Increasing access: Donation of five acres near popular pond considered

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is considering accepting a donation of 5.39 acres of land at the popular Pine Grove fishing access site along the Whitefish River north of Kalispell.

The agency has prepared a draft environmental assessment to take public comment on the proposed addition, which would provide access to a strip of land averaging about 200 feet wide along nearly 1,800 feet of river.

Jim Vashro, regional fisheries manager, said people visiting Pine Grove Pond were using the strip of land anyway, unaware that it wasn’t part of the fishing access site.

“The land between the fishing access and the river was signed but not fenced and most people didn’t realize that it wasn’t part of the access,” he said. “That property went into foreclosure about a year ago, and back to the Whitefish Credit Union.”

Robin Street, the man who built the five-acre pond and donated a 13-acre parcel to create the fishing access several years ago, came up with the idea of approaching the credit union to see if there was any interest in donating the river-front parcel.

 Bank officials “were skeptical at first, but after seeing pictures of the fishing access and all the families fishing there and after listening to Robin, they agreed to take it to their board of directors,” Vashro said.

One thing they had to consider, he added, is that the river-front strip of land is landlocked, inaccessible without using the fishing access site.

“So it really did make sense to fold that strip into the fishing access,” he said.

Vashro expects the land will be used to access the river with rafts, kayaks and canoes.

“People visiting the fishing access will be able to go over and look at and enjoy the river,” he said. “The river is pretty popular for floating. This is going to make that Whitefish River corridor quite a bit more useable.”

Since Pine Grove Pond opened to the public, it has become quite a draw.

“The amount of use has been incredible down there,” Vashro said, adding that this year, the pond has gotten more than 30,000 visits. It has been a popular destination for the Hooked on Fishing program for fourth-graders and it has been used for women’s fishing clinics.

Expanding the fishing access site will require the approval of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission. The draft environmental assessment is open for public review through Oct. 15 and can be obtained at Fish, Wildlife and Parks headquarters on Meridian Road in Kalispell or at local libraries.