The Four Seasons Arena is a multi-purpose indoor sports and exhibition arena located in the city of Great Falls, Montana , in the United States . Constructed in 1979, it served primarily as an ice rink until 2005. The failure of the practice rink's refrigeration system in 2003 and the management's decision to close the main rink in 2006 led to the facility's reconfiguration as an indoor sports and exhibition space. In November 2018, the Cascade County Commission, in conjunction with the Great Falls TIBD, and the Great Falls Lodging Association began to develop a plan to replace the arena. At a cost of 86 million dollars, the proposed arena will seat between 10,000 and 12,000 people. The bond is expected to go before voters in November 2019. As of May 2011 it is the largest exhibition, music, and sports venue in the city.
137-464: Prior to the construction of the Four Seasons Arena, the city of Great Falls had no large indoor sports arena. The gymnasium at Great Falls High School , built in 1930, sat about 1,200 on wooden benches in an area designed for use primarily as a basketball court. The Great Falls Civic Center , built in 1939, contained an ice rink but no other sports facilities. The College of Great Falls built
274-621: A mechanical bull used for riding and roping training, was also placed in Side 2. In January 2005, SMG announced it would provide ice in the main rink only in September and October. Although this was later expanded to include November, blocks of ice-time were so discontinuous that no hockey or figure skating events were scheduled for Four Seasons Arena that year. When the All-American Professional Basketball League announced it
411-564: A classroom, a concessions area, and an urgent care area. The second story would contain space which would leased by Mountain View Physical Therapy (a for-profit health care provider). The second phase of the project would be a 150,000-square-foot (14,000 m) multi-purpose arena capable of seating 6,000 and hosting a full-size football field (reconfigurable for rodeos and soccer). The plan also envisions two outdoor practice soccer fields, an outdoor practice softball/baseball field, and
548-678: A district tournament, sending two or four winners (depending on the number of schools in the district) to the divisional tournament. Each division holds a divisional tournament, sending two teams to the state tourney. Great Falls is located geographically in the Class C Northern Division. Four Seasons Arena hosted the Class C state boys' basketball tournament in 1999. In 2005, it hosted the first-ever combined Northern Division Class C boys' basketball tournament in Montana history (in which all four Northern Division district tourneys were held simultaneously). It hosted
685-677: A favorable reception from Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer (although no funds were allocated or appropriate yet). The Internal Revenue Service approved Mountain View Sports Complex's application for nonprofit status in early June 2011. The arena housed the Great Falls Americans of the Western Hockey League during that professional team's only season (1979). The team folded in mid-season in December 1979. From 1979 to 2003,
822-523: A federal grant to pay for the majority of the cost of constructing the facility. St. Jermain lost reelection in November 1978. The Four Seasons Arena was built in 1979 on the grounds of the Montana State Fairgrounds (now known as Montana ExpoPark ). Because it was built primarily with the federal grant and few other funds, the arena was half the size initially proposed. Indeed, Four Seasons Arena
959-450: A gesture of good faith, Great Falls city commissioners said they had spent $ 6,000 to study the ice rink covering issue and $ 2,000 on a handicapped-accessibility study, and had agreed to spend $ 200,000 to purchase the ice rink covering. The purchased was designed to meet the needs of local youth hockey organizations, which in 2002 were the arena's largest tenant (paying $ 65,000 in fees in 2002 and an anticipated $ 85,000 in fees in 2003). But it
1096-628: A half-credit of computer literacy, and one credit of "sequential concentration" (e.g., an additional credit of either career/technical studies or fine arts, or two years of the same foreign language). Only 1.5 credits are left as electives for the student to choose on their own. Credits are offered by 12 departments, which include art, business, drama, English, family and consumer services, foreign (world) language, health enhancement and physical education, industrial technology, mathematics, music, science, and social studies. GFHS also offers Advanced Placement courses, special college-level courses approved by
1233-475: A hardwood basketball court surrounded by mezzanine seating that could accommodate 1,200 people. The stadium was named Memorial Stadium to honor those who fought and served in World War I. It featured concrete bleachers on the east side, clad in dark brick on their western face. A 256 square feet (23.8 m ) two-story brick building (which contained a meeting room for the home team during pre-game and half-time on
