Grant funds projects, including new kiosk

A new information kiosk at Wild Goose Landing in Thompson Falls is complete, thanks to funding from a LOR (Livability, Opportunity and Responsibility) Foundation grant. The kiosk includes a map of city trails, fish identification for the Clark Fork River and information about the city. Jen Kreiner with the Sanders County Community Development Corporation (SCCDC) said that work at Wild Goose Landing also included collaboration with NorthWestern Energy to upgrade access and increase safety on the dock at the boat ramp.

The information kiosk is one of several projects funded by the LOR Foundation in Thompson Falls. SCCDC received a $100,000 grant to complete projects on behalf of the City of Thompson Falls specific to LOR Foundation uses. Another LOR project included an inventory of existing City of Thompson Falls properties and amenities. The inventory was presented to the city and, according to Kreiner, will be helpful for use in the transition of the new Public Works Director and with capital improvement planning for the city.

"The goal of this project was to identify existing condition, future maintenance needs and increase efficiencies for Parks and Rec budget and programming. Public use areas are community assets that increase quality of life for residents," Kreiner said.

The LOR grant has funded the formal engineering design for a main thoroughfare trail along the Thompson Falls Reservoir and MT Highway 200 that enhances safety, recreational access and connectivity between Wild Goose Landing and the outlying business district, according to Kreiner. SCCDC is working with WGM Group Engineering firm to develop planning and development work to position the Trails Committee to secure funding for construction.

The LOR grant also included a feasibility study by The Trust for Public Lands. The study, completed last year, presented options for the City of Thompson Falls to consider to create reliable, ongoing funding for parks and land conservation. Options provided in the feasibility study include establishing a recreation district or a seasonal resort tax. The City Council is continuing to review the feasibility study.

Existing city park construction projects also benefitted from the LOR Foundation. The Babe Ruth field project received $20,000 for capital improvements.

The volunteer City Parks Planning Committee moved the Ainsworth Park project forward with intention to submit a proposal to the Montana Department of Commerce, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)-Public Facilities program for construction. In order to have a competitive application they needed to create a comprehensive planning and development component. A Preliminary Engineering Report was completed by SCCDC for $7,500 for the Ainsworth Park project that helped make the city's application to the Department of Commerce more competitive, leveraging a successful $381,000 grant award.

In the 2015 Downtown Master Plan, Ainsworth Park was identified through public input as a Main Street cornerstone that has been blighted for years, according to Kreiner. Construction will include a pavilion with facilities to accommodate bicycle tourism, an amphitheater for performances, green space and a trail. A recent public meeting gathered input for the final design of the park. Requests for construction bids will be solicited in early winter with construction anticipated in summer 2019.