Trailer court targeted for demolition

Big Mountain Trailer Court in Whitefish will be razed to make way for rental cabins if the City Council approves a development planned by builder Tom LaChance.

The Whitefish City-County Planning Board recently approved a planned-unit development for Swift Creek Cabins, which includes 28 cabins, three staff apartments and a restaurant on 4.4 acres off Wisconsin Avenue across from Alpine Village Market.

The project goes before the council on March 7.

LaChance, who bought the trailer court and adjoining car wash last year, is giving the remaining tenants a couple of different options, planner Eric Mulcahy said. Tenants have been offered a rent-to-own program that allows them to apply rent payments to the purchase price of their trailer. They've also been offered interest-free loans to purchase their trailer.

Trailer-court residents will be given sufficient time to vacate, Mulcahy said, but he's not sure when construction would begin on the cabins. Many of the 40 trailer rentals are run down and have been left vacant as tenants have moved out. The aging trailer court has been a haven for seasonal employees through the years.

Big Mountain Car Wash will be replaced with a cafe-style restaurant.

"It's an attractive project," planning-board chairman Nick Palmer said.