By Michael Howell
Steve Powell passed away in 2013. There are many reasons and many ways to remember the man. A lot of people must have encountered him professionally over the years and remember him as a surveyor. Others may only have known the musician who played for many years with the well-known band, the Big Sky Mudflaps. Some may only have known him as a Ravalli County Commissioner.
But there is at least one more way to remember the man, that is as the nature lover and conservationist who became one of the founders of the Bitter Root Land Trust. He was honored for his passion and commitment in this regard by the dedication of Hamilton’s newest riverside park in his name. Henceforth to be known as Steve Powell Park. Over 200 people attended the dedication ceremony held at the park on Wednesday, April 22.
The twenty-two acre parcel of land bordering the Bitterroot River just north of the Hamilton Main Street bridge has always been open to public use, even though it was privately owned. The Taber family, who owned the property, had a vision of allowing public use in perpetuity. Powell worked with the family for years to craft a solution. It involved the Bitter Root Land Trust purchasing the property and turning it over to the City of Hamilton to be maintained as a public park. To swing the deal took a great cooperative effort in which Powell was instrumental in laying the groundwork. The money to make the purchase was raised through a combination of private donations from the community, grants and funding from the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program.
The Bitter Root Land Trust is generally involved in placing conservation easements on private land. To develop such a plan to place an easement on property that is owned by the public is fairly unique. But Powell recognized the value of this opportunity and found the community and municipal government support to make it a reality.
Gavin Ricklefs, the current Executive Director of the Bitter Root Land Trust, hosted the gathering and presented a plaque to Hamilton Mayor Jerry Steele and a work of art to Powell’s widow, Maureen. Powell’s nephew, Brian Simpson, also spoke.
Informational stations about the various attributes of the park were hosted by the Bitter Root Water Forum, Bitterroot Audubon and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The park conatins wetlands, river frontage and a trail.