Boise City Midweek News

By Jill Kuraitis, 5-30-07

	Caption: Historic Boise's historic train depot on a historic postcard

Depot Will be Open to the Public on Sundays
The City of Boise is expanding the hours for the Boise Depot beginning this weekend.  Starting June 3rd the Boise Depot, Great Hall and Bell Towers will be open Sundays from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. through September 30th.  Admission is free.

“Almost any panoramic photo of the City of Boise includes the Depot,” said Mayor Dave Bieter.  “It is one of our icons.  The citizens of this city have been asking that we allow for more public access.  This is the first in a series of steps to do just that and we are very excited about future plans.”

In the fall of 2006, Parks & Recreation and the City Historian began to explore ways to open the Depot to new and expanded uses.  This summer, city staff will conduct a user analysis of the facility and ask the public how best to take advantage of its scenic and historical values. A final recommendation is expected to be submitted to the Mayor and City Council later this fall.

The Boise Depot is a Spanish-style train station originally built to serve passengers of the Union Pacific Railroad.  The Depot is characterized by native stone that was quarried near what is now the Old Penitentiary.  The City of Boise assumed ownership of the Depot in 1996.  Amtrak service to the Depot was suspended the following year, and since then the facility has been managed for commercial space, events and public access. 

Plenty of Summer Classes Are Still Open at BSU
Many summer session core classes and upper-division, graduate and doctoral classes are still available at Boise State University.

The largest summer sessions begin June 4. A special four-week session that focuses on graduate- and doctoral-level training for educators begins on June 11. The second five-week session starts July 9.

Workshops, which are short courses for one or two credits, are scheduled throughout the summer.
Here’s a complete listing of classes and registration information. Click on Extended Studies, Summer Programs. For more information, call Boise State’s Summer Programs Office at 426-1709.