I read an article online regarding the city commissioners approving the planned dog park here in Great Falls.
This is a great move for Great Falls, in my opinion. I hope the Animal Foundation is able to complete the project quickly and still include the conveniences many other dog parks across the state have.
You can read the article here.
My wife and I were driving down River tonight and saw the walking bridge (or whatever it is supposed to be some day) all lit up from the bottom. We were incredibly impressed — it looked very cool.
I think it would be neat if the city did this to the other bridges at night. It doesn’t necessarily have to be as bright as it is with that bridge. I just think it brings a cool look to the river at night.
If you haven’t seen it, go take a look!
A comment on another blog got me thinking about a topic that my wife and I have discussed on many occasions. It has to do with a dog park in Great Falls (or lack thereof).
Technically, there is one. Happy Tails boarding allows you to use their fenced area after hours to allow your dog(s) to run around.
However, I’d like to see a larger area used as a dog park. I think this is a big failing of Great Falls. My wife and I have used dog parks in other towns on quite a few occasions.
They are a good idea for many reasons. One, it allows a city to have a controlled place that owners can let their dogs run free. They can do it here instead of over at the local playground or ball fields. Also, it is good for owners because they can let their dogs run around and work off energy. It is also a great socialization tool for the dogs (a well socialized dog is good for everyone).
Usually dog parks have two separate areas (one for larger dogs and one for smaller dogs). They usually have a couple of benches and trash cans. I’ve also seen where they have water bowls of sorts that allow the dogs to get water. That would have to be shut off for the winter, of course.
Once a dog park is set up, there really isn’t much maintenance. You have to have someone come and mow the grass and take out the trash. That’s about it. I think it would be a great addition to Great Falls.
So I was thinking some more about Great Falls the other day. Specifically, I was thinking about the river (I’m sure you’ve noticed it). There are a couple of things about a river running through town that I think are important and should be present. One is an environmental/recreation approach. Another is a commercial approach (not commercial as in a dam, though). Hopefully I can explain myself shortly.
The first and most important (in my opinion) is the environmental care that a town should show toward a river. I think Great Falls does an acceptable job here. If there are pollutant issues, I’m not aware of it. Didn’t a study get commissioned based on some Malmstrom runoff? Stuff like that should definitely get sorted out.
Another aspect is the recreational aspect. This includes boating on the water and recreation along the shores. Again, I think Great Falls does a good job here, too. I know there are plenty of people who like to put their boats in the water, ski, fish, etc. Also, the River’s Edge Trail is a good recreational tool for the river. My wife and I enjoy walking/biking/running (not all at the same time, of course) along the river. The more work that can be done on this trail to maintain it and improve it the better.
The last aspect I think is important is the commercial one. Like I said before, I’m not talking about energy-type commercial. I’m thinking of a river district of sorts — shops, restaurants, etc. I think this is where Great Falls is missing out. We kind of have the beginnings of a nice entertainment area in the form of Applebee’s, Mackenzie River, and the La Quinta. I think it would be nice to expand this area, if possible. It doesn’t even have to be on the same side of the river. There are many other towns that use rivers like ours to their advantage. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a little district with some nice shops and restaurants to go spend time at?
I’m definitely not saying we should do this all along the river — I don’t want to ruin the natural look. However, I think Great Falls should explore the idea of creating a commercial (retail) area where people can go to shop, eat, spend time, etc. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know if this would work in Great Falls or if the local economy would even support it. It’s just a thought I had the other day.
What are your thoughts?