Local businesses have come together to help make St. Ignatius School District's dream of a new open-space play area a reality.  

Adam Wood explained that it all started when St. Ignatius Schools reached out to his business, Mission Lawn and Landscape, about a green space project with an $8,500 grant from the Headwaters Foundation — a nonprofit organization based in Missoula that funds community health initiatives.  

Wood said they discussed it and realized the grant would not go far. So, he said they would just figure out how to make it happen.  

“Then we started dreaming a little bit bigger,” Wood said.  

Now, the total project is about $250,000, which includes a new artificial-turf volleyball court, a natural sod area with trees and a new ADA sidewalk. They are also adding a fence, lighting and cameras to create security and safety for the students.  

To get this job done, Wood’s company is serving as the general contractor, handling the excavation and labor, and other businesses he has called have stepped in to provide the labor or materials needed at no cost.  

The project area is located behind St. Ignatius Middle School and is currently a partial play area with a basketball court and a grassy area for volleyball. Wood explained that the area currently lacks proper drainage, causing the volleyball area to become muddy and water to run toward the building.  

He said that through this process, they will regrade everything and install irrigation. Some of this area includes teacher parking, which will be relocated to create a larger open space. The area also had propane tanks nearby, which will be relocated to a new area away from the building and the play area.  

St. Ignatius High School and Middle School Principal Shawn Hendrickson said they have experienced significant growth in the middle school, and their most recent building expansion project reduced the amount of green space. This project’s goal was to find a way to fix that, he said.  

Adam and his wife, Michelle, are invested in this project not only for their daughter, who attends St. Ignatius, but also for all her friends and future students at St. Ignatius.  

Stepping up 

His crew broke ground on July 1 and is currently removing the old sidewalk and digging the 80-foot-long electric trench.  

The new sidewalk concrete, gravel and road base mix are being donated by Treasure State Concrete. Wood added that the labor and concrete pouring for the new sidewalk and the new concrete pad to hold the propane tanks are being donated by Wall and Slab Concrete Construction.  

Energy Partners Propane has stepped in to install new propane tanks, and All Electric Heating and Air is donating the labor and materials to run power from the tanks to the building and to add extra power for additional lighting in the space.  

Wood explained that over the years, he has built relationships with all these business owners who are chipping in. And when kick-starting this project, he said it wasn’t even an ask; he just called these business owners and said, “Hey, I need you to do this,” and they said, “Okay.”   

“We all feel the same way; we’re community-minded, especially when it comes to the kids,” he said.  

He added that the children have everything against them because technology has come in and ruined their world. So, his goal is to get them outside and let them stay kids for as long as they can. Plus, middle school boys have a lot of energy, he added.  

Hendrickson said that Michelle and Adam Wood have really taken on the heavy lifting on this project, picked up their vision and ran with it. He explained that the Woods said, "If we are going to do this, let’s do it right."  

Wood said the goal is to leave the grant funds for St. Ignatius Schools to purchase fun outside items for the new area.  

However, there is still $32,000 needed to purchase the artificial turf, and they are currently seeking donations. Valley Bank in St. Ignatius has partnered on this project by opening a bank account dedicated to accepting donations.  

Michelle said donations can be made at Valley Bank or dropped off at Mission Lawn and Landscape in Polson. Donations are tax-deductible and should be written to St. Ignatius School District.  

St. Ignatius School District Superintendent Jason Sargent said they are super grateful for the Woods and this project.  

“It still got a long way to go, and hopefully we can get there,” Sargent said.  

    Wyatt Poppe moves dirt behind the St. Ignatius Middle School. For this project, multiple business owners have come together to revamp the middle school playground. (Emily Messer/Leader)