Poll shows overwhelming support for Fort Missoula Regional Park

Most Missoula voters would support a mill levy to build more trails, athletic fields, playgrounds and other park amenities at Fort Missoula, according to a public opinion poll released to the City Council on Wednesday.

The poll, commissioned by the Friends of Fort Missoula Regional Park (FFMRP), showed that 70 percent of respondents said they would support an $8 million ballot measure to begin development of the park according to the master site plan adopted in 2002. The group of sports enthusiasts and park proponents is asking the City Council to consider placing a mil levy to fund park construction and maintenance on the June, 2008 primary election ballot. The first phase of park development would include over four miles of trails, new playgrounds and picnic areas, and several new multi-use sports fields on land acquired by the City in 1998.

Poll results indicate overall strong support among voters for a ballot measure. According to pollster John MacDonald of the Gallatin Group, “A strong level of support is present even though the majority of respondents also indicate they believe the level and quality of existing parks within the city are good. It seems to indicate that the majority of respondents believe the city’s parks and recreation system is good, but they are not afraid to pay more to make it better.”

It’s time, says John Oetinger of FFMRP. Citizens and the stakeholders at Fort Missoula worked together to create the master site plan back in 2002. Since then, the City has sought a variety of funding sources to build the necessary sports fields and park amenities. They’ve been working on preserving all the historical features at Fort Missoula. But now it’s time for citizens to step up and help create a regional park that will serve kids, adults, teens, seniors, persons with disabilities—the entire community.” Park proponents are waiting for final budget figures from the City, but say that preliminary estimates put the cost to taxpayers at around $20 per year for 20 years for Phase 1.

The Friends of Fort Missoula Regional Park say Missoula just doesn’t have enough athletic fields to support the demand for them. All major Montana cities have a greater number of athletic fields per capita than Missoula, and Missoula provides less than one half the number of fields per capita as national park standards recommend. They point out that soccer, softball, rugby and other sports have to go begging for field space every year, and youth and adult soccer leagues are limited now by scarce field space. And, they add, recent successful bond requests for park facilities and open space show that Missoulians value parks and active recreation. Their recent polling shows that 77 percent of citizens agreed with the statement that parks are important to “introducing our children to important values of nature, outdoor recreation and maintaining active and healthy lifestyles, and a majority agreed that “we owe it to our children and grandchildren to provide healthy places for active recreation.”

Over the next few weeks, the City Council will consider whether to put the proposed mil levy on the June ballot.

Donna Gaulkler, Director of Parks and Rec: The City expects a final cultural and historical report on the 82 acre parcel at Fort Missoula in spring 2008. Once this report has been reviewed by the public and approved by the State Historic Preservation Office, the City will be incorporating interpretation, protection and mitigation of cultural resources in the overall park design. Final layout of the traffic patterns within the Park will be dependent upon traffic analysis, cultural resources, site survey, and involvement of stakeholders at Fort Missoula Historic District as well as Park stakeholders. This research and design, being performed by an engineering design firm, should be available in May 2008.

Here's how YOU can help:

1. Vote June 2008
2. Get 2-5 other people to vote for the referendum
3. Ask 2 or 3 well known people in Missoula to endorse the park and allow the committee to use their name in ads
4. Write a letter to the editor in support of the park. Include why you think it is important to the community. Addresses for newspapers:
• Missoulian, 500 S. Higgins, Missoula 59802
• Independent, 115 S. 4th W., Missoula 59802
• Kaimin, UM Campus, Missoula 59812
5. Contribute to the committee to run a successful campaign.
6. Pass this web page on to 10 more supporters and ask them to do the same.