CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — Big improvements are on the way for Celebration Park — the decades-old boardwalk at the atlatl area has been torn down and will be replaced with a new one, complete with gravel, making the area more sustainable as well as ADA. accessible.

• The boardwalk reconstruction project is expected to be completed in February.
• A temporary atlatl area is being set up so travelers and visitors can continue to experience the historic hunting tools during construction.

(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)

“You won’t find a place that has so many layers of history and archeology in one,” says Larry Haney, an Interpretive Ranger at Celebration Park.

Celebration Park is Idaho’s only archaeological park, which he estimates may date back more than 10,000 years.

He and his fellow rangers often teach 4th grade hikers about the history of the park by visiting the petroglyphs, the historic Guffey Bridge… and trying their hand at spear throwing.

“The program the kids remember the most is the atlatl range,” says Nicki Schwend, Canyon County Parks Cultural and Natural Resources director.

She tells me that the hands-on activity is usually the most memorable among young students as they learn about historic hunting tools.

“So right here behind us (are) the hay bales that we use as target stands, where the kids get to practice trying to hit the mammoth targets and most of them learn that they go home thanking a picker,” he says Schwend.

“Kids absolutely love it, it’s physical, it’s hands-on, and it gives an immediate reward. You get that target, and it’s better than a video game,” Haney says.

The park hosts about 10,000 students each year and is open to the public, but that kind of foot traffic has taken its toll on the decades-old wooden boardwalk that connects parts of the park.

“It’s an outdoor classroom, and what do you have in schools? You have hallways that lead from one classroom to another,” says Schwend.

With county funding approved, work is underway to build a new gravel boardwalk, making the area more sustainable and ADA accessible.

“We’ll have the ability to have wheelchairs or mobility aids come up on the floor, but also go right out to the atlatl area so everyone can practice their hunting skills,” says Schwend.

And while construction is underway, a temporary area is being set up so travelers this fall don’t miss the highlight of the trip.