Missoula’s Open Space Program: Making Missoula a Better Place Open Space Over Time • 1980- $500,000 City Open Space Bond • 1981- Open Space Advisory Committee forms to recommend bond acquisitions • Kim Willams trail (former Milwaukee RR) & 125 acres on Mt. Jumbo purchased & 501 acres on face of Mt. Sentinel protected with a conservation easement 1 Open Space Over Time Contd. • 1993- $16,000 Open Space planning pilot project, and City Open Space planning position funded • 1995- Missoula Urban Area Open Space Plan adopted by both City & County • 1995- $5 Million City Open Space Bond passed by City voters KEY: Protected Areas Potential Cornerstones Existing and Potential Cornerstones: As of 1995 2 Open Space Bond Priorities • Mount Jumbo • Mount Sentinel • Fort Missoula • South Hills • North Hills • Clark Fork & Bitterroot River Corridors • Recreational playing fields • Community trails Cornerstone: Mount Jumbo $2 million 1,465 acres 1995-96 3 4 5 Cornerstone: Mt. Sentinel Cox Property $175,000 473 acres April, 2000 6 Mt. Sentinel Backside • 474 Acres $100,000 in P/S with FVLT, FS, & TPL 2002 Conservation Lands: Mt. Sentinel Cox Property 7 Cornerstone: North Hills $580,000 467 acres October, 1996 8 Waterworks Hill (North Hills) 467 Acres $580,000 Randolph Homestead 9 10 Cornerstone: Schilling Property (adjoining the Randolph North Hills Property) $7,000 120 acres December, 1997 11 Agricultural Lands MASTEL FARM – GRASS VALLEY 343 acres - $90,000 contribution towards conservation easement 12 13 Clark Fork River Corridor Tower Street Conservation Area 14 15 Spring Clean-up Day Parks: Fort Missoula 16 Cornerstone: Fort Missoula $700,000 97 acres August, 1998 17 The Open Space Bond Supports Missoula’s Trails • Bitterroot Branch- McCormick Park to Southgate Mall • Kim Williams Trail- extension to Bonner • Milwaukee Railroad Trail - McCormick Park to Mullan Road Bicycle Commuter Network $435,000 1996 - present 18 19 20 Bandmann Flats Mount Dean Stone- 1998 21 Mount Dean Stone- today 22 23 24 Eastern South Hills 25 South Hills – Mt Dean Stone North Hills from Hillview Way 26 North Hills from McCormick Park North Hills from Benson Farms 27 North Hills viewed from Mt. Jumbo North Hills viewed from Grant Creek 28 N. Hills between Grant Crk & Bulter Crk 29 N. Hills between Butler Crk & Wye 30 31 The “Big Hill” as viewed from Lolo 32 The “Big Hill” from Upper Miller Crk 33 34.