5 THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU MOVE TO BOISE

By Leah Victorino

Welcome to the City of Trees! If you’re new in town, here are a few items to put on your list to get yourself established in our community.

❏ Meet your new neighbors by connecting with your neighborhood association. Boise is divided geographically into over 30 neighborhoods, each with its own neighborhood association (not to be confused with a homeowner’s association, which often have fees and rules enforced). These small organizations might plan fun community activities in central locations for residents throughout the year and leverage grants to enhance their area, like the addition of adaptive swings at Fairview Park or beautification on Vista Ave.

PHOTO BY JENNY

❏ Get your Library! card–and if you’re wondering what’s with the exclamation point, see the story on page 29. This local library system offers not only books, but so much more. The Boise Public Library has a central library branch downtown and strategically-placed neighborhood branches, so get familiar with the branch near you. You will find a plethora of media options for checkout plus a variety of learning opportunities via workshops and classes. Also, take advantage of digital resources, like local radio personality Mateo and library fan who said, “I got my card online and I use it online for audiobooks!”

❏ Register to vote. Keep your new residence documents handy from acquiring your library card and check another item off your list: voter registration. Voters can register at their polling place on election day with proof of identity and address. Alejandro Necoechea, a voter registration volunteer, offered some insider tips for new voters in the area. In addition to registering, he tells voters to learn specifics about who candidates are and when local elections take place. “We have different dates for different things— levies, school board, primaries,” explained Necoechea. He also shared this pro tip, “vote by absentee ballot so you can get it in the comfort of your home and take time to learn the issues.” To see your vote in action, check out the Idaho State Capitol Building, which rises 208 feet into the Boise skyline.

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PHOTO BY KAREN DAY

❏ Start networking with the Boise Metro Chamber. As you are starting out in a new community, the Boise Metro Chamber events offer a great way to

network. Former Chamber Ambassador Sarah Cortez, recommended Business After Hours, a monthly social gathering with Chamber members and businesses. Cortez maintains her involvement with the Boise Metro Chamber because, as she explained, “giving back to the business community is really important, and you get to grow your business.” Whatever your industry, the Chamber is a great place to find what Cortez described as a “natural connectivity.”

What’s next? Any local would be hard-pressed to narrow down what a new neighbor must do in our beloved hometown. Pick up a bike to explore our miles of lovely parks along the Boise River Greenbelt, or take a mountain drive up to Bogus Basin? Enjoy a brewery/winery hopping excursion, or make a day of museum-hopping near downtown, from Idaho History to Basque Culture? ❏ Check out our Boise Bucket List! (See pages 61-62)