Glacier Park proposes new housing in East Glacier and Swiftcurrent

Hungry Horse News

Glacier National Park officials are looking for public comment by Jan. 19 on a proposal to construct park housing at East Glacier and Swiftcurrent developed areas.

The Park is proposing to build three new residential structures to accommodate seasonal park staff during the summer and to address a housing shortage on the east side of the park. A one-story fourplex and a two-story eight-plex would be constructed in the Swiftcurrent housing area at Many Glacier, adjacent to the Swiftcurrent Ranger Station Historic District. A one-story duplex would be constructed at the East Glacier National Park Service developed area, within the East Glacier Ranger Station Historic District.

The new housing would replace beds that were lost when ten dilapidated residential trailers were removed from the St. Mary housing area and Divide Creek Floodplain in accordance with decisions reached in the Park’s 1999 General Management Plan.

The Park also proposes two alternatives: 1) Alternative A, no action, and 2) Alternative B, construct replacement housing at Swiftcurrent and East Glacier (proposed action and NPS preferred).

The Environmental Assessment for this project is available for public review on the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/EastSideHousing. Comments can be posted to this website or mailed to Superintendent, Glacier National Park, Attn: East Side Housing EA, P.O. Box 128, West Glacier, MT, 59936. Comments are due Jan. 19, 2015.

For more information contact the park at 406-888-7800.