The Daily Inter Lake

A $7.75 million estimate to improve parks during the next six years will go to the Kalispell City Council this evening.

The estimate is part of a city parks master plan that will be publicly discussed for the first time at a council workshop session, where no decisions will be made.

The plan maps out how parks should be improved to deal with Kalispell's rapid growth through 2020.

The ideal master plan would require $59.5 million through 2020, which is more than the city can realistically pay, the parks department planning report said.

Consequently, the plan targets what the staff recommends should be tackled in the next six years - putting a $7.75 million price tag on those recommendations.

Right now, Kalispell's 20,000 residents have 321 acres of parks, 73 acres of natural open space and another 12 acres of undeveloped land.

These parks hold 10 adult baseball and softball fields, 22 youth baseball fields, 10 soccer fields, five football fields, 17 tennis courts and one outdoor swimming pool.

The plan contends that by 2020, the city will need another 230 acres of greenway for trails, five adult ballfields, 21 youth ballfields, seven soccer fields and another 841 square feet of swimming-pool space.

However, the parks department's plan narrows that wish list to a set of top priorities for the next six years:

. $2.545 million to develop a 10.5-acre park in the Willow Glen area.

. $1.997 million to acquire a 20-acre Spring Creek community park.

. $999,000 to acquire a 10-acre Rose Crossing park.

. $799,000 to buy land for four-acre Ashley Creek and four-acre Flathead neighborhood parks.

. $735,000 to help buy 50 acres of greenway along Ashley Creek.

. $248,000 to add trees, pathways, shelters, a few basketball courts and other improvements to Spring Prairie Tree, Northridge, Cottonwood, Sunset, Greenbriar, Washington, Meridian, Thompson and Begg parks.

. $32,000 to add benches, picnic tables and trees to Courthouse Park.

. $90,000 for improvements at Lawrence Park.

. $120,000 for water-related studies and improvements at Woodland Park.

. $20,000 to install hard-surface dugouts at Laker & Archie Roe Park.

. $165,000 for trailheads and trail signs.

The proposed master plan also calls for the city to approach Flathead County to preserve potential park spaces in areas that Kalispell might annex.

The city may consider selling Helen O'Neil and Eagle parks because they are no longer suitable to be used as such, although Eagle Park could be used as a trailhead if enough parking can be found.

City officials are researching the need for a community center that could provide recreation for all ages from teens to senior citizens.

A major question mark in this proposed master plan is paying for the project - even the reduced, top-priority list with its $7.75 million price tag.

The plan proposes two funding options.

One choice is to pay as the money become available from the general fund and park impact fees.

The city's general fund is expected to provide $930,000 for parks during the next six years. The city is studying whether to set up parks impact fees to be assessed against new homes and buildings that Kalispell absorbs through construction or annexation - to offset the costs of the extra needed parks. Between the potential impact fees and some grants, the city staff believes it can raise another $3.75 million for parks improvements.

The second choice is to raise $7.75 million through a bond sale. That would translate to a property owner paying an extra 40 cents annually in taxes for each $1,000 in assessed value to repay the borrowed funds.

Such a bond sale would pay for everything on the city's initial six-year wish list, plus land for three extra parks and part of one greenway, the plan said. However, no money would be available to develop those three extra parks and the partial greenway until seven to 12 years from now.

The work session begins at 7 p.m. at Kalispell City Hall.

Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com.