MISSOULA, Mont. – Many of us are all too familiar with looking for a spot where you can enjoy the sun but also find a place to cool down when you need to, and the community has come up with a solution for everyone.
The solution? A custom-made shade canopy, built by Missoula's own Dick Anderson construction apprentices, is to be airlifted into Caras Park.
The executive director of the Downtown Missoula Partnership Linda McCarthy, says this collaboration has been coming long.
“It's a work day for them, and for us, it's kind of like the bow on the gift for Missoula because this marks the completion of our phase 1 improvement and the implementation of the north riverside parks and trails plan,” said McCarthy.
So together, Missoula's Downtown Foundation leveraged $100,000 and donated labor with Anderson Construction.
In a statement, Vice President Allan Frankly says, “Through this collaboration, our apprentice students will get hands-on experience with a unique project, and the community wins with a cool new colorful feature in Caras Park.”
This is a win-win for all our fellow Missoulians as they anticipate busy seasons ahead.
“We do typically about 80 to 100 events per year here in Caras Park. This is Missoula's town square, it draws about half a million people to our downtown community every year, and it's important that we continue to invest in the park,” said McCarthy.
This life-saver will appear each year in the spring and follow us into the fall to cool us down for all those events happening at Caras Park.
