Work on fish pond should start next week

Excavation of a new fish pond at River’s Edge Park is expected to start next week. The city was expected to meet with contractors on Wednesday after presstime to iron out final details for the pond’s construction.

The Flathead Land Trust, which is working with the city, has received a $100,000 grant from the LOR Foundation that will cover most of the expenses associated with the pond and some contractors have also indicated a willingness to donate time or equipment to the project. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks donated engineering and design on the pond and will later stock it with fish.

Schellinger Construction is digging the hole at no charge. The pond, when it’s finished, should be about 20 feet deep and about 1.5 acres total.

River’s Edge Park will be closed when the excavation is taking place.

The initial plan was to haul the fill from the pond to an industrial park off Railroad Street, but now a local landowner who lives just up the street from the park will take most of the fill.

The fill is not going into the flood plain, city manager Susan Nicosia said.

The project should take three weeks.