Making Boulder’s Future Bright

Published: 2019
By Alison Richardson

The journey to transform the Boulder community with the loss of their major employer continues through the efforts of the citizen Boulder Transition Advisory Committee (BTAC) supported by Extension. These active participants are involved in a handful of committees linked to BTAC including a Montana Developmental Center (MDC) Reutilization Committee, Community Health Committee, Marketing Committee and Boulder Development Fund Board. A community $500,000 legislative appropriation is helping to mitigate the economic impacts from the closure of the Montana Developmental Center and is seeing good progress with implementing several projects with Extension providing assistance and leadership. The Boulder Downtown Master Plan project implementation has successfully started a $100,000 business revolving Loan Fund (RLF), a $50,000 downtown Façade Improvement Program, posting of wayfaring signs, development of a Boulder brand and logo, approval of two gateway signs, city hall expansion project that will provide outdoor restrooms and stage to increase community park activities, new fiber high-speed internet lines, upgrades to the recreation complex, development of a Boulder River recreation trail, and several other projects that are in the development stage.