▁Ol m sted ▁Brothers ▁to ▁draw ▁up ▁a ▁plan ▁for ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁par ks . ▁Much ▁of ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁park ▁land ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁city ▁prior ▁to ▁World ▁War   I , ▁establish ing ▁it ▁early ▁on ▁as ▁a ▁leader ▁among ▁Western ▁cities ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁city wide ▁park ▁system . ▁Sp ok ane ▁has ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁over ▁ 8 7 ▁par ks ▁total ing ▁ ▁and ▁includes ▁six ▁neighborhood ▁aqu atic ▁cent ers . ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁notable ▁par ks ▁in ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁system ▁are ▁River front ▁Park , ▁Man ito ▁Park ▁and ▁Botan ical ▁Gard ens , ▁R ivers ide ▁State ▁Park , ▁Mount ▁Sp ok ane ▁State ▁Park , ▁Saint ▁Michael ' s ▁Mission ▁State ▁Park , ▁Pl antes ▁Fer ry ▁Rec re ation ▁Park , ▁John ▁A . ▁Fin ch ▁Ar bor et um , ▁and ▁the ▁D ish man ▁Hills ▁Conserv ation ▁Area . ▁ ▁River front ▁Park , ▁created ▁after ▁Ex po ▁' 7 4 ▁and ▁occup ying ▁the ▁same ▁site , ▁is ▁ ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁Sp ok ane ▁and ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁largest ▁events . ▁The ▁park ▁has ▁views ▁of ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁F alls ▁and ▁holds ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁civ ic ▁attra ctions , ▁including ▁a ▁sky ride , ▁a ▁re built ▁g ond ola ▁lift ▁that ▁car ries ▁visitors ▁across ▁the ▁falls ▁from ▁high ▁above ▁the ▁river ▁g orge .