<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 6, 2020<br>
Local Media & Partners</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">NORTH RIVERSIDE PARKS
& TRAILS PLAN READY FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Since the August 2019 adoption of the new Downtown Missoula
Master Plan, the Missoula community has taken a deeper dive into redevelopment
of the parks and trails along the north side of the Clark Fork River from
Russell Street to Missoula College. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The North Riverside Parks & Trails Plan is now complete
and ready for the final review and adoption process. Located online at <a href="https://www.engagemissoula.com/north-riverside-parks-trails" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">Engage
Missoula</a>, the new vision was created by Dover, Kohl & Partners,
alongside the Downtown Missoula Partnership and Missoula Parks &
Recreation. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Missoulians are encouraged to visit <a href="https://www.engagemissoula.com/north-riverside-parks-trails" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">North
Riverside Parks & Trails on Engage Missoula</a>, view a six-minute video,
review the plan and complete a brief public comment survey by October 26. The Missoula City Council will set a public
hearing for plan adoption in early November. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">More than 2,000 Missoula-area residents participated in the
planning process, which was significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Dover, Kohl & Partners had to move the entire reveal process slated for
April 2020 to a video format on a digital platform due to the economic
shutdown. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“It was really impressive how Jason King, Xu Zhang and the
team at Dover, Kohl & Partners pivoted this planning process to keep our
community members engaged,” said Linda McCarthy, Executive Director of the
Downtown Missoula Partnership. “The virtual public reveal last May generated a
lot of online engagement through video views and surveys. Missoulians like the
plan, and it’s ready for adoption.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Much like the overall Downtown Master Plan, the North
Riverside Parks & Trails Plan is focused on Five Big Ideas: </p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Enhance Ecological Functions, Improve Views and Access
to the River</p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Improve Gateways & Circulation</p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Parks for Everyone and for All Seasons</p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Support Existing Uses and Design
Multi-Functional Spaces</p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Update Materials, Elements and Landscaping</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The planning area focuses intensely on Caras Park, East
Caras Park and Bess Reed Park, but also includes Kiwanis Park nearly the
Madison Street Bridge and Downtown Lions Park near the California Street
Bridge. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The goals of the plan are to enhance and improve the
riverfront area with multi-use spaces, year-round activities, improved access
to trail connections and the waterfront, improved gateways and connections for
all Missoulians and visitors. Recommendations for Caras Park include improved
seating and pavers, play spaces under the Higgins Bridge, an ice ribbon for winter
skating and summer boarding, new restrooms and more. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The design team will compile public comments for the City
Council and integrate citizen feedback into the plan where possible. For more
information on the North Riverside Parks & Trails Plan, contact Missoula
Parks and Recreation Parks and Trails Design Development Specialist Nathan
McLeod via email (<a href="mailto:mcleodn@ci.missoula.mt.us" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">mcleodn@ci.missoula.mt.us</a>). </p></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b><br></b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b><br></b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b>Bram Moore</b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><b><span style="font-size:13px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif">Operations Coordinator</font></span></b></p><p style="font-size:13px;margin:0px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif">Downtown Missoula Partnership </font></p><p style="font-size:13px;margin:0px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif">218 E Main | Missoula, MT </font></p><p style="font-size:13px;margin:0px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><a value="+14065434238" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">406.543.4238 | </a><a href="http://www.missouladowntown.com/" title="http://www.missouladowntown.com/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">missouladowntown.com</a></font></p><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>