MISSOULA — While the City of Missoula closes in on a final plan for Broadway Island, it will close the public park again for an “ecological reset,” according to officials.
The island, owned by the city, is undergoing a planning process that will result in a new riverfront park with the potential for habitat restoration and recreation.
But it's also been occupied by illegal campers and trash has become an issue.
Earlier this year, crews pulled several tons of trash from the seasonal island, hoping to restore the property ahead of the spring runoff.
The island will remain closed, according to Morgan Valliant, associate director of the city's ecological services.
“We weren't able to do much in the way of keeping trash off the island while we were discussing our camping ordinance,” Valliant said. “It took quite an effort to get it cleaned. We're letting the area reset.”
In June, the Missoula City Council adopted an emergency ordinance closing parks, trails and conservation lands to overnight camping. The ordinance was made permanent later in the year, though enforcement has been hit and miss.
Valliant said some campers have already returned to the island despite the recent effort to rid it of trash.
“Keeping that stuff from washing down the river is really important,” he told members of the Missoula Redevelopment Agency last week. “Maintaining vegetation along our river is incredibly important for water quality and health. This time of year, clearing wood for warming fires is something that definitely happens. That was part of the reset as well.”
The city is currently conducting a planning process for the West Broadway River Corridor. It has created three design concepts proposed between the Bitterroot Branch trestle and the California Street Bridge.
Broadway Island is a centerpiece of the plan, which looks to improve fish passage, trail connections, and either rapids or a “roller wave” in the main river channel. Valliant said the city is on track to present a final plan next spring.
“We've been meeting with a lot of the permitting agencies,” he said. “We've come up with three concepts that are largely palatable to a lot of people. We haven't had a red flag really come up yet.”
Valliant said it's likely that the final plan will include elements of all three proposals. Cost estimates haven't been set upon yet, but funding sources would possibly include the Missoula Redevelopment Agency, grants and fundraising.
MRA has already provided funding to help get the project designed.
“We have more than enough to get to the final concept and to get our basis of design report to capture some of the logic that went into developing these concepts,” he said. “We'll be able to get rough estimates. It will get us that adopted master plan.”
