Idaho Falls Rotary Club cuts ribbon on Heritage Park, kicks off 35th annual Duck Race
The following is a news release from the City of Idaho Falls:
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — City officials, Idaho Falls Rotary Club members and community supporters gathered today to celebrate the official ribbon cutting for two new picnic shelters at Heritage Park and kick off the Idaho Falls Rotary Club’s 2026 Duck Race.
Located along the western banks of the Snake River, Heritage Park is a 10-acre park designed to highlight the natural, cultural, and historical heritage of Idaho Falls, and many of the upgrades, including the new picnic shelters, were funded with money raised by the Idaho Falls Rotary Club’s annual Duck Race.
"Heritage Park connects people to the Snake River, provides space for recreation, and enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors alike,” said Parks & Recreation Director PJ Holm. “The new park shelters in Heritage Park are not just structures. They are gathering places, where families will celebrate birthdays, where friends will reconnect and where memories will be made for decades to come."
Since 2018, the Idaho Falls Rotary Club has contributed over $800,000 to projects in Heritage Park. Projects have included: grading the property, installing the irrigation system, building pathways throughout the park, purchasing sod, and most recently paying for two shelters.
Heritage Park stands as a testament to the power of community partnership. The Smith families donated the land that made the project possible, while Ball Ventures funded construction of the parking lot. Morgan Construction transported and donated the fill material needed to bring the park to its current elevation, and volunteers from JustServe organized an effort to install more than four acres of sod in a single evening.
The shared vision and collaboration of numerous private, nonprofit and community partners has brought to life a park that will serve as a lasting community asset for generations to come.
“The Idaho Falls Rotary Club has played such a key role in developing the River Walk, and especially Heritage Park,” Holm said. “We are grateful to Idaho Falls Rotary Club for its ongoing commitment to creating beautiful spaces along the River Walk for current and future generations.”
After the ribbon-cutting event, the Idaho Falls Rotary Club kicked off the 2026 Duck Race with a parade featuring some of this year’s prizes, including a sedan donated by Stone’s KIA and an ATV donated by ICCU. Ducks will soon be available for sale online or at sales booths around the community this summer. This year’s Duck Race will be on Saturday, Aug. 8. Follow the Rotary Club’s Facebook page for more information.
