Flathead County may have a site already for a proposed recreational facility, the county commissioners learned Thursday.

Todd and Davar Gardner have offered to donate 10 acres of land off U.S. 93 S., behind the KGEZ radio station and east of the planned Glacier Volkswagen dealership, county Maintenance Director Jed Fisher said.

Fisher made a proposal to the commissioners in May for a self-sustaining athletic facility to accommodate the county’s growing recreational programs. The commissioners have not  made a decision about how to proceed with Fisher’s proposal, but community support appears to be growing.

The county also could get assistance from Northwest Montana Small Business Development Center Director Chris Parson, who has offered to draft a business plan for a recreational facility, Fisher said.

The county’s youth and adult recreation programs served 3,400 county residents last year. Around 230 volunteers and coaches run the programs. Basketball, volleyball, T-ball and flag football are offered to children while adults can tap into basketball, flag football and softball leagues.

“Rec numbers continue to go up,” Fisher said, though he added that softball participation is down a little this year.

Some programs are so popular the county has to turn away participants.

Fisher said the athletic facility would be self-sustaining, a pay-to-play structure.

The county gets about $160,000 a year from user fees.

“It’s truly not a drain on government,” he added. “Run properly, it could help pay for parks maintenance.”

The project hasn’t been added into the county’s capital improvement program yet but is a long-term objective for the county, Fisher said. He anticipates a lot of donated time and materials to make it happen.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.