As the City of Billings continues to grow, so does the need for parks, trails and open space for recreation, community events, relaxation and organized sports. Billings Parks Department is committed to developing new parks and improving existing park amenities to provide even better facilities for our thriving, outdoor oriented community. Under the projects menu to the left, click to learn more about the current projects we are working on.
Staff is currently working on the first phase of development at Coulson Park. This work will include the location of an ADA-accessible modular concrete restroom structure, a boat ramp, parking, and a picnic area. Plans and specifications are complete and as soon as we receive the final permit from the Army Corps of Engineers we can put this project out for bids. The project budget is $110,000.
Cottonwood Park is a 39-acre community park located on the West End that was donated to the City by Don and Betsey Forbes in 2003. As the community grows west, the need for a community park in that area has increased significantly. Land Design Inc. has been hired as a consultant to develop a master plan for this park. They will identify the needs of the community and provide guidance as the park is developed.
Here is the latest conceptual plan, presented in September 2023 at a public meeting. The next step will be Parks Board approval.
The Castle Rock Master Plan was completed and adopted by the Council in January of 2021. Design of the play pod is finished and will go out for bid in July. Staff is now turning their attention to the playground equipment. Working with the Heights Task Force, several concepts will be developed for the playground and will be showcased online for citizens to view and vote for their favorite play features. Look for these concepts this summer. The goal is to have the playground completed this coming fall/winter. The budget for this project is $400,000.
A new picnic shelter was installed at Optimist Park in the fall of 2022. The shelter is located on the west end of the existing bathrooms. The South Billings Urban Renewal Association (SBURA) partnered with the Parks and Recreation Department to fund this project.
The Castle Rock Master Plan was developed in 2020 and adopted by City Council in January 2021. Castle Rock Park is the largest park in the growing Heights neighborhood, attracting people from all over Billings. This 25-acre park in the Billings Heights currently has large, open playing fields, tennis courts, a splash pad, and a pond, with much opportunity to expand. The Park was originally built in 1982 but was only partially finished. The updated master plan for Castle Rock Park will be like a road map for adding new amenities and features, as well as improving what’s already in the park. An updated master plan would better suit the needs of both today’s Heights neighborhood and the greater Billings community.
Castle Rock Master Plan Website
During the process of updating the Castle Rock Masterplan, there was a website setup for the public to learn more about Castle Rock Park, provide input, or stay up to date on the Master Plan project. If you would like to view the website, click on the link to the right go to the Castle Rock Master Plan Website! During the Master Planning Process, public input was sought to gauge interest in new park amenities and improvements. Castle Rock Park contains both developed and undeveloped areas.
The updated master plan it is available for review HERE.
The Parks and Recreation Department hosted a voting contest to help choose the playground design that was installed at Rose Park. The Rose Park Playground is a destination playground that is proving to be one of the favorites in town! The winning designs that were selected by the community members of Billings were installed beginning the Winter of 2020 and completed in the late spring of 2021. A portion of the project was funded using a Land Water Conservation Fund grant awarded by the State.
The Billings Parks and Recreation Department has completed construction to develop the first phase of the Centennial Park master plan. This was the first “Community Park” developed since 1982 when the department developed Castle Rock Park in the Heights. A “Community Park” is larger than a neighborhood park and generally range from 10+ to 100 acres depending on the community. Community Parks serve a larger area, a radius of one to three miles, and contain more recreation amenities than a Neighborhood Park. City Council approved spending of $2.46million dollars to complete the first phase of development Centennial Park, which is around 23 acres. Phase one included the complete grading of the site, installation of interior sidewalks, installation an automated irrigation system, and hydro seeding the open spaces. The project also included finishing construction of the Parking lot on East side of the park (accessible from 32nd street) and installation of a restroom facility.
The Friends of Billings Dog Parks Inc. donated $80,000 to the project for the completion of the fencing surrounding an off leash dog park area and two doggie water fountains. The Department is also planning to use the development of Centennial Park as an opportunity to create an Arboretum, a place where a variety of less commonly used trees are cultivate for scientific, educational, and ornamental purposes. The completion of this project will provide two large multi-purpose open space areas that can be used for sports, community gatherings and other family activities.
The grand opening celebration took place on June 5th and included dog demonstrations, food trucks, live music, an inflatable obstacle course and slide, games, and more! The event began at noon with a ribbon-cutting ceremony signifying the official opening, followed by festivities for the whole family. This event was made possible by the members of the Centennial Park grand opening planning committee and our generous event sponsors, Century 21 Hometown Brokers, Mayor Bill and Anne Cole, SCHEELS, Faith E Church, Dee-O-Gee, Little Horn State Bank, and Gordon and Robin Olson.
The Parks and Recreation Department and the Landon’s Legacy Foundation collaborated on the first phase of Poly Vista Park. This included important park infrastructure improvements, laying the groundwork for accessible park features, paving parking areas, installing accessible walkways, an ADA-accessible restroom , and replacement of the irrigation system for the existing ballfields.
Most notably, Phase 1 included the installation of Billings’ first Miracle League Baseball Field, a special-needs baseball field built with custom-designed rubberized turf that accommodates wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment! Landon’s Miracle Field will provide significant opportunities for individuals who experience physical or mental disabilities that exclude them from other athletic activities.
Landon’s Miracle Field opened for its inaugural season in the Fall of 2022.
Terry Park is a neighborhood park located near 5th Street West and Terry Avenue. This park is very popular, especially in the summer time, because of the splash pad and playground. Improvements to Terry Park were completed in the Spring of 2022.
The citizens of Billings were able to help choose the new playground equipment through a voting contest held on Facebook. Over 1,200 votes were cast with 84% choosing the winning concept as their preferred playground design! The new playground includes features that are accessible and inclusive, so that children of all abilities can play side-by-side with their friends.
The shelter is available for reservation on the Billings Park and Recreation website, Billingsparks.org, or on a first-come-first-serve basis. The funds used to purchase and install the shelter were generated from of a cell phone company purchasing the right to install a tower at the fire station near the park.
New Playground ConstructionWinning playground concept to be installed at Terry Park
