SMART and EPEDC secure funding for development in downtown Baker



 

 

Downtown Baker will have two new additions coming soon! In November SMART and EPEDC teamed up to apply for two different tourism grants through the Montana Department of Commerce. This March they learned that downtown Baker will be awarded over $125,000 for both of their upcoming projects: Baker Visitor’s Center and The World’s Best Pocket Park. The Visitor’s Center will be in the old Baker State Building, where accountant James J. Wosepka’s office used to be located. The World’s Best Pocket Park will be between Junction 39 and Prairie Rose Classics.

A pocket park, something Beth Epley of EPEDC has been hoping to see in Baker for some time, is a small park in an urban location. They add green space to urban areas where there may not otherwise be any, create downtown foot traffic which can contribute to an increase in downtown spending, and they promote physical activity and time spent outside.

“I thought pocket parks were such a great idea to add green space and life to downtown,” explained Beth. “Especially looking at Baker’s downtown. We don’t have a lot of trees or a lot of greenery.” Other things they plan to include in the park include a stage for community events and performances, turf so that will be easy to maintain but still resilient enough to withstand the Montana weather, seating, and a bit of sound proofing to decrease truck and traffic noise.

“It’s been a dream of mine since I learned about it,” added Epley.

The visitor’s center will act as a tourism hub for Fallon County, and ideally Southeast Montana as a whole. “We want it to really be a spot that represents all of Southeast Montana.

When it comes to tourism, Southeast Montana is its own thing,” explained Vaughn Zenko of SMART. Recently the state has placed a lot of focus on Southeast Montana tourism and, with all that Fallon County has to offer, a visitor’s center will help to make sure Fallon County has its spot in the area’s tourism industry. “I don’t want Fallon County to be the place you just drive through.”

“I travel all over the place for sports and for what I do. I always enjoy visitor’s centers. They’re always one of the first places I stop,” added Vaughn. “There’s so much that Fallon County has to offer that we don’t talk about, and visitors don’t actually know anything about.” They hope to use the center to promote local businesses, teach visitors about Southeast Montana and what makes it great, and offer an interesting, immersive, and unique experience.

People can expect to find a variety of things there including some informational computer kiosks, artwork, information about the fun things to do in Fallon County, and local goods. “We’re working with Melissa at the museum to get some traveling exhibits,” said Zenko.

Everyone involved is excited to get started. As soon as contractors are secured, construction will begin on both projects. They plan to have the pocket park finished by August. They would like to have the visitor’s center finished by August as well, but with the current state of the construction industry, they are anticipating keeping their deadline a little more flexible.

“The work that Beth did helping with this has been incredible,” Vaughn said. “We wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of Beth. When we say that this has been a team effort, it really was.”

“I think between SMART, EMEDA, and EPEDC we have tried to make sure that we bring in as much funding and have access to all of these resources that maybe weren’t available before,” said Beth. “SMART as a partner has been great.”

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