Located in the West Central neighborhood of Spokane, Dutch Jake’s Park is named for Jacob Goetz, a central community figure and resident of West Central in the early 1900s. Jacob Goetz was known by neighbors for his sense of fun and spirit of friendship. When the park opened in 1976, neighbors agreed that the new park was the perfect namesake to remember Jake.
Today, more than 2,900 residents live within a 10 Minute Walk of Dutch Jake’s park. But in recent years, Dutch Jake’s Park hasn’t felt like a safe place to play. In 2016, growing safety concerns prompted a community planning effort to create a new vision for the park.
