Pedestrians sauntering through Kalispell’s downtown will get to enjoy the shade of some new trees later this spring.  

The Kalispell Business Improvement District in March allocated funds to bring a dozen new trees to the empty dirt plots tucked among sidewalks. The city Parks and Recreation Department plans to plant the perennials in May.   

The funds revived a tree planting program that dried up in 2021 during the Covid pandemic, which sent costs skyrocketing, said Kisa Davison, chair of the improvement district.   

Before the pandemic, the organization paid for the planting of six to 12 trees downtown annually because the Parks and Recreation Department lacked the funds.  

“They just don’t have the budget to be adding new trees when old trees die or are damaged. That’s where the [Kalispell Business Improvement District] can prioritize and fill the gap for the benefit of the downtown property owners,” Davison said. 

The health of the remaining downtown trees deteriorated in the years since the program ended, according to Parks Superintendent Colton Hanson. 

“These are definitely getting limped along. They should be removed and replaced. But since we don’t really have the opportunity to replace them, it's just kind of keeping them around as long as possible,” Hanson said at a March meeting with the improvement district. 

Trees planted in downtown areas have a much shorterl lifespan, averaging about seven years, in comparison with trees in a park, which can live for more than a century, according to Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Fred Bicha. 

“They take a lot of abuse downtown,” Bicha said. 

Money became available for the effort after the group eliminated its paid director position in December and shifted management responsibilities to the volunteer board. Jamie Keller previously served as the board’s director.  

“That’s freed up some additional funds for us to refocus and reprioritize on tangible, visible improvements for the Downtown Business District,” Davison said.  

The move freed up around $40,000 annually, which translates to just under $20,000 for the remainder of the year, according to Davison.  

The board took $2,400 from the development activities budget to put toward the new green.  

“We’re willing to spend a little bit more money annually to make sure it looks beautiful and is inviting and contributes to the economic vitality of this district,” Davison said.  

Parks and Recreation Superintendent Fred Bicha doesn’t know which empty plots the trees will be planted in yet. There are roughly 160 planting locations within the district and Bicha estimated that about 90% have trees in them. 

The 12 trees purchased from Four Seasons Nursery in Kalispell will be a mix of honey locusts and Japanese tree lilacs. Honey locusts are larger trees typically placed by intersections, according to Bicha. 

Although the trees won’t be planted before Arbor Day, Bicha encouraged residents to attend the city’s Arbor Day ceremony, scheduled for April 24 and beginning at 9 a.m. in Lawrence Park. Volunteers are needed to help plant trees around the city from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

THE MODEST downtown facelift comes as the board begins its efforts to renew the Business Improvement District, something that happens once every decade. The current district expires in April 2027.  

“We’re going through that process right now of connecting with property owners to find out what is on their radar? What do they want to see more of?” Davison said.  

Renewing the district requires approval from property owners representing at least 60% of its total area. Board member and business owner Gabe Mariman said at the March meeting that businesses may be reluctant to agree to more fees after the state Legislature increased taxes on commercial property.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.