Whitefish parks plan to be unveiled at Farmers Market

The city of Whitefish will roll out the draft of a new Parks and Recreation Master Plan Tuesday night during the downtown Whitefish Farmers Market.

From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. the public can stop by the Parks and Recreation Office, located at Depot Park where the market is held, and review the plan and accompanying maps. Planning consultant Kate McMahon will be there to answer questions.

The public is encouraged to submit feedback at the open house via comment cards. Comments will be forwarded to the Park Board for its consideration in finalizing the draft plan.

A needs assessment for park and recreation facilities was conducted as part of the master planning process. 

While the assessment showed Whitefish generally exceeds national standards for athletic facilities, it also found Whitefish doesn’t meet the level of service per-capita standards for “pocket” or smaller parks and should identify areas where those kind of parks should be considered. 

The Colorado Street/Edgewood Drive area and the area south of Voerman Road were cited as underserved geographic areas for both neighborhood and pocket parks.

Whitefish, like most cities, has ongoing challenges of park maintenance and updating existing facilities, the draft plan said. Inadequate parking is an issue at City Beach and Depot Park and several residential areas don’t have walkable access to parks.

The plan outlines recommendations for park improvements and land acquisitions. It recommends acquiring more land near City Beach Armory Park, both as opportunities for land purchases become available.

Bank stabilization at Riverside Park and improving access sites along the Whitefish River were among a list of other recommendations.