BSCO will need additional fundraising for artificial turf at community park
By Jack Reaney ASSOCIATE EDITOR
After working from nine to five on Tuesday, the Big Sky Resort Area District board still had a two-hour work session scheduled on Thursday afternoon to make final decisions on more than $7.1 million in grants to local nonprofits.
It would take only 30 minutes, with no significant changes to the awards made tentatively on Tuesday.
Overall, Thursday’s brief meeting was a function of good cheese and gratitude—on Tuesday, attendees voiced appreciation for this year’s new meeting structure. BSRAD divided available funds into eight impact areas, proportional to their importance in the community—as determined by the BSRAD board.
Before calling for adjournment, board member Kevin Germain shared his thoughts.
“There really was a much different tenor this year,” Germain said, crediting the BSRAD staff for improving its 12-month allocations process. “… I agree with Mr. O’Connor, this is the best allocations cycle that I’ve seen, and it’s the most collaboration I’ve seen in the Big Sky community.”
Germain said Big Sky would not be the same without applicants—nonprofits and government services—doing “incredible” things for the community.
“A huge and sincere thanks to all the applicants. When you look at the money that we just went through, the good that it does for our community—it really is resort tax that makes, in my opinion, Big Sky so special,” he said.
After Thursday’s conclusive meeting, final nonprofit and government service awards are listed on BSRAD’s updated allocations webpage.
Additional funds needed for Big Sky Community Park renovation
More fundraising will be necessary for athletic field improvements at the Big Sky Community Park, which may include a a multi-use artificial turf field.
Funded at only 56% of its project request on Tuesday, the Big Sky Community Organization announced it would use the granted money for renovation projects, but it will wait on the artificial turf.
In its project request for $1.6 million, BSCO listed renovations including the addition of “low-maintenence synthetic turf [to enhance] the playability and extending usability” of athletic fields, according to a project summary. The project would also renovate the Riverside Pavilion recreation area “into a family-friendly space… providing diverse recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike.”
On Thursday, Whitney Montgomery, CEO of BSCO, gave public comment.
“I am requesting that the funding from BSRAD for the athletic fields be used to perform all the excavation, fencing, re-doing the area around the pavilion—all the stuff that has to be done regardless—but not include the artificial turf,” Montgomery said.
The board would informally approve Montgomery’s suggested use of grant money.
On Tuesday, the board recognized a challenge with BSCO’s $1.6 million request: only $936,388 was available in the recreation category, given that the Big Sky Trails Recration and Parks District—a government service, funded earlier this spring—had already been awarded its full request of $675,533.
Even though BSCO’s application recieved the only “perfect score”—by BSRAD’s rubric—among 33 total requests, it nearly doubled available funds. The board voted 3-1 to fund BSCO’s field renovation at $906,388, balancing the recreation budget.
On Thursday, Montgomery thanked the BSRAD board and staff “for their commitment to our community and the partnership with BSCO.”
To meet the growing demand for BSCO’s recreational athletic programs, he added, “The community park, especially the athletic fields, and tennis and pickleball courts, are in need of significant enhancements and expansions.”
Montgomery said BSCO hears many complaints about the athletic fields—two softball fields used for an adult league and for youth baseball, and an adjacent soccer field—for “not draining well, being uneven and not safe for players,” he said.
Natural grass has a short season in Big Sky’s climate, he added, and people complain about dog poop left by careless walkers.
“Balancing the wants and needs of this community and the park is extremely challenging for BSCO. And thus, in doing the design and planning for the park, especially the athletic fields, BSCO took painstaking steps to minimize the impact to the environment while improving the playability and safety of the fields for our community.”
Montgomery noted that the turf fields would use turf pellets made of organic cococut endorsed and used elsewhere by the Gallatin River Task Force, not the black rubber pellets that some community members may assume, which could degrade the nearby Gallatin River.
He asked that the community engage with BSCO in the coming months as the organization works toward a final plan.
“Regardless of artificial turf or natural turf, funds are needed for this project,” Montgomery said.
