Page 8 - Flathead Beacon // 5.21.14

8 | MAY 21, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

Upgrades Proposed for Wayfarers State Park

Just
Sayin’.

Popular site on Flathead Lake attracted the

ifth most visitors in Montana last year
“It’s what is best for
the family. What’s
going to be hard is By BEACON STAFF

leaving the kids. State managers are proposing to upgrade aspects of Wayfar-
That’s deinitely the ers State Park in Bigfork, one of the ive state parks ofering public
hardest part.”
access to Flathead Lake.
The state’s parks department announced last week that it was
Josh Downey on his decision accepting public comment on a new list of projects designed to
take over Whiteish’s boys improve visitor services and facilities at the popular site.
basketball program after his
Bigfork squad won the state Wayfarers was the ifth most popular state park in Montana
championship this season.
last year, drawing nearly 125,000 visitors. Visitation was up 11
percent from 2012.
(STORY, PAGE 68)
The state is proposing several projects that would take place Wayfarers State Park BEACON FILE PHOTO
in two phases beginning in the fall. The irst phase would include The irst phase would cost an estimated $344,000, which
the construction of a ranger station/visitor information center in would be paid 40 percent from federal funding and 60 percent
“Once Sen. Wittich the Harry Horn Day Use Area. The building would provide a lo- from state parks’ funding sources.
gets to the bottom of cation for staf, storage and a small visitor welcome/information According to state managers, the improvements would create
this, I hope he can
area. The current public restroom, which is more than 30 years better access for visitors, address the high demands of growing
turn his attention to old, doesn’t meet disability accessibility standards, would be visitation and beneit safety and information resources.
important things, constructed near the ranger station. The existing maintenance To view the draft Environmental Assessment and provide
like where Elvis is buildingnexttothehostsiteonthewestsideoftheparkwould comments online visit: http://stateparks.mt.gov/news/public-
also be expanded.
Notices/environmental-assessments/pn_0023.html or visit
hiding and what The second phase of the proposed project would be complet- stateparks.mt.gov and click on “public comments” or send com-
really happened at ed in future years, and proposes a new group picnic shelter to be ments by email: [email protected] or mail your com-
Roswell.”
built in the day use area near the lake shore. In conjunction with ments to: Wayfarers Comments c/o Jerry Sawyer at FWP Region
Kevin O’Brien, Gov. Steve the new picnic shelter, the current upper day use parking lot will 1 Headquarters, 490 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell, MT 59901.
Bullock’s deputy chief
be expanded to accommodate an additional eight to 10 vehicles.
[email protected]
of staf, on state Sen. Art
Wittich’s accusation that
Bullock, the commissioner
of political practices and Remodeled Apgar Visitor Center Opens
others conspired to remove
him from oice.

New location will provide visi-
“You’ve got to transportation services, retail sales man- folks coming together to leverage private
tor information services and aged by the Glacier National Park Conser- resources to the greater beneit of Gla-
address it, or the vancy and restroom facilities. The site will cier National Park,” Glacier Conservancy
silence becomes accommodate 2,000 daily
be able to accommodate roughly 2,000 President and CEO Mark Preiss said.
deafening. Then I go people a day. The building is recognized as The small building that housed the vis-
LEED Gold Certiied.
itor center in Apgar Village will have pub-
back to talking about By BEACON STAFF
the issues that I like An enhanced visitor and discovery lic restroom facilities available, but the
to talk about.”
A newly remodeled Apgar Visitor Cen- center near Apgar has been talked about main building will be closed. An analysis
ter opened in its new location in Glacier for over 15 years.
to determine the future use of that facility
State Rep. Jef Wellborn of National Park last weekend.
Superintendent Jef Mow said he was will begin later this year, according to the
Dillon on the nasty mailers The upgraded facility opened in the ex- impressed with the leadership of the Gla- park.
from PACs against him in isting Apgar Transit Center facility at the cier Park Conservancy and the assistance The park hosts three visitor centers,
the primary GOP race for T-intersection roughly 1 mile north of the from several local and regional business- Apgar, St. Mary and Logan Pass. The Ap-
House District 72
West Entrance Station on the Going-to- es, including Swank Enterprises, Kalispell gar center is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
the-Sun Road. The new location will pro- Regional Medical Center, Valley Glass, May 17-June 13. From June 14-Sept. 1, the
vide visitor information services, pick-up Sherwin Williams, Western Builder Cen- site will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. From Sept.
and drop-of services for the park’s shuttle ter and Dupont Corian.
2-Oct. 5, it will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
system and concession-operated tour and
“This project is a great example of
[email protected]
0
10

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