1370-566: A herd of sheep was driven around the structure 100 times. Wood for the interior supports, roof, and steps were cut from massive trees logged in the Rocky Mountains and floated down the Missouri River. The finished building featured a tin mansard roof (molded and painted to look like tile ), gables , and an attic suspended from the roof joists. The interior woodwork was solid oak , all rooms had 3-foot (0.91 m) high wainscoting ,
1507-430: A main fiber optic line in the main building, with a peripheral line to each classroom; and construction of a reliable and high-speed wireless system throughout the campus. The proposal also included $ 16.57 million in new construction at Great Falls High, including construction of a "Hub" building containing career and technical education (CTE) classrooms; eight science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classrooms;
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#17328589016561644-413: A major issue confronting Four Seasons Arena. The cost of running an average four-day basketball tournament was about $ 16,000, and the arena lost about $ 3,000 per tournament. But basketball tournaments generated more than $ 1 million in additional spending to the city, far more than the revenues generated by ice hockey and more than enough to cover the losses on the tournament. Permanently losing some or all of
1781-853: A modern and expanded cafeteria and dining space; an informal social and gathering space for students; two new main entrances to the school (replacing the existing main building and fieldhouse entrances). The 68,000 square feet (6,300 m ) Hub would also act as a bridging structure, connecting the main building, existing industrial arts annex, fieldhouse, and South Campus so that students would no longer need to go outdoors to move from one facility to another. It would also make access to all four building much easier for students with physical disabilities. Another $ 705,000 would be spent replacing sod at Memorial Stadium with artificial turf, to allow more use and generate more revenue as well as to cut down substantially on maintenance costs. The running track would also be resurfaced. Another $ 250,000 would be spent upgrading
1918-513: A new $ 40 million 6,000-seat indoor sports arena south of the city. The first phase of the project would be a two-story, 86,300-square-foot (8,020 m) training facility that would include two side-by-side indoor soccer fields (configurable as an indoor softball field) with retractable seating for 500, a hardwood indoor basketball/volleyball court with mezzanine seating for 240, a wrestling area with three full-size mats and seating for 240, an indoor 40-metre (130 ft) sprint track, two locker rooms,
2055-442: A new floor covering for the main ice rink that would reduce the lead-time for transformation of the main arena to just four hours. But this proposal was not acted on. Instead, city managers said the most urgent needs at Four Seasons involved wooded dashers (waist-high walls) around the rink, a new cover for the ice (to keep it cold when not in use), portable bleachers to expand seating, upgrading and replacement of power lines and poles,
2192-489: A new scoreboard, and improvements to make the facility comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act . The city's management agreement came to an end in 2003. City managers argued that they should be allowed to renew the contract. The city proposed using its own funds to renovate the arena, and to begin the process of planning for a new, greatly expanded multi-purpose convention center and sports arena. As
2329-501: A number of Class C basketball tourneys. In Montana, Class C athletics have a complex structure due to the large number of schools and the extensive geographic distances involved. Class C play is organized into divisions, with each division having two or more districts: Eastern Division (districts 2 and 3), Southern Division (districts 4 and 6), Northern Division (districts 7, 8, 9, and 10), and Western Division (districts 11/12, 13, and 14). Each district (which contains six to 11 schools) holds
2466-477: A public fistfight in a local bank parking lot. With just a month to go before the opening of school, the Great Falls Public Schools asked retired principal Gary Davis to take over as "interim principal" for a year while a national search for a new principal was made. Davis agreed. The rapid succession of principals was "destabilizing" the high school, the local press said. In 2002, Dr. Fred Anderson
2603-480: A significant improvement in 2011, when the dropout rate was just 5.2 percent (no longer the highest in the state). For most of its early decades, GFHS taught courses to students in grades 9 through 12. However, with the adoption of the junior high school in Great Falls in the 1920s, the high school taught only grades 10 through 12. In the mid-1980s, the school district adopted the middle school model, and 9th grade
2740-503: A small hotel (to be built by another, future investor). The architect for the project is L'Heureux Page Werner. Organizers said they had already secured a 19-acre (7.7 ha) site two blocks south of the Montana State University College of Technology – Great Falls , and intended to begin construction on the $ 10 million "phase one" building in the summer of 2011. In April 2011, the backers of the proposed facility received
