In Woodward's Words

Looking back on an impactful year.

Celebrate the Holiday Season!

Cowley Park Lights

Every year, the Extreme Team lights up Cowley Park for the kids at the Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. Enjoy holiday music from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday, Dec. 31. Visit our website for all the details.

Santa's Pub Hop and Holiday Wine Walk

Join Santa on a tour of some of his favorite downtown beer and wine spots. Visit five participating locations to earn something extra for your holiday stocking. Click here for details.

Crescent Windows at The Grand

A revamped and revitalized holiday classic of downtown Spokane, the Crescent Windows at The Grand implement the display of vintage Crescent Department Store figurines in the windows of the Davenport Grand Hotel facing Main Avenue. Figurines and displays are also be on loan to the Northwest MAC this year. The window displays will be un through Monday, Jan. 2. Click here for more information.

New Year’s Eve Fireworks 

Ring in the new year with New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Riverfront Park! The 15-minute show will begin at 9 p.m. to accommodate families with younger children. Visit our website for all the details.

City Closures Planned For the Holidays

• Spokane City Hall will be closed Mondays, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2
• Garbage and recycling will proceed on a normal schedule.
• The Waste-to-Energy facility will be closed on Sundays, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1
• Spokane City Council is not scheduled to meet on Mondays, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.
• On-street paid parking meters will not require payments on Mondays, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.
• Spokane Municipal Court will be closed on Mondays, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2
• My Spokane 311 employees will not be available on Mondays, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.
• All Spokane Public Library branches will be closed Friday, Dec. 23 through Monday, Dec. 26, Sunday, Jan. 1, and Monday, Jan. 2. 
• Spokane Riverfront Park attractions have extended hours during the holiday season but will be closed on Sunday, Dec. 25.

For more information visit our website.

City Calls Third Full-City Plow of the Snow Season

A Full-City Plow has been declared. Crews will continue to work in the arterials this evening and overnight and then will move into the residential areas in the overnight hours. More teams will join the plowing effort on Wednesday morning, and the City expects that plow to take three days once residential work begins.

Vehicles should be parked on the odd side of the street in residential areas to assist plows. Berms are likely in front of cars, even those parked on the odd side of the street. The parking restrictions are intended to allow plow drivers to do a better job of clearing snow in neighborhoods and to complete their work more efficiently. Visit our website for the residential route order.

Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes

With these freezing temperatures the Water Department has some tips to avoid frozen pipes.

Holiday Fire Safety Tips

The Spokane Fire Department reminds our community to celebrate safely. Candles are a leading cause of house fires this time of year, consider using a battery operated candles.

Many of us will be gifting or receiving gifts that use lithium-ion batteries (batteries in smart phones, laptops, watches, lawn and power tools). Please do not put these batteries in the garbage they can cause fires. Put them in a clear plastic bag on top of your recycling cart so your route driver can collect them.

City Offers Curbside Tree Recycling

The City will offer free curbside tree pickup for its customers beginning Monday, Dec. 26, through Friday, Jan. 6. Once the decorations are removed, residents can place their fresh-cut trees at least three feet away from the refuse and recycling carts on their regularly scheduled garbage pickup days. No artificial or flocked trees are accepted through this service. More info on our website.

Shop Local Spokane

This holiday season we encourage you to shop local! Visit Vintage Print & Neon for handmade vintage Spokane prints.

Students Share the Magic of Recycling in a 2023 Calendar

Congratulations to the Spokane Recycles Poster Contest winners! Get your free copy of the 2023 calendar by calling 509-625-6521 or emailing solidwaste@spokanecity.org. Click here for a full list of winners.

City of Spokane Jobs

The City of Spokane is hiring! The classification opening for recruitment this week is:



• Bridge Maintainer I
• Supervisory Public Safety Systems Analyst
• Continuous Improvement Analyst
• Lead Bridge Inspector

For a full list of job openings with the City of Spokane click here.

Need Mental Health Help?

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 9-8-8

Contact Or Walk-In: Frontier Behavioral Health (509) 838-4651 ext 012082. 

Contact or Walk-In: Inland Northwest Behavioral Health (509) 992-1888

CHAS Health: (509) 444-8200

Excelsior Wellness Center: (509) 559-3100

Request Online Appointment

Help for children, adults and families is available via telehealth.

Teen Text and Chat Line: 844-814-TEEN (8336)

Free confidential safe place service available to any teen or young adult.

Veterans Crisis Line: (800) 273-8255

Need Resources? 

Call Washington 211 at 2-1-1 or (877) 211-9274 to speak to a local agent

Text your Zip Code to 898211 or email ew211@incontactmail.com

Apply for basic food assistance over the phone!

Access to resources online at: wa211.org

Sign up for their Newsletter!

Need Access to Food?

Contact SNAP at (509) 319-3050 or SRTC@snapwa.org

Domestic Violence and

Child Abuse Prevention Resources

Prevention at Home Video Series

Trauma Recovery Services

Lutheran Community Services: (509) 747-8224

Intensive Behavioral Health, Victim Advocacy and Foster Care, are available.

Spokane Rewards. Spokane Solves. Spokane Gives

The City of Spokane is a great place to combine community support with expertise. There are more than 30 boards, commissions and committees made up of volunteers who help shape our community. If you have one day a year, or one day a week, there is an opportunity for you. Pick your passion and get involved!

Community, Housing, and Human Services Board Vacancies

Are you looking for an opportunity to benefit our community through affordable housing and human services? The vision of the Community, Housing, and Human Services Board is to provide opportunities that enhance the quality of life for Spokane’s extremely low- to moderate-income populations. Board members strive to provide leadership and foster partnerships that support the City’s investments in services, affordable housing and economic opportunities to foster the highest level of self-sufficiency and quality of life for such households.

The rewards of being part of a thoughtful, involved and supportive process can be done in an average of 5 to 10 hours per month by attending meetings, networking and researching issues our community faces. Board positions are three-year terms.

The application deadline is Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. Submit applications to mayor@spokanecity.org.

Winter Wonders: Riverfront Park Extended Holiday Hours

Now through Tuesday, Jan. 2 Riverfront Park attraction hours have extended to accommodate winter breaks and the holiday season! All attractions will be closed on Christmas day. For more information visit Riverfront's online operation hours calendar.

On the Bright Side

Spokane Police Department K9 handlers and their dogs - King, Nuke, and Loki joined the Post Falls PD, and Providence Inland Northwest K-9 Security Team to visit children and others hospitalized this time of year.