Opportunity to help with Boise’s Julia Davis Park renovation while commemorating Basque culture

By A Basque in Boise March 11, 2017 Basque Community, Basque Museum, History No Comments

Would you like to honor the Basque Community as it supports the renovation of Boise’s Julia Davis Park?

In 2005, a group formed the Julia Davis Park Second Century Coalition with the idea to plan a public celebration of the park’s first 100 years and to “give Julia a new dress.” After two years of planning, Charles Hummel led a design committee to decide how to renovate and upgrade the park. One of his plans — a new, circular meeting space — is now coming to life, and the Basque community has an opportunity to help build it and commemorate our own culture in the process.

The meeting space is located between the rose garden and the zoo, situated on the allee that bisects the park. A coalition of eight Rotary clubs has made a generous $150,000 gift for this Rotary Grand Plaza, designed by the award-winning Jensen-Belts firm.

The Basque community has the opportunity to fund a decorative pillar in this meeting space, featuring a beveled face with artwork representing the Basque Community. The Basque presence in Boise is significant and is currently represented at the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial and through public art: “Laiak” on the Basque Block, the Basque Mural, and interpretive signs on buildings on the Basque Block and two buildings on Idaho Street. This will be one more way for visitors to learn of the Basque contribution to the history of Boise and is a wonderful way for the Basque community to support another location that will remain an important public space in our city.

If you would like to contribute, The Basque Museum & Cultural Center (611 Grove Street) can take your donation and answer questions. All donations should be in by April 1, 2017. The goal is to raise $10,000, and there are different ways to help reach that goal:

Send a donation to the Community Foundation (www.idcomfdn.org/funds/JuliaDavisParkFund)
Mail the donation to Julia Davis Project 3100 W Crescent Rim Suite 408 Boise, 83706 and specify “Basque”
Drop off your donation at the Basque Museum or the Basque Center (601 Grove Street) and specify “Basque Pillar.”

Eskerrik asko!