The new playground in Lion's Club Park in Seeley Lake is made of state-of-the-art plastic that is warrantied against weather damage for the next 15 years.
An alternate angle of the new playground in Lion's Club Park in Seeley Lake.
The corner of Cedar Lane and Elm Drive in Seeley Lake is a natural ditch with a shallow pond, which at one time was used as a trash dump.
But it has become a pleasant oasis since the Lion's Club took on the task of making it into a park. Last year they added a state-of-the-art playground and are welcoming the community to a grand opening on June 10.
"About two- almost three years ago now- I started talking to the county about putting the playground in and I had nothing but red tape," said Lion Richard Westin, playground project leader.
Installing a playground isn't as simple as it once was. Everything is subject to safety regulations now, from the type of plastic used to mold the playground features, to the type of wood aggregate used to fill in the ground space.
But even as the specifications mounted and drove the cost up, Westin wasn't deterred from the project.
He reached out to the county for advice. With help from Jackson Lee, a Missoula County Parks & Trails Project Specialist, the Lions were able to take advantage of a fund matching grant from the county.
"We put in $$32,000 and they put in $32,000," Westin said. "They got us a grant and in return we have a contract to maintain the park for 10 years, which we were gonna do anyways."
The Seeley Lake Lions raised money for years to hold up their end of the bargain. A few members who passed away left parts of their estates to help fund the project, and the community donated through various avenues including two raffles which earned $9,000.
"The grant was really important for us to get," Westin said. "And the county really didn't want to send somebody up here to take care of the park. So it worked out for both of us."
The park has been open to the public since early May but Westin wanted to host an official opening for the project and give thanks to everyone who helped make it happen. On Saturday, June 10 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. there will be a free barbeque and picnic event to do just that.
"You wouldn't believe how many people have called or texted me through the Facebook site," Westin said. "It means the world to these folks here so I'm happy to do it."
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