New facility moving forward at Fairgrounds

Published: 2020
By Jerry Marks

The Rocky Mountain Gardens and Exploration Center is moving forward to become an important part of Missoula County and the Missoula County Fairgrounds. The $15 million dollar project will be the new home for the Missoula County MSU Extension Service & Weed District, the Missoula Conservation District, and the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium. It will be a place to learn about new kinds of fruits and vegetables, how to grow herbs to flavor foods, how to become a master gardener, how to grow native plants that will attract pollinizers, and how to dry, freeze, and can fruits and vegetables. It is a place of science and education, a place of collaboration for working with local people on community projects to make our world a better place, and a place where having connections with the University of Montana, Montana State University, and many other organizations will make this possible. Construction will start in the spring of 2021.