BNSF, Whitefish to Celebrate River Cleanup Project

By Beacon Staff

BNSF Railway and the City of Whitefish are recognizing the completion of the Whitefish River cleanup project with a public ceremony and dedication of a new public river access on Thursday, Aug. 1.

Whitefish Landing will be a new public park and non-motorized river access point. It is made possible by a $25,000 grant from the BNSF Foundation, and it coincides with the completion of a five-year project to remove contaminated sediment from the Whitefish River and also the Mackinaw Bay cleanup on Whitefish Lake. The location of the landing and park also allows direct access to the pedestrian pathway that leads to the city center.

Whitefish Mayor John Muhlfeld will join BNSF representatives for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the location for the new park. The public is welcome to attend the event, which begins at 11 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to park on the street in the vicinity of First Street and Miles Avenue and walk north on Miles Avenue to the BNSF property entry gate, which is just west of the intersection of Miles Avenue and Railway Street. The ceremony will be held near the paved Whitefish Pedestrian and Bicycle Trail.