Park Side celebrates new Columbia Falls branch
The new branch of Park Side Credit Union in Columbia Falls had its ribbon cutting last week. The bright and spacious new building replaces the credit union’s old home on Highway 2 about a half mile to the east.
The new building has large windows and plenty of natural light, no matter where one is standing or working.
“We didn’t want people in a basement anymore,” CEO Jeremy Presta said.
The building has about 6,500 square feet of space and several offices for staff, loan officers, and video teleconference tellers. It even has a “serenity room” where a person can just sit quietly. It also has a spacious conference room as well.
All told, 12 people work in the Columbia Falls branch, noted loan manager Michelle Banks.
The Credit Union’s roots go back decades. It all started 60 years ago as the Whitefish Great Northern Federal Credit Union on the front porch of Miner Stocking’s home to serve the employees of the Great Northern Railroad and their family members. In 1999, it merged with the Columbia Falls Aluminum Credit Union, which served employees at CFAC at the time.
The first Columbia Falls branch was built in 2001 and in 2002 it renamed itself Park Side Federal Credit Union as two words.
The credit union today has seven branches total, four in the Flathead and three in Missoula.
It offers a host of financial services, including real estate, personal and auto loans as well as Visa cards. In addition it has checking and savings accounts and Kasasa interest bearing checking accounts.
The new branch opened in February. The old building is currently for sale. Presta noted the cost of the new building amounted to what it would have cost to remodel the old one.