2877-469: A speech about conservation by President John F. Kennedy. School district policy and Great Falls High School require that students complete 23 credits for coursework to graduate. This includes four credits of English, three credits of social studies, three credits of mathematics, three credits of science, two credits of "health enhancement" (physical education and general health education), one credit of career or technical education, one credit of fine arts,
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#17328589016563014-521: A student is granted college credit for courses taken at the high school. There is a cost (borne by the student) for taking a course and having the credit apply as "dual credit," although this cost is less than if the student were enrolled solely at the college. Universities offering "dual credit" courses include Montana State University College of Technology – Great Falls , Montana Tech of the University of Montana , Montana State University – Northern , and
3151-412: A vision for the city of Great Falls. Out of this year-long process came the request for the city to construct a large, multi-purpose, indoor sports arena. Great Falls City Commissioner John St. Jermain championed the effort to build an arena, and fought for a ballot initiative in 1977 that would have used city tax dollars to build it. But voters rejected the proposal. St. Jermain then sought and won in 1978
3288-489: A year (about $ 4,000 less than the 2002 contract), and included a payment of 15% of operating revenues of all income over $ 2.5 million. SMG also received 7.5% of all concessions sales (down from 10% in the old contract). Cascade County also agreed to subsidize the fairgrounds and Four Seasons Arena by $ 750,000 a year, and pay the wages of all SMG employees operating the facilities. But in 2009, Cascade County declined to renew SMG's contract, concluding it had learned enough to manage
3425-435: Is a rectangular space 141 by 222 feet (43 by 68 m), for a total area of 33,000 square feet (3,100 m). The Side 2 room is a rectangular space 80 by 222 feet (24 by 68 m), for a total area of 17,000 square feet (1,600 m). In both rooms, clearance is 28 feet (8.5 m). The arena has nine dressing rooms with showers, several hospitality/service rooms, and an office (available for client use). The Exhibition Hall
3562-399: Is a rectangular space 220 by 80 feet (67 by 24 m), for a total area of 15,000 square feet (1,400 m). It is at a right-angle to the arena itself, and is connected to it by a hallway, dressing rooms, offices, and restroom facilities. With offices, restrooms, and other space, the Four Seasons Arena has a total of 53,000 square feet (4,900 m). The wall between the main room and Side 2
3699-484: Is about 150 feet (46 m) wide and 50 feet (15 m) long. On the south end of the main building is a classroom wing about 175 feet (53 m) on each side. An L-shaped addition housing music classrooms hugs half the eastern side of this wing, as well as the entire south side of the wing. To the west of the square south classroom wing is the industrial arts annex, an east–west-running building about 115 feet (35 m) long and 135 feet (41 m) wide. The main campus
3836-428: Is also held at Four Seasons. The farm and ranch trade show draws exhibitors and attendees from Montana, Idaho , North Dakota , Oregon , South Dakota , Washington , Wyoming , and Canada , and is Montana's largest trade show. It began holding its annual event in the arena in 2000, and as of 2011 has held it there every year since (with the exception of 2006). In 2000, the arena hosted the first-ever joint meeting of
3973-406: Is bounded by 2nd Avenue South on the north, 20th Street South on the east, 4th Avenue South on the south, and 18th Street South on the west. Memorial Stadium backs directly against 18th Street, which has been blocked off to vehicular traffic since at least the mid-1970s. 20th Street South was blocked off between 4th and 2nd Streets South in 1978, and now is used as a maintenance vehicle access road for
4110-410: Is named for city backer James J. Hill, and in the first three decades of the 20th century had the numbers "57" on it—an advertising gimmick for Heinz 57 food products.) In December 2009, First Interstate Bancorp donated a life-size, iron buffalo sculpture (titled "Rolling Thunder") to Great Falls High School. The sculpture had previously been on display at the bank's downtown Great Falls branch, but
4247-593: Is now on the National Register of Historic Places . GFHS began construction on its current building in 1929 and occupied it in the fall of 1930. The high school marked its 80th year in the structure during the 2010–2011 school year. The school's current building, constructed in 1930, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 2013. Great Falls was founded in 1883. Businessman Paris Gibson surveyed
Four Seasons Arena - Misplaced Pages Continue
4384-401: Is often removed to achieve a larger space. Four Seasons has permanent banks of bleachers in front of the east and west walls, and in a balcony above the north wall. The permanent configuration leaves about 25 feet (7.6 m) of space between the west bleachers and the wall, and about 35 feet (11 m) of space between the east bleachers and the wall. Temporary bleachers can be set up behind
4521-520: Is slightly lower than the county average but above the state average. In 2005, GFHS's graduation and completion rate was 87.2 percent, while the same rate for all high schools in Cascade County (public and private) was 88.9 percent that year. For all high schools statewide in Montana in the same year, the graduation and completion rate was 84.8 percent. In 2010, GFHS had a dropout rate of 9.5 percent. But stronger efforts to keep students in school led to
4658-498: Is to recommend improvements and changes to the buildings, grounds, and physical plant of the high school so that the school can continue to provide a high-quality education while remaining at near-capacity in terms of enrollment. Dr. Crawley's report noted that GFHS currently has dining facilities too small for the size of the student body; requires students, faculty, staff, and the public to walk outdoors during winter weather to move between buildings (a safety hazard); does not integrate
4795-561: The College Board which take a full year to complete but which supply the advanced student with a more challenging and high-quality education. The courses offered include Advanced Placement Biology , Advanced Placement Calculus , Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition , Advanced Placement Studio Art Drawing , Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics , and Advanced Placement United States History . Great Falls High also offers 12 "dual credit" courses, in which
4932-459: The McLaughlin Center in 1966, which contained an Olympic-size swimming pool and 1,800-seat gym designed for use as a basketball court. The city's largest sports venue was the gymnasium at Charles M. Russell High School . The gym, constructed in 1963, sat 4,000 in a basketball court. The lack of a large indoor sports center inhibited the growth of professional sports in the city, as well as
5069-751: The Montana Grain Growers Association and Montana Stockgrowers Association . Beginning in 1999, the arena also hosted portions of Western Art Week . Beginning in 2002, the Great Falls Gun and Antique Show was also held annually at the arena. The same year, the Electric City Kennel Club began holding its annual dog show at Four Seasons. In 2005, the What Women Want Expo moved to the Four Seasons as well. Founded in 2003,
5206-471: The Montana Supreme Court held in 1930 that a gymnasium was a "necessary and essential part of a school plant". Had the new high school with its gymnasium and stadium not been built, the school district would have been forced to construct them. There have been a number of changes and additions to Great Falls High School since its initial construction. In 1954, the school district built an addition to
5343-653: The Northern Native American Classic , an annual basketball tournament for high schools in the northern U.S. with a Native American-majority student body. In 2008, the National Cutting Horse Association held an eight-day cutting horse competition (where riders guide horses orally, rather than with bit and bridle, in order to corral cattle) at the arena. A number of other large events are also held at Four Seasons Arena on an annual basis. The Montana Agricultural Industrial Exhibit (MAGIE)
5480-517: The University of Great Falls . Additionally, certain career/technical courses (CTEs) may also earn the student college credit. These "CTE College Credit" courses are honored by all community colleges in Montana as well as all tribal colleges in Montana . The three "CTE College Credit" courses require that the student take an assessment at the end of the course to earn the college credit. The graduation and completion rate at Great Falls High School
5617-508: The Class AA boys' and girls' combined basketball tournament in 2006 and 2008. It will host the Class AA boys' and girls' combined basketball tournament again in 2013. It also played host to the Class A boys' basketball tournament in 2010. Four Seasons Arena was the site for the Montana Class B boys' basketball tournament in 1989, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006. and 2010. Four Seasons has also held
Four Seasons Arena - Misplaced Pages Continue
5754-403: The Four Seasons Arena after 1989 because it was in such poor shape. In March 1989, the Montana Class B boys' high school basketball tournament was scheduled for the Four Seasons. But a major leak in the roof, which occurred just two weeks before the tournament, forced the event to be held at nearby C.M. Russell High School instead. In early 2001, the heating and ventilation at Four Seasons Arena
5891-713: The Four Seasons Arena was the home rink of the Great Falls Americans junior league hockey team. Four Seasons also was the home court of the Montana Golden Nuggets of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1981 to 1983. The CBA awarded the Great Falls Explorers franchise to the city in 2006, and the team played at Four Seasons Arena until it folded in 2008. (The arena was forced to sue to collect $ 12,000 in back rent.) Over
6028-408: The Four Seasons Arena. Roughly half the cost of the bid is paid for by the arena, with the other half paid for by the foundation. In September 2011, the foundation selected George Geise as chairman of its newly formed outreach committee. For 33 years the sports writer for the local Great Falls Tribune newspaper, Geise said he was charged with working more closely with local businesses, the foundation,
6165-494: The Great Falls Opera House because the crowd attending graduation was so large. A brick annex, designed by W.R. Lowery, was constructed against the high school's south side in 1913 at a cost of $ 200,000. At this time, the boiler system was moved from the basement of the high school to the area between the main building and the annex. An urban legend (which may have begun as early as the 1910s) began to circulate that
6302-417: The Great Falls public school system sought voter approval to issue bonds to build a new high school, but this initiative was defeated. The bond issue was brought before voters again in 1928, and it passed. Construction on the $ 1 million building began in 1928 and continued through 1929. The new building was designed by architects George W. Bird, Ernest B. Croft, and Johannes Van Teylingen. (Van Teylingen
6439-504: The Old Gym HVAC system is not functioning well, there are aging light fixtures throughout the building, and the hallways on the second and third floors are dark. Additionally, student traffic flows throughout the building are poor (especially in the skywalk leading to the industrial arts annex), and the industrial arts annex suffers from safety problems. School district trustees approved $ 150,000 in 2010 to conduct an architectural study of
6576-577: The South Campus with the Upper Campus; lacks an adequate HVAC system (particularly in moving fresh air into the interior, as well as moving air around inside the building); cannot accommodate high-bandwidth computer or phone lines; and has poor cell phone, television, and radio reception. The building also lacks zoned heat regulation , which makes some areas of the building too hot and others too cold and reduces energy efficiency. School officials also say
6713-601: The Tourism Business Improvement District, and sports groups around the state to find ways to make bids by the Four Seasons Arena even more attractive to organizations seeking a sporting venue. Great Falls High School Great Falls High School (or GFHS ) is a public high school for grades 9 through 12 located in Great Falls, Montana . Established in 1890, it was the city's first high school. The school's original building, constructed in 1896,
6850-416: The bank donated the sculpture when the old branch closed and a new one (which could not accommodate the artwork) opened. The sculpture was installed in the main classroom building in the center of the hallway near the old main west entrance. In February 2010, Dr. Cheryl K. Crawley, Great Falls Public Schools Superintendent, established a task force to study the physical plant at GFHS. The task force's charge
6987-444: The basement. Although the school only needed two, the idea was that two would be used one year, and two the next—extending the life of the boilers much longer. The construction of the new Great Falls High School building proved fortuitous. The lack of a gymnasium and athletic facilities at the old Great Falls High School led to a student lawsuit against the school district. In McNair v. School District No. 1 of Cascade County (Mont.) ,
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#17328589016567124-457: The biology, chemistry, and physics department on the third floor. The east facade of the T-wing now formed a new main entrance to the high school. A two-story industrial arts annex (connected to the main building via a skywalk ) was opened in 1975, significantly expanding the school's ability to offer vocational-technical education. In 1979, after GFHS was warned it could lose its accreditation due to
7261-467: The building when it was finished on July 21, 1930, was $ 1.15 million. When the building opened in the fall of 1930, enrollment was 1,760 students —just shy of the 1,800 students the building was designed to accommodate. Great Falls High School included a gymnasium and a large football stadium west of the main entrance (which was on the west side of the long main north–south structure). The gym (known as Old Gym today) contained two underground lockerrooms and
7398-410: The building, located at 1400 First Avenue North, began in 1894. The high school was built of gray sandstone obtained from quarries near both Helena and Great Falls. The walls, which were 5 feet (1.5 m) thick at the bottom of the building but only 4 feet (1.2 m) thick at the roof, were sunk 16 feet (4.9 m) into the earth and stood on shale bedrock. To compact the foundation's backfill,
7535-520: The building. Great Falls High School moved into a new building in 1931. The old building was renamed Paris Gibson Junior High School, but the junior high school vacated the premises in 1975 for a new building at 2400 Central Avenue(The former Central Catholic High School ). In 1975, the building became the home of the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in September 1976. In 1927,
7672-798: The building. Representatives from seven architectural and engineering firms toured the facility on June 30, 2011. In 2015, GFPS officials proposed a $ 98 million bond levy to improve GFHS, C.M. Russell High School, and 20 of the city's elementary and middle schools. The proposal included $ 20.76 million in infrastructure improvements at GFHS, to include a new heating and ventilation system; replacement of all electrical outlets and circuit-breaker panels; replacement of all fresh water pipes, sinks, toilets, and water fountains; replacement of insulation-covered 1960s windows with new energy-efficient windows; remodeling of all main building classrooms (including installation of audio-visual and other flexible modern teaching technology); creation of new parking areas; installation of
7809-442: The city in 1883 and platted a permanent settlement the south side of the river. It was incorporated on November 28, 1888. By 1890, Black Eagle Dam had been built within the city limits on the Great Falls of the Missouri River , a meat packing industry (the largest between St. Paul, Minnesota , and Spokane, Washington ) had arisen, a railway had come to town, and a copper smelter had been built. The city's public school system
7946-418: The city of Great Falls demanded that the county to pay $ 1 million to reimburse the city for improvements made there (a figure which included $ 142,250 renovating the heating, air conditioning, and carpeting at the arena). The county refused, and offered to pay less than 20% of that figure. After extensive negotiations, Cascade County agreed to pay $ 384,370 over 10 years at 4% interest (a total which included all of
8083-514: The city's ability to host major high school athletic tournaments. In 1975, the city of Billings constructed the Montana's Entertainment, Trade and Recreation Arena (or METRA), a 12,000 seat multi-purpose arena. In 1977, an organization known as Leadership Great Falls (a program of the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce ) undertook a process to provide city civic and business leaders with
8220-551: The combined Northern Class C boys' and girls' basketball tournaments in 2008 and again in 2009. In 2010, Four Seasons was the site of the Class C girls' state basketball tournament—the first time the Class C state tourney had been held in the city. The arena will host the Class C girls' state tournament again in 2012, as well as the Class C boys' Northern Division combined district basketball playoffs. Rodeo events are often held at Four Seasons. The Montana Pro Rodeo Finals have been held there every year since 1980. The arena also hosted
8357-494: The concessions area was cleaned and sealed and the carpeting replaced, and the " green room " in the arena refurbished. A major study by Cascade County and Montana ExpoPark in 2010 proposed making significant changes to the fairgrounds and Four Seasons Arena. The study, conducted by Markin Consulting, disclosed that the race track grandstand's concrete foundation was crumbling, the livestock pavilion's sheet metal walls were rusting,
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#17328589016568494-526: The cost of each window $ 5,000. On December 20, 2016, the GFHS Class of 1965 donated one window and the Student Council of 2015 and 2016 donated two windows. Additional funds were raised by the GFHS Class of 1995 and GFHS Class of 2015. Individual alumni paid for four more windows. The first three windows were installed in the library, with the remainder in the bell tower. By the late 1990s, Memorial Stadium
8631-497: The cost. The school board was not receptive to this latter idea, but agreed to endorse an effort by a group of private citizens to try to raise the required $ 2.2 million total. Following the study committee's report, the school board agreed to use a one-time refund on insurance premiums to pay for $ 575,000 in repairs at Memorial Stadium. These included east bleacher drainage improvements, east bleacher foundation and stairway improvements, and adding handicapped-accessible areas to both
8768-567: The county's management of the Fairgrounds and Four Seasons Arena was heavily criticized. In 1988, Cascade County signed an agreement under which the city of Great Falls took over management of the fairgrounds and Four Seasons Arena. But the facility was already deteriorating. In 1988, the Montana High School Association (which schedules high school athletic tournaments) refused to allow the city to host any basketball tournaments at
8905-408: The cramped conditions of its 50-year-old gymnasium, the school district built Bison Fieldhouse —a modern sports facility with 3,600-seat basketball arena, A 25 yard swimming pool, complete with warmup pool, classrooms, weight-training room, boys and girls lockerrooms, offices, sports training and conditioning rooms, and parking lot. In 1980, an all-weather, latex, six-lane running track was built around
9042-459: The current Exhibition Hall transformed into a banquet hall, at a cost of $ 2 million. The report said an alternative to the demolition of all existing equestrian facilities would be to construct a new 300-stall horse barn. The study did not advocate construction of a large facility like Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark in Billings. The same month, however, a private group announced it intended to build
9179-517: The day after his State of the Union address to promote his plan to privatize Social Security . On May 30, 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke at the Four Seasons Arena. President Donald Trump spoke at the arena on July 5, 2018. Four Seasons Arena has been the site of a number of high school athletic events. It hosted the Montana Class AA boys' basketball tournament in 2001 and 2003, and
9316-665: The decision on technical grounds, arguing that not all administrative remedies had been pursued. On June 7, 2001, the Montana State Supreme Court held against the school district and upheld the Human Rights Commission's decision. In 2003, Bison Fieldhouse was renamed R.W. "Bill" Swarthout Fieldhouse. Swarthout was a successful football coach at GFHS from 1948 to 1956, winning four state championships. He caught polio , recovered, and returned to GFHS as men's basketball coach (again winning several state titles). He
9453-405: The drainage problem, and rebuilding the steps was estimated at $ 500,000. Complete reconstruction of the eastern bleachers, along with improvements to concessions and team meeting spaces, was set at $ 2 million. Despite the expense, the rebuild option had the advantage of widening the running track around the field. This would permit the track to expand from its current six lanes to 10 lanes (allowing
9590-413: The east and west ends of the fieldhouse, expanding the capacity of the court. All the bleachers featured wider walkways and new handrails for enhanced safety. The cost of the replacement, planned for August 2011, was $ 370,000 (paid for out of the school district's maintenance fund). R.W. "Bill" Swarthout was principal at Great Falls High from 1957 to 1983, providing a remarkable 26 years of stability at
9727-461: The east and west grandstands. The cost of these upgrades increased to $ 600,000 in May 2000. Costs had actually decreased because an engineer's assessment came in lower than expected and an accounting error was discovered that removed double-counting of expenses. With the additional expenditure of just $ 25,000, however, the work could now be expanded to include entirely replacing the east bleachers, replacing
9864-500: The east and west permanent bleachers, in front of the north side balcony, and against the south wall to expand the seating. Additionally, chairs may be set theater-style on the floor of the arena during concerts to achieve seating capacity . The Four Seasons Arena is supported by the Four Seasons Sports Foundation. The nonprofit, private foundation raises money to help pay for the cost of bidding on sporting events at
10001-463: The elevator. The classroom addition to Bison Fieldhouse (known as "South Campus") opened in the summer of 1998. The elevator began operation the same year. In 1999, a local attorney and his family donated $ 300,000 to GFHS to build a one-story addition to the northern end of the school to accommodate wrestling training and weight-lifting facilities. With the construction of Charles M. Russell High School in 1963, Memorial Stadium began to be shared by
10138-482: The event proved so popular that only the Four Seasons Arena could accommodate the exhibitors and crowds. Four Seasons Arena is a concrete and steel structure. The exterior is painted unfinished concrete. The interior walls are unfinished concrete, to which sound-absorbent acoustical panels (made of fabric-covered wood) are attached. The floor is finished, polished concrete. The interior ceiling consists of exposed painted steel beams. The main hall at Four Seasons Arena
10275-410: The fairgrounds and arena on its own. In 2009, Four Seasons installed air conditioning for the first time in its history. The following year, the county loaned $ 400,000 to the arena to pay for the replacement of about a quarter of the permanent bleachers, upgrading and refurbishment of the remaining permanent bleachers, and replacement of the two sets of temporary bleachers. The same year, the flooring in
10412-482: The first Great Falls High School building. City voters passed an initiative in 1893 to sell bonds to build a high school, but the Panic of 1893 delayed construction. A design by local architect William White was chosen over three other proposals. White's Romanesque Revival three-story structure featured a small central circular building, two rectangular wings, and an eight-story, four-faced clock tower. Construction on
10549-472: The first class, which met in a corner of a classroom in the Whittier Building (which, by that time, featured instruction in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades). By September 1892, Great Falls High School was an independent school within the city public school system. Its 23 students also had a specified course of instruction (rather than general classes). In 1896, the Great Falls Public Schools built
10686-577: The first time in its history, the city of Great Falls consolidated all its polling places into a single site: The Four Seasons Arena Exhibition Hall. In March 2011, the arena hosted the city's first-ever mixed martial arts event, featuring Great Falls natives Leo Bercier, Frank Ramsey, and