BILLINGS – It’s no secret that the Billings South Park swimming pool is in dire need of repair, and a possible solution is already in the works.
Billings City Council members will discuss expanding the boundaries of the South Billings Boulevard Urban Renewal District at Monday’s work session.
The district is funded by Tax Increment Financing (TIF) money, which is a portion of property taxes and is used to support public projects in blighted areas. Currently, the South Park swimming pool is not included in a TIF district, even though hundreds of children use the pool each summer.
“If it’s going to stay open, it needs a lot of work and help. Especially because it’s used so much by summer camps and families, not just in this area but throughout Billings,” Michelle Harkins, executive director of the Billings Industrial Revitalization District, said Monday.
As director of the East Billings Industrial Revitalization District, another TIF district, Harkins knows exactly what it takes to spark change.
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“I see what change does, and I see the hope for change and the very idea of it, and how it not only increases the number of businesses coming into the area, but also helps improve the number of businesses already there,” Harkins said.
She has overseen significant changes in the East Billings Urban Renewal District (E-BURD), and now some are looking to see if expanding the boundaries of the South Side TIF district can be similarly beneficial.
“The goal is to see what is possible with an expansion through SBURA (South Billings Urban Renewal Association) to include the South Billings Triangle from South First Street to South 27th Street,” said Scott Aspenlieder, Billings City Councilor and District 4, which covers northwest Billings.
By expanding the boundaries of the so-called SBBURD, TIF funds could be used in areas where revitalization is urgently needed.
“As a city, we don’t have a lot of tools. There aren’t a lot of levers we can pull to encourage private investment to revitalize neighborhoods,” Aspenlieder said. “Potentially, it could help us with the South Park Pool and some other infrastructure needs, like water, sewer and stormwater on the south side, which are also high on the list for the city of Billings.”
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Aspenlieder said this could mean more opportunities for Billings businesses on South 27th Street.
“The hope is that by expanding this TIF district, we can add more levers to encourage private investment on this side of our city. God knows it is desperately needed,” Aspenlieder added.
Harkins hopes to see a wealth of opportunities in the future.
“You can see from downtown what SBURA has already done and what we’ve done here: TIF motivates people. It helps the community and enhances the city as a whole,” Harkins said.
