BILLINGS — The Coulson Park master plan is headed for a decision from the Billings City Council at a work session Monday night at 5:30 p.m.
If approved, the city could start construction on phase one as soon as the weather allows.
Phase one of eight in the park renovation includes constructing two new vault toilets, redeveloping the current boat ramp in the park, and stabilization of parts of the riverbank.
The first phase would be paid for in part with $110,000 in grant money paid to the state as part of its settlement with ExxonMobil over the 2011 Silvertip pipeline oil spill in the Yellowstone River near Laurel.
There is also another matching grant that the city could use for phase one, Billings Parks and Recreation Director Michael Whitaker said in February. The grant is worth $250,000 that needs to be matched with another $250,000 in private donations .
Bozeman-based DHM Design has been working with the city to take public feedback and draw up the master plan. Eric Meadows is a senior associate with DHM, and estimated in February that it could be 10 years before the park is fully developed.
Planned Coulson Park features include a park shelter, kids play area, historical markers, pathways and trails, a dirt bicyle track, scenic outlook, day use sites, dog park and amphitheater for musical performances.
The full price for the project is between $13.8 million and $16.3 million.
The Coulson Park master plan lays out a guideline for which features and phases should be constructed first to allow for easier engineering down the road.
Check back on air and at KTVQ.com Monday night for more on the Coulson Park master plan.
