Page 10 - Flathead Beacon // 7.20.16

NEWS
Art Auction to Raise Funds for Flathead Bridge Litigation Community Association for North Shore Conservation to auction over 20 pieces at fundraiser
BY CLARE MENZEL OF THE BEACON
Twenty years ago, long before Jolene Dugan and Roger Sortino applied for a permit to build a contentious bridge to Dockstader Island in Flathead Lake, Big- fork blacksmith Je rey Funk built a tow- ering sculpture. The piece, titled “Lakes- cape 1: Impressions of the North Shore,” was commissioned by Kathy Naive, whose home overlooks the water. With steel and stone elements depicting calm waves and a sandy beach, it was meant to re ect the simple beauty of lakeside living.
Now, after two decades, the Lakes- cape’s likeness of Flathead’s north shore is taking on new meaning. Naive has donated it to a July 29 auction gala hosted by the Community Association for North
Shore Conservation (CANSC), a group of concerned residents that has led a law- suit in Flathead County District Court against the county and its commission- ers, alleging that the bridge’s 2011 permit was unlawfully issued.
The group wants to see the bridge removed and the lakeshore restored to its original state. The sculpture, which “was inspired by the exact location of the existing bridge,” according to Funk, now stands as a representation of the undis- turbed shoreline for which the group is ghting.
“It’s a great embodiment of what we’re about,” Mary Jo Naive, Kathy’s daughter and a CANSC board member, said. “Our organization right now is trying to pro- tect the lakeshore, and this piece symbol- izes so incredibly the lakeshore, because
it is the sand and the ripples and the rocks ... it’s a great embodiment of what we’re about.”
Local artists, including painter Nancy Cawdrey, metal and glass worker Lee Proctor, and painter Brett Thuma, cre- ated many of the other lake-inspired pieces that will be auctioned at the Restore the Shore Fundraiser in Bigfork. The Lakescape, with an estimated value of $18,000, will be one of seven pieces available at a live auction. Twenty to 25 pieces will be featured in a silent auction and are expected to go between $300 and $3,000.
“Those are very pricey items, but we have some pretty signi cant bills today,” Dave Hadden, head of the group, said.
As required by the Lakeshore Protec- tion Act, county o cials must seek public
comment on “signi cant” construction projects along the shoreline. In 2011, the bridge project was deemed minimal, and the public did not have an opportunity to weigh in before the permit was issued. CANSC’s lawsuit contends that the proj- ect was signi cant enough to have war- ranted public noti cation and review. Hadden hopes that a decision in CANSC’s favor would both nullify the permit and compel removal of the bridge.
The gala, which “honors our love of Flathead Lake and will help defray the legal costs accrued in defense of our beautiful lake,” according to CANSC’s website, will be hosted at The Venue at Montana 45 in Bigfork. It is RSVP only and space is limited. Contact CANSC at- [email protected] for more information.
clare@ atheabeacon.com
Construction Starts on Gateway to Glacier, Lakeside Trails Two pathways are nal CTEP projects for Flathead County after program shuttered
BY MOLLY PRIDDY OF THE BEACON
The two nal Community Transpor- tation Enhancement Program projects in Flathead County are underway, with paths being built in Bad Rock Canyon and Lakeside.
On July 12, the Flathead County Com- mission gave unanimous approval for the o cial start of construction on a pathway to connect the Bad Rock Canyon com- munities of Coram and Hungry Horse to West Glacier, o cially kicking o a proj- ect that has been in the works since 2010.
The project, which came to life due to the grassroots mobilization of local advo- cates, will include nearly 7 miles of paved pathway o the side of U.S. Highway 2, running from Seville Lane in Coram to Going-to-the-Sun Road in West Glacier.
“It is exciting,” Flathead County plan- ner Rachel Ezell said. “This has been a multi-year project.”
At eight to 10 feet wide, the path is designed for pedestrians and cyclists. Currently, anyone walking, jogging, or cycling on Highway 2 must do so on the highway’s narrow shoulder. Safety con- cerns prompted the project, which has nancially bene tted from fundrais- ers such as the Pints for Paths Brewfest since 2011.
During its July 12 meeting, the com- mission gave unanimous approval to the trail’s construction agreement with LHC, Inc., as well as the o cial notice to pro- ceed with the work.
Crews were expected to start on July 18 and have 110 consecutive calen- dar days to complete the project, with a
tentative nishing date of Nov. 4.
The bulk of the money that will be used to build the Coram to West Glacier path will come from the Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) funds. The county’s construc- tion agreement with LHC lists the proj-
ect cost at $693,934.
The contractor’s original bid for the
6.8-mile project was $450,211, but the county also awarded LHC $243,723 for another loop on Old Highway 2. Ezell said the bids came in low for this project, which was originally expected to cost more than $800,000.
CTEP funds account for more than 86 percent of the cost, and local non- pro t Gateway to Glacier Trail initially expected to raise the remaining match of a little more than 13 percent of the total
cost. However, the state Department of Transportation will fund the roughly $108,000 match, freeing up the funds raised by the nonpro t for other projects, as well as maintenance of the pathway.
As it sits now, the only existing bike path along Highway 2 runs from Hungry Horse to Coram, about 3.5 miles.
July 18 was also the starting date for the Blacktail Road path in Lakeside, a 1.3-mile paved bike and pedestrian trail adjacent to Blacktail Road running from Stoner Loop to Soren Lane.
Ezell said the Bad Rock Canyon and Lakeside paths are the county’s nal CTEP projects now that the program has been shut down. Ezell said future proj- ects could potentially qualify for a new transportation alternative program.
mpriddy@ atheadbeacon.com
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JULY 20, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM