The Great Falls Public Schools board voted unanimously during their Oct. 13 meeting to accept the playground at Lewis and Clark Elementary School.

The project was funded with $153,777 of federal Community Development Block Grant funds allocated by the city and $78,518 raised by the Lewis and Clark Parent Teachers Association for a total of $232,295.

The new inclusive playground was installed and recently completed on the south side of the elementary school and will be open to the public at all times for neighborhood use, including the neighboring Montana School for the Deaf and Blind, according to the city’s staff report for the CDBG funding agreement.

Lewis and Clark Elementary PTA working to improve school playground

City Commissioners approved the CDBG funds in May since the project was eligible for the federal program based on area benefit as the school sits in a low- to moderate-income area as designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is an area with more than 51 percent of residents earning less than 80 percent of area median income.

The project installed an ADA-compliant playground system, including a jungle gym with ramps and slides, swings, poured-in-place surface and engineered wood fiber surfacing.

Sacajawea, Lincoln, Chief Jo install new playground equipment [2024]

The Lewis and Clark PTA spearheaded the improvement of the school playground by selecting modern equipment and fundraised for two years for the project.

In February, the school board voted to move forward with the Lewis and Clark playground improvement project.

Chief Jo making first phase of playground improvements [2024]

The Lewis and Clark PTA reviewed the project with GFPS officials and the Great Falls Public Schools Foundation for approval.

TD&H completed a playground ADA assessment using federal standards.

GFPS, foundation working to update elementary school playgrounds [2024]

Three companies that sell playground equipment were contacted for bids, according to GFPS, and the bid solicitation process didn’t oblige the Lewis and Clark PTA to complete the project, but allowed them to accept bids.

The new playground equipment is estimated at $233,000 and the project will be funded by the Lewis and Clark PTA through fundraisers and individual donations.