Renovated butterfly from Expo ’74 has undergone re-engineering since 2021 windstorm
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Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at 9:17 a.m.
SPOKANE – Riverfront park’s iconic lilac butterfly will again get its wings next month, as it is reconstructed after high winds brought it down in January 2021.
“We are excited to return the lilac Expo butterfly to Riverfront Park ahead of the Expo 50th anniversary celebration in the park next year,” said Garrett Jones, interim city administrator. “Modern engineering and design created a more secure structure for our community to enjoy into the future.”
The butterfly was originally constructed for the 1974 Worlds Fair. An original weld broke under the extreme force of 70+ mph winds. The butterfly has since gone through complete re-engineering and design by Coffman Engineers and Guildworks.
Several structural and aerodynamic modifications were made to enhance safety, add flexibility, and reduce risk of material failure. They include battened wings, additional wing support, a torsion bar assembly (allowing the butterfly to withstand twisting), and a 15% reduction in size. There will also be a failsafe lanyard, so if there was a catastrophic failure, it would remain attached to the post.
Construction is anticipated to begin around October 2, and last 1-2 weeks. An official opening date will be announced pending construction progress.
The area directly around the butterfly at Howard and Mallon will be fenced while hoisting the butterfly into position, causing a detour for pedestrians traveling up the zigzag pathway between the Ice Age Floods playground on the north side of Riverfront Park and The Podium. The pedestrian detour will be along Howard St.
The renovated butterfly is funded by reimbursable FEMA funding due to the windstorm, with support from Riverfront Park bond funds and the Spokane Parks Foundation. The cost for construction is $256,000.
The butterfly was restored in 2019 as part of the Riverfront Park bond, when the column, foundation, and rotation bearings were updated. Those renovations held up well in the windstorm. The wing structures had functioned well since the butterfly was installed in 1974, and there wasn’t cause to believe it was prone to failure and needed to be strengthened, but this is where the failure occurred in 2021, along the backbone of the wing.
About City of Spokane Parks & Recreation
City of Spokane Parks and Recreation stewards nearly 120 properties across 4,000 acres of park land, including manicured parks, natural lands, aquatic centers, golf courses, sports complexes, and an arboretum. We also offer hundreds of recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities to improve the health and quality of life for our community. Enjoy all your city has to offer by visiting spokaneparks.org. Follow us @SpokaneParks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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