Plans are on hold for Great Falls Public Schools to use a portion of Kranz Park to create about 100 parking spaces.

In March, GFPS officials attended a City Commission work session to ask commissioners to consider allowing the district to use roughly a third of the 2.57 acres of green space at 1605 4th Ave. S.

GFPS officials had requested to come back to the commission on Aug. 7 to further discuss the option, but as of last week, that plan is on hold.

GFPS asks city for portion of Kranz Park to build parking lot

Tammy Lacey, GFPS superintendent, told The Electric, “at this time, the district is focusing on the construction of the Hub and the renovation of the main campus. As that work progresses and the bids/budgets come together, the district intends to again take up conversations regarding the potential of additional off-campus parking at that time.”

The city’s Park and Recreation Department was discussing the option of working with the school district to get a play structure and pavilion installed on the other side of the park.

In April, City Commissioners approved Community Development Block Grants for Kranz Park, including $45,000 for a play structure and $28,000 for a pavilion.

Commission approves CDBG funds for Great Falls park, sidewalks, housing authority

The play structure was ordered and pavilion was delivered last week to Park and Rec, but now the department is figuring out how to get them installed since they had been planning on having GFPS cover installation costs in exchange for a long-term lease of the parkland.

Steve Herrig, Park and Rec director, said that department staff could likely install the play structure, but they’d need to contract out for the pavilion. Herrig said that requires concrete work and the one that was recently installed at West Bank Park was $40,000 for installation.

Herrig said the department would likely apply for additional CDBG funding to complete the installation of the park amenities.

Design Review Board approves Great Falls High plan; stop work order lifted

GFPS has purchased the Campfire building kittycorner to the northeastern corner of the main campus with plans to use the lot for parking. State law allows GFPS to use the property for parking, regardless of the current zoning, but would still need a demolition permit, which city planning staff said has not yet been received.