There is an effort underway in Columbia Falls to resurrect a landmark from the 1960s and 1970s: A large arch spanning the south end of Nucleus Avenue.
Presented to the Columbia Falls City Council on Feb. 16, the arch would mark the centennial celebration for Glacier National Park, according to Barry Conger, executive director of the First Best Place Task Force. It would serve to welcome and attract visitors, as well as draw attention to the town’s history, Conger said.
Conger is confident that the city and the Montana Department of Transportation would allow for such a construction and said that talks with both entities have gone well.
The previous arch was removed from the south end of Nucleus Avenue in 1973 when U.S. Highway 2 expanded.
The Centennial Arch Committee of First Best Place formally asked the city council to apply to the state for a welcome sign permit. This would be the first in a long set of steps to consider before the arch can become a reality, Conger said.
The formal process with the state should take about six months, Conger said. During that time, the committee plans on fundraising to support the cost of materials. Much of the labor has already been donated, Conger said.
Don Gimbel Sr. and his son Don Gimbel Jr. have already pledged to do the arch’s ironwork. Both have completed several iron projects throughout Columbia Falls, something the elder Gimbel said is a nice way to keep him busy now that he’s retired and has beaten cancer. It’s also a way to enhance their community, Gimbel Sr. said, which is important for a family that has been active in Columbia Falls since 1938.
“I want to do things to make people happy,” Gimbel Sr. said. “We’re supportive of (the arch); it’s kind of a dream. It’s going to take a lot of money and a lot of time.”
As a nod to the industries in and around Columbia Falls, the arch would include iron, wood and stone elements. It would have to be at least 85 feet wide and 35 feet tall, which Gimbel Sr. said would be a “monster” engineering project.
Other donated work comes from Grover and Co. Architecture, which has donated the design work, and APEC Engineering, which has donated civil engineering work. Aside from donations, Conger said the arch project may need anywhere from $75,000 to $100,000 to pay for materials, but he also hopes to cut that in half with donated materials.
The project is still in the very beginning stages, Conger stressed, so the numbers may vary in future estimates.
The Centennial Arch Committee boasts an array of community members, including representatives from the city council and the First Best Place Task Force.
Columbia Falls City Council did not take any action on the welcome sign permit application during their Feb. 16 meeting, but Conger said design and engineering efforts would continue as the city looks into insurance details.