Happy Friday, Beacon readers! Lauren Frick here, and I’m going to tell you a little tale about a warmer, sunnier and more bustling time here in the Flathead Valley — aka two months ago. There I was, wandering the streets of Whitefish in my USA soccer T-shirt on a hot, July day, desperately trying to find an establishment with an open chair, a bite to eat, and soccer games galore on their TV screens. While the latter half of my requirements were easy to meet, an open chair had me beat.
While weaving through the crowds of tourists and striking out at all my usual Whitefish staples, I glanced over at Depot Park and a light bulb practically appeared over my head — “Why doesn’t the city have a stage and some seating in the park, so they could set up a screen and we could all watch the game there?”
Fast forward a few smoke-filled weeks later, and I’m sitting in one of my favorite places in the valley, the Whitefish city council chambers, when all the sudden I hear an announcement that made me realize I may not have been the first person to have such a thought that summer afternoon.
That’s right, Depot Park might be getting some upgrades — but first, the city wants some community feedback. (Consider my newsletter anecdote the first submission. It’s never too early to start planning watch parties for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.)
The City of Whitefish Parks and Recreation Department has been approached by a community group interested in constructing a permanent stage in Depot Park to be used by current and potential event organizers, and is seeking input on whether the community supports a new permanent facility for outdoor performances and events, including new structures and/or additional hardscape (i.e., concrete, brick, stone) in the park.
The city will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at Whitefish City Hall, 418 E. Second St., for the community to provide input. Portions of the presentation include real-time polling, so please bring a mobile device. City staff will facilitate the meeting and be available to answer questions.
You don’t need to be in Whitefish long to quickly learn that Depot Park is a hub for community events. As the park’s prevalence as an event space grew, the city developed a Depot Park Event Policy to balance special events with irrigation, turf maintenance and repair needs. Currently, events in Depot Park, such as the Farmer’s Market, Stumptown Get Down, Hootenanny, and Oktoberfest use a temporary performance area consisting of a portable stage and tent. As per the policy, the current number of annual events in Depot Park leaves limited availability for additional events in the summer months.
In April of this year, the city was approached by a community group interested in constructing a permanent stage in Depot Park to replace the current portable stage and tent remedy. The group completed their own public survey of more than 300 respondents who predominantly showed support for the project, and these results were provided to the Park Board during their July meeting.
As a result, the Whitefish Park Board directed city staff to initiate a robust city-wide community engagement process to determine whether public opinion has changed since the adoption of the 2012 Depot Park Master Plan and whether the community supports a new permanent facility for outdoor performances and events. If there is community support, the Park Board may direct staff to amend the master plan accordingly and a public design process for the facility could occur, the city said.
To learn more or to stay updated on the proposed stage at Depot Park, click here.
That’s all I’ve got for y’all today — let’s engage the rest of today’s Daily Roundup.
Glacier High School Flag Football to Represent Montana on National Stage
The Wolfpack will stay at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center this weekend and compete against the nation’s top teams at the inaugural MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown.
Montana Innocence Project Seeks New Trial for Kalispell Man Convicted of Wife’s 2020 Murder
The pro bono legal team filed a petition in Flathead County District Court for post-conviction relief, arguing a series of confusing pretrial rulings prevented Bradley Jay Hillious from receiving a fair trial
City of Whitefish to Pursue Grant for Big Mountain Road Roundabout
City councilors in a work session Tuesday gave city staff the OK to continue work with the property owner of land west of Big Mountain Road to apply for a federal grant for a roundabout at its intersection with East Lakeshore Drive.
The team that brought you the smash hit tour The Simon & Garfunkel Story and R.E.S.P.E.C.T. – The Aretha Franklin Story has done it again with an all-new docu-concert: The Phil Collins Story! Chronicling his remarkable chart-topping time with Genesis to his multi-Grammy winning solo career to his Academy Award-winning work for Disney, The Phil Collins Story brings the artist’s distinctive music to life in a way that resonates with audiences both visually and emotionally – up close and personal. This fully produced immersive musical journey stars talent from around the world and features intricate lighting design, state-of-the-art audio and dynamic projections.
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