The Fort has been a dream seven years in the making, since Kaci Calaway and Joe and Michelle Sikkema sat around Calaway's father Timothy's table and talked about his dream for transforming the fields he owned into a community center.

Shortly after they started to develop the land, though, Calaway's father died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He wouldn't get to see the ribbon flutter to the ground at the grand opening of the space he had envisioned for so long, but Calaway and the Sikkemas know that The Fort would never have been possible without him.  

"Dad had everything ready, and he was supposed to break ground in 2022 when he passed away suddenly," Calaway said. "We were left with the development — well, the beginnings of a development. It was really just dirt." 

"We decided to keep the legacy going, and that's why this entire thing is called The Fort," Joe said to the people crowded into the building's entrance to watch the ribbon cutting. "We designed this space to be for everyone in the Bigfork community, for the valley, as a one-stop-shop for your health and wellness. We try to put everything under one roof." 

If Timothy was the visionary behind The Fort, Calaway and the Sikkemas are the masterminds who brought it to life.  

Calaway and Joe are both physical therapists by trade. Calaway, a lifelong Bigfork resident and elite Spartan racer, owns River Bend Physical Therapy. Joe played college volleyball at the NCAA Division I level and ran Apex Physical Therapy before joining forces with Calaway. 

At The Fort, the two businesses will be merged under the name of River Bend Physical Therapy, with satellite campuses in South Kalispell and the Montana Athletic Club in Bigfork.  

Meanwhile, Michelle handles much of the business side of The Fort and the behind-the-scenes operations to ensure everything runs smoothly.  

But physical therapy services are only one component of The Fort, which Calaway and the Sikkemas have designed to be a comprehensive wellness destination.  

The Fort also has a 24-hour gym with free weights, machines and garage doors that provide a sweeping view of the Swan Range. There is a Pilates studio, yoga and the wellness bar Hayline Coffee all under the same roof. 

Next door is Swan River Massage, which provides sports massages and body scrubs.  

"We really wanted to create a space that we would want to use ourselves and be a part of," Michelle said.  

Part of that means ensuring all members feel comfortable each time they set foot in The Fort, whether it's for a fitness class or to use the gym at any time of day. All members are required to sign an etiquette clause. 

Skylar Johnson, of Markay Johnson Construction, worked closely with Calaway and the Sikkema to bring their dream building to life. The result is a welcoming space with ample natural lighting.  

"So far all the feedback has been really good," Joe said of The Fort's first two months of operation. The building officially opened in early August. 

While he didn't see his dream come to fruition, Calaway and the Sikkemas know that Timothy would have loved to see those kitchen table conversations from so many years ago come to life. Even the street names bear his fingerprints: Cala Way and Timothy Hay Way. 

For more information, visit thefortmt.com.  

Reporter Elsa Ericksen can be reached at 406-758-4459 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.

    The ribbon is cut at the grand opening of The Fort in Bigfork on Sept. 18. (Elsa Ericksen/Bigfork Eagle)
  

    The physical therapy facilities at The Fort in Bigfork, which celebrated its grand opening on Sept. 18. (Elsa Ericksen/Bigfork Eagle)
  

    The 24-hour access gym facilities at the newly opened The Fort in Bigfork on Sept. 18. (Elsa Ericksen/Bigfork Eagle)
  

    Hayline Coffee, a wellness bar at The Fort in Bigfork, serves customers during the grand opening of The Fort on Sept. 18. (Elsa Ericksen/Bigfork Eagle)