Valleyfest

Valleyfest is a three-day celebration each September at several parks. It includes a parade called Hearts of Gold, fishing at the falls, a classic car show, and a run or duathlon. There is live music and many activities at the CenterPlace Regional Event Center.

Inland NW Craft Beer Festival

Each September, Avista Stadium hosts a two-day festival for craft beers from local breweries and other western states. There is live music and food trucks. One day of the festival is for families and includes a bouncy house.

Sports

The Spokane Indians is a baseball team that plays in the valley. They are part of the Northwest League and have been connected to the Colorado Rockies since 2021. Their home games are held at Avista Stadium.

Spokane Valley also holds a big cycling event called the Cycle Celebration. Riders can choose different distances. All routes start at Mirabeau Point Park Meadows. The shorter routes go along the Spokane River Centennial Trail. Longer routes lead to beautiful places like the Saltese Uplands, Mica Peak, and Mount Spokane, ending at Liberty Lake.

Parks and recreation

The City of Spokane Valley has about 254 acres of parks and open spaces. One of the most popular parks is Mirabeau Point Park. It includes the CenterPlace Regional Event Center, a playground called the Discovery Playground, open grassy areas, and a natural space with walking trails and a small waterfall. This natural area is liked by people who enjoy rock climbing. It connects to the Centennial Trail. Spokane Valley also has three outdoor pools that are open during certain seasons.

Government

The City of Spokane Valley became a city on March 31, 2003. It has a council-manager government. This means there is a city council that makes laws and a city manager who carries out those laws. The council has seven members who are elected every two years to serve four-year terms. They meet in City Hall on Tuesdays at 6 pm. The mayor is chosen from the council members every two years and serves as the city's ceremonial leader.

Spokane Valley is part of Washington's 4th legislative district. In the federal government, it is in Washington's 5th congressional district and is represented by Representative Michael Baumgartner and Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray.

Education

Spokane Valley has one public library. It is part of the Spokane County Library District. The library has a studio where people can make and share videos.

Many students in Spokane Valley go to public schools. The main school districts are Central Valley, West Valley, and East Valley. Some students also go to Spokane Public Schools. There are private schools too, like Valley Christian School and The Oaks Academy.

High school students can go to Spokane Valley Tech. This school offers free training to help students get ready for jobs or college.

Media

Spokane Valley uses the same television and radio stations as nearby Spokane. The city has its own weekly newspaper called the Valley News Herald. It is published every Friday. It began in 1996 when two other papers, the Valley News and the Valley Herald, combined together.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads and highways

Spokane Valley is a suburban city with many curved streets and dead-end roads. The main road for shopping and travel is Sprague Avenue, which goes east to west from downtown Spokane to Liberty Lake. Other important roads going east to west are Trent Avenue, Mission Avenue, Broadway Avenue, and 32nd Avenue. For travel north to south, major roads include Argonne/Mullan roads, Pines road, Evergreen road, and Sullivan road. Spokane Valley can be reached from Interstate 90, which connects Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts. Traffic on the interstate is getting busier, especially during busy times.

Public transportation

The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) provides public transportation for Spokane Valley and most of Spokane County. They have a main station called the Pence-Cole Valley Transit Center and a few places where people can park and catch a bus.

Airports

The nearest big airport is Spokane International Airport, located 16 miles west in Spokane. There is also Felts Field, a smaller airport used for private planes.

Healthcare

Spokane Valley has one main hospital, MultiCare Valley Hospital, along with many clinics run by MultiCare Health System, Providence Health & Services, and CHAS Health. These clinics help people who do not have insurance.

Utilities

Different companies provide electricity, water, and gas in Spokane Valley. The city gets its water from the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. One company provides sewer service for the whole area, and another provides natural gas. Cable TV and internet services are offered by Xfinity Comcast, Centurylink, and smaller providers.

Public safety

Police department

The Spokane Valley Police Department is part of the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. Officers in Spokane Valley have their own patrol cars and uniforms.

Fire department

The Spokane Valley Fire Department has served the area since 1940. It provides emergency services to Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Millwood, and nearby areas.