Park plans underway

Residents from the Lakehills and Crestview subdivisions are finishing up design details for a 7.8-acre county park in the Lakehills/Crestview area. The committee is attempting to improve the county owned land, or "green space," as it is now called. The land is bordered by Lakehills Drive homes and O'Brien Terrance Road.

Mary Buenz has been prodding the project along, with the help of Serena Keller and others from the area.

"Right now it is just a field. People dump their grass clippings on it or drive through it to get to the back of their property. Most of the people who live in the subdivisions do not even realize it is county park land," Keller said. "What we plan to develop is a better utilization of the land that takes advantage of the openness and view, provides community services, handicap access, and still keeps a low-key aesthetic."

The park is not intended to be exclusive; people can frequent this county park from anywhere, she added.

The park is planned to include paved parking off O'Brien Terrace at the south end. A pavilion with bathrooms and space for eight picnic tables will be near the parking. To take advantage of the natural beauty of the land, the park will have a paved walking path around the perimeter. A gazebo will highlight the north end and allow one to enjoy the view. The gazebo will look over the Crestview rooftops to the lake beyond. The walking path is 1/3 of a mile in length.

A playground with modern, durable equipment is planned for the southwest area of the park. Separate play areas for toddlers and 5-12 year olds are planned for the sloping hillside, also allowing parents to enjoy the view while overseeing the activities.

"The land is naturally bowl shaped and sloped enough to warrant excavation or fill work for nearly every feature of the park. Our plan includes a small level area at the south end for games or additional park improvements if the community sees a need," Keller noted.

The plan also includes utilizing sloped areas for sledding runs both near the playground and near the gazebo."We haven't seen much snow here of late, but earlier this winter we had a good run going. We just had the base packed when it all turned to rain and melted," Keller said.

Landscape architect Chris Moritz put his expertise to the task of visualizing the concepts presented by the committee. The final draft is on display at Martel Construction. Architectural plans for the pavilion by Frank Becker are also on display. The committee is looking for donations of labor and materials from area contractors to make this dream a reality. Steve Buenz, of Martel Construction, has offered to assist interested contractors with bid packages or project donations, and answer any technical questions regarding the project.

The Kalispell Lions Club and Bigfork Rotary have already stepped up to do what they can to contribute to the fulfillment of the park plan, but more funds and donations will be needed to complete the project.

"Right now what we are targeting is a completion of the first phase of the project, which is installation of the utilities needed for the pavilion, and fill and excavation work for the site. We would really like to see the playground equipment go in by August of this year if our fund-raising is successful," Keller said. "So far we have $6,500 in donations from the Kalispell Lions, Bigfork Rotary and Round Up for Safety. Parks and Recreation has earmarked $3,000 plus picnic tables and trash bins as well as installation of the playground equipment. I understand there is a pig circulating around downtown Bigfork with additional monies as well."

The first phase of the project is estimated to require a minimum of $105,000.

The Bigfork Community Playground Project is just finalizing its literature for fund-raising and will be utilizing the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork, formerly BDC, to handle the donations using the organization's non-profit status. Committee members are seeking any and all sources of contributions for the project. A carnival on the site is planned for spring. There are many opportunities to dedicate trees and other park features.

Look for more information and activities in the future or contact Serena Keller at 837-1379 for more details. Send inquiries or donation to Bigfork Community Playground Project, PO Box 44, Bigfork, MT 59911.