1. Why do anything?
- The Pineview Park Board has been forced to remove playground equipment for safety and liability reasons in order to meet the recommendations of lawyers and risk assessment officers. We have been removing components of the park one by one, with no money for replacement.
- Tennis courts are beyond patching; they need major resurfacing to remain playable.
- The picnic shelter is a fire hazard; shed is too small; door and interior floor need replacement. This is a good opportunity to move the shed to Pineview Drive and erect a new picnic shelter.
- Everyone wants a bathroom. Porta potties were repeatedly vandalized and can no longer be rented.
- The present RSID, with only 600 households paying for the entire park, is not fair. And the income is not adequate. We will expand to over 1600 households in the middle Rattlesnake.
- A new SID means the County must turn the park over to the City. And the County Parks Board wants to do that.
- If the park were turned over to the City without this bond, we wouldn't be eligible for capital improvement funds for at least seven years.
2. Could we do nothing, stay as we are?
Yes, and the present RSID income would remain sufficient for maintenance, and minor renovation. But we would lose the playgrounds, tennis courts, and basketball, have no bathroom, and become a walking park without facilities. And the County could still divest at any time.
3. Is Tom Green Park going to the City?
No. That is a separate deed, with its own conditions, and Tom Green will remain administered by the Pineview Park Board.
4. Why so much? What is the budget?
Please keep in mind that these are preliminary estimates, costs are rising, and bond expenditures can be lowered but not raised once the bond is passed. Nevertheless, be assured that these figures are from professionals in design, contracting, law, government, and recent, local park bond experience:
Item |
Cost |
Bathroom |
$120 k |
Sewer hookup |
$ 20 k |
Playgrounds and playing fields |
$ 80 k |
3 Tennis courts resurfaced |
$120 k |
Basketball court resurfaced |
$ 25 k |
Demolition, new storage sheds, new picnic shelter, associated landscaping
|
$125 k
|
New lighting, walkways, sprinkler system upgrades, rink hose reel, water fountain, sundries |
$110 k
|
Sub total: |
$600 k |
Plus Bond expenses: design, engineering
and administration:
|
$150 k |
Total |
$750 k |
5. What will it cost per household?
Cost per household of expanded SID: on average $35 per year for twenty years.
6. With City ownership, will we lose control of our park?
No. The Pineview Park Board and the City Parks Dept. are developing an operational agreement on many aspects of cooperative management, such as continued maintenance of the skating rink by us. The current administration of Missoula Parks and Recreation has been very cooperative and helpful.
7. When will this take place and how?
We will go to the City Council in April, 2006 to begin the process of issuing a bond. Please return the enclosed postcard as soon as possible. We will also canvass house to house in February and March to gather all possible support for our bond petition. Our goal is to celebrate groundbreaking in one year, March 2007.
8. How do I get more information?
You may contact us by email at parkboard@pineviewpark.com
By mail:
Pineview Park Board Association
P. O. Box 9093
Missoula, MT 59807
Download the Letter to the Public
Download Printable Petition in favor of the Improvement Bond
Map of Pineview Park and Improvement Ideas
