Improvements to playground on the agenda

A Whitefish Park Board recommendation to spend $57,600 for new playground equipment at Soroptimist Park will be voted on tonight by the Whitefish City Council.

The neighborhood park south of Waverly Place was donated to the city by Soroptimist International of Whitefish decades ago, and it has been at least 30 years since the playground equipment was installed. The equipment no longer meets industry standards, according to the Parks and Recreation Department.

The parks staff has met with neighbors of Soroptimist Park over the past several months to get input about the kind of equipment desired in the park.

“During this process a renewed excitement of park support has become evident from all those involved in the process,” Parks and Recreation Director Karl Cozad said in his staff report. “It is certainly our hope that with this investment in replacing the play equipment that additional volunteer-driven improvements will be made at Soroptimist Park.”

Resort-tax revenue would pay for the park improvements.

The council has a light agenda tonight.

Bayard Dominick of Steeplechase Advisers will give an update on the high school construction project and budget.

An application from Bevill Limited Partnership for a minor, two-lot subdivision at 463 and 465 Colorado Ave. will be considered.

The council will meet in a closed executive session at 5:30 p.m. to decide whether or not to appeal a recent Flathead District Court ruling that gave planning control of the two-mile “doughnut” area back to Flathead County.

From 6:30 to 7 p.m. the council will review and discuss aspects of a new franchise agreement with Northwestern Energy.

The regular meeting begins at 7:10 p.m.; all session will be held at Whitefish City Hall.