Kalispell Approves Property Acquisition Next to Parkline Trail
The city council on Monday night approved the purchase of the 15-acre BNSF property located at the west end of the Parkline Trail
By Maggie Dresser
The Kalispell City Council on Monday unanimously approved the $50,000 purchase of a 15-acre BNSF Railway Company property, called the Wye tract, that will bring opportunity for recreation and development at the west end of the Parkline Trail.
Following years-long discussions with BNSF officials, the acquisition is part of an agreement with the company that was put on hold while the Parkline Trail was being constructed.
Located on the west side of the city, the segment runs from Meridian Road to Fenn Way and south to Foys Lake Road.
The acquisition opens the parcel for future recreational and community development activities and removes license fees for the city.
“It makes sense for the city to acquire this to remove the licenses that we currently pay on it,” Kalispell City Manager Doug Russell said. “But it does open up the opportunity for future recreation or community development of some form.”
The parcel purchase is the second segment of an acquisition deal between the city and BNSF and is part of the CORE Area Redevelopment and the construction of the Parkline Trail.
“I’m just glad to see this come to fruition because we’ve been working on it for a while … This does tie nicely to the Parkline Trail and I’m looking forward to getting this done,” Mayor Mark Johnson said.
Crews finished constructing the Parkline Trail last year after nearly a decade of planning, which transformed the former Great Northern Railway line into a linear, multi-use trail, connecting Meridian Street to Woodland Park.
As part of the Parkline Trail and the CORE Area Redevelopment, the properties surrounding the railroad include more than 1,000 parcels spread across 365 acres that became available for redevelopment.
The Flathead County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) previously partnered with the city to acquire a gravel pit north of Kalispell to construct the Glacier Rail Park. A $10 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant was used toward the development of the industrial rail park, which is now used for rail-served businesses like CHS.
Other projects involved in the redevelopment include Mick Ruis’ construction at the former CHS grain elevator property located at Center Street and Fifth Avenue West along the Parkline Trail. Crews are building a bar and restaurant on top of the historic 100-foot grain silo and 230 residential units on an adjoining 5-acre parcel.
New businesses along the Parkline Trail have been steadily emerging in recent years and more commercial and residential projects are in the works after the railroad tracks were removed a year ago.