Old Red Bridge fundraising begins

A fundraising effort to save the Old Red Bridge in Columbia Falls will begin in earnest next month. Supporters of the project can purchase a section of the new railing, which will have their name or family name engraved on it.

Constructed at the turn of the 20th century, the bridge was once the main route across the Flathead River. In more recent history, it’s still a popular place to fish, but the bridge was closed down about 10 years ago because the planks were slowly, but surely, falling apart.

Bolstered by a $500,000 Community Transportation Enhancement Program commitment, there’s a renewed  effort to save the structure and make it into a pedestrian walkway. There are also plans to create a whitewater park on the Flathead River near the bridge. Whitewater parks are constructed by selectively placing large boulders in the river, which create rapids folks can kayak.

 The First Best Place Task Force, a Columbia Falls community nonprofit, the Columbia Falls Rotary and the Columbia Falls High School have teamed up to get the railing fundraiser off the ground.

Rotarian Ron Nash said the group’s involvement will bring matching funds from Rotary International. In other words, for every dollar raised, Rotary will match it.

Retail displays that detail how a person can support the effort will go up in banks and other locations in March. The high school shop programs have agreed to engrave the names on the rail sections, said Dave Renfrow, a volunteer with the Task Force. In addition to the engraving, donators will receive a poster of the bridge by Hungry Horse News photographer Chris Peterson along with a small chunk of plank from the old bridge.

The idea is to begin restoration work on the bridge by early spring 2012. The total cost of the project is expected to be about $900,000.

The city of Columbia Falls, the Flathead County, First Best Place and the Montana Department of Transportation signed an agreement to work together on rebuilding the bridge last year. The city has agreed to spend $50,000 towards connecting its walking path from Talbott and Fourth Avenue to the bridge.

Flathead County owns the Red Bridge. The county has agreed to maintain ownership during the period of redevelopment. Later it would consider transferring ownership to Columbia Falls, if all parties agree.