MISSOULA — Missoula celebrated the first year of new public access points along the Clark Fork River Friday, capping a decade of work to reconnect downtown parks to the water.
Four of the six new access points were featured on a tour during the celebration, which also included ice cream and a visit from the mayor. All six points are located within about three-quarters of a mile of each other along the Clark Fork.
The city's project was designed to give the public a direct, safe path to the water while reducing environmental damage caused by informal, user-made trails along the banks.
Chris Roholt, a river recreator who was relaxing with his wife at one of the access points, said the changes have been significant.
"I think what they've done along the river here recently is remarkable."
"I was able to relax here 40 years ago." Roholt reflected on how different river access used to be. "You generally had to kind of beat your way down through the brush to the bank."
McKenna Flannigan, the River Ambassador coordinator, said undesignated access points have long been a threat to water quality.
"We see a ton of excess sediment enter the river and damage the water quality as a result of people getting in and out of the river in non-designated places and creating these little social trails that you see throughout this urban corridor. So as much as people can, if they can use these durable access sites, that really helps preserve water quality."
Morgan Valliant with the City of Missoula Parks and Recreation department said the restoration effort has been substantial.
"We've shut down and restored about 60 individual user-made access points and stabilized and rehabilitated over 600 linear feet of eroding bank."
Community volunteer Kent Watson said the new access points also address a safety concern.
"This bank was just scalloped with all kinds of multiple access points that people would randomly use and erode the bank in the process and endanger themselves getting out of the river and so to have those access points really makes a difference."
With summer winding down, Missoulians still have time to take advantage of the river additions.
Roholt was already making the most of the access points, as he stayed cool and looked out at the water.
"I had some ice cream, and now I'm relaxing and then I'm gonna saunter back and get my bicycle and ride home."
