OTHELLO — The days are a little longer lately and the weather is a little warmer, which means it’s a good time to get out and shake off the last winter doldrums. In Othello and Warden, there are some parks that are great for that purpose: 

Lions Park: This is the biggest park in Othello, located on the north side of town on Seventh Avenue between Pine and Hamlet streets. Lions Park boasts four picnic shelters, a paved walking path, an arboretum, a skate park and a playground with equipment for all ages. It’s also the place to go for sports; there’s a street hockey rink, a handball wall, four tennis courts and two full-sized basketball courts. Lions Park is also the city’s go-to venue for civic celebrations like Cinco de Mayo and the Fourth of July. 

Pioneer Park: This is the smallest park in Othello at just shy of one acre, and also the oldest, dating back to 1912, according to the city’s website. It’s smack in the middle of downtown on Main Street between Third and Fourth avenues. Pioneer Park hosts the Othello Farmers Market and offers picnic tables and a gazebo. It’s also the home of a 1950s T-33A fighter jet, mounted on a tall post as a reminder of Othello’s ties to aviation through the former Othello Air Force Station, which was located on top of a hill south of town until its closure in 1975. 

Kiwanis Park: The south side of Othello has Kiwanis Park, situated on Seventh Avenue across from Lutacaga Elementary School. It’s a little over 15 acres and has two tennis courts, three basketball courts, three playgrounds, walking trails and a grassy amphitheater. Kiwanis Park draws crowds in July for the annual Othello Spud Run car show. While the Pothello city pool is out of commission for repairs, the city plans to open a splash pad at Kiwanis Park this summer to let residents cool off in the hot Grant County summer. 

P.J. Taggares Park: This park is just outside of Othello proper, in the neighborhood known as West Othello. It covers almost 18 acres and includes basketball courts, a soccer field, a playground and a covered picnic area. P.J. Taggares Park is the newest park in Othello; built in 1997, it was acquired by the city of Othello in 2021. 

The city of Othello also has a walking and biking path that loops around town for a total length of 4.8 miles. A  map can be found at https://bit.ly/OthelloPath. 

Warden City Park: This park, home to Qwarden’s annual Community Days celebration on Labor Day weekend, is located between Third and Fourth Streets and Maple and Alder avenues. It’s got a playground, a basketball court and lots of nice shady trees. Warden City Park is also the starting point for the eastern segment of the Palouse to Cascades Trail, stretching through Adams, Whitman and Spokane counties to the Idaho state line. 

    Kiwanis Park is host to the Othello Spud Run car show every year and is also the site of a planned splash pad to open this summer.
  

    P./J. Taggares Park west of Othello is the city’s newest park facility.
  

    Residents and guests fill Warden Community Park for the city’s annual Community Days Labor Day weekend.