Swan River Community Hall seeks funding to repair floor

The Swan River Community Hall has served as an anchor for the people of the greater Bigfork area for 87 years. Inside its walls countless events have transpired — from weddings and reunions to rummage sales and 4-H meetings. But this gabled icon is beginning to show its age. Last year, members of the hall’s Board of Trustees identified serious structural issues with the building: its wooden floor joists are rotting away. So what now? Does this historic structure fade away with time or will the community, once again, buoy it onward to serve the next generation?

In mid-March the Board of Trustees hired a crew to remove a portion of the floor so they could get a better look at the issue. Thanks to the improved visibility, they were able to assess the damage and found that an estimated 85% of the joist ends were either completely or partially rotted out. When the building was constructed in 1933, builders didn’t use treated wood and the cement foundation acted like “a wick for moisture,” Stewart said.

They hired an engineer with DCI Engineers of Missoula to investigate further, who only confirmed what they’d already observed — the joists needed to be replaced.

During this evaluation process, they also noticed that the walls were completely lacking insulation and additionally recognized that their 40-plus-year-old heater was due to be replaced.

To complete these repairs, the trustees are seeking donations totaling $26,200. The community hall has $15,000 in its septic reserve fund to cover the cost of floor repairs and insulation, but would need to refill that fund to prepare for a potential septic system failure.

The community rallied around the hall after a 1976 fire, donating supplies and labor to help bring it back to par. Trustee Bill Stewart hopes they can answer that call once again.

“If the community doesn’t respond, what that will tell us is they no longer want to see it going,” Stewart told the Eagle. “We’re going to need some money to do this.”

The community hall was designed to be a resource for everyone. To that end, the trustees have endeavored to keep rental fees low. To use the hall for an entire day is just $60, plus a cleaning deposit, while a half day rental would run $30.

“We try to keep it affordable,” he said. “It’s something that the community uses.”

The hall is a nonprofit organization, so any donations made would be tax deductible. Checks can be made payable to the Swan River Community Hall and sent to First Interstate Bank, P.O. Box 308, Bigfork, MT 59911 with Attention: Nancy Fratt.

Those with questions about donations can call Gary Wilson at 837-2674. For more information about the renovation project, contact Bill Stewart at 837-5091. ¦