CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story mis-identified Woodland Water Park, Fort Missoula and Caras Park as Montana State Parks. Those parks are administered by Missoula County. We regret the error.
Montana Parks and Recreation is introducing a new strategic plan that will affect places like First Peoples Buffalo Jump, Spring Meadow Lake, and Yellow Bay state parks. The Charting a New Tomorrow Plan focuses on recent financial issues and lack of public involvement.
The Parks and Recreation department is inviting the public to weigh in on the plan this Wednesday at several meetings across the state.
State planner Maren Murphy says this gives new objectives for the future.
"The Charting a New Tomorrow establishes a new direction," says Murphy. "An updated vision for the state parks system and recreation programs through 2020 and the plan focuses on the number of solutions to enhance and mature the park system."
According to the plan, 40 percent more people are visiting state parks than ten years ago, but maintenance and operating costs have gone up too. Parks and Rec held meetings in April that allowed the public to say what they wanted to see in the first draft.
Murphy says these new meetings are a good opportunity to see if the public is pleased with the final draft.
'Whether or not we heard them correctly, whether or not we captured what they wanted to see from what they communicated to us in April, if that is really coming out in the strategic plan," says Murphy. "Its a check-in point after we have produced the draft plan and an opportunity to give us additional input before it goes back to the State Parks and Recreation Board in December."
Montana’s Parks and Recreation Director will speak at the meetings via video link, local park staff will also be on hand.
Additionally, Montana State Parks will be hosting a statewide public meeting on Wednesday, October 29.
For more information and public comment, please follow this link.
The meeting will be from 6:30pm to 8:00pm at the following locations:
• Kalispell – FWP Region 1 - 490 North Meridian Rd
• Missoula – FWP Region 2- 3201 Spurgin Rd
• Bozeman – FWP Region 3 - 1400 South 19th Ave
• Great Falls – FWP Region 4 - 4600 Giant Springs Rd
• Billings – FWP Region 5 - 2300 Lake Elmo Dr
• Glasgow – FWP Region 6 - 54078 US Highway 2 West
• Miles City – FWP Region 7 - 3521 I-94 Business Loop
• Helena – FWP HQ - 1420 E. 6th Ave