This is somewhat refreshing. Kalispell Public Schools is asking voters to approve a land purchase for future school building needs, but the district is not seeking extra money.

If voters vote yes, then existing funds would be used to purchase 25 acres on Airport Road that will lead to the district subsequently acquiring an adjacent lot large enough to possibly build both an elementary school and middle school in later years.

There’s no doubt that the elementary school district needs to plan for additional classrooms. In the past 10 years, the district has grown by 22 percent, or 541 students. And though additional classrooms have been built at both Peterson and Edgerton schools, that step has not been able to keep up with demand.

Plus, you just need to look at the growth of Kalispell over the past 20 years in the developments located between Airport Road and the U.S. 93 Bypass, as well as along Willow Glen Road, to see that it is logical to plan for an elementary school in this area. And it just makes sense to acquire a piece of property big enough for an additional middle school as well, since it is inevitable that one will be needed eventually.

Since the money is already available in an interlocal fund and an elementary miscellaneous programs fund administered by Kalispell Public Schools, it makes sense to purchase the property and complete the accompanying land swap while the opportunity is there. Big lots of this nature within district boundaries are already hard to find, and prices are bound to increase as well.

We encourage voters to grant the district the authority to complete the purchase and land swap, thus ensuring that when the time is right, new schools can be built in an orderly fashion.

Home run on the east side!

Residents of east-side Kalispell owe a big debt of gratitude to Betsy Wood and other members of the Friends of Thompson Park for taking an interest in the history of their community and working to preserve it.

Wood has led a group effort to get the park at Seventh Avenue East and Ninth Street rededicated as Thompson Memorial Park in honor of a Kalispell resident who played in the first baseball World Series.

Gus Thompson became a local businessman after marrying a Kalispell woman, and he took an active interest in promoting baseball for local boys for many years. The city had originally named the park after Thompson years ago, but as time passed, the reason for the name was lost and the city renamed the field East Side Park.

Now, thanks to Wood and other citizens, Thompson Park is back and better than ever, but there is still lots more to do, including new fencing. Friends of Thompson Park asks that donations to complete the project be sent to Kidsports, P.O. Box 1205, Kalispell MT 59903-1205, with the donation clearly marked for “Thompson Memorial Park.”

Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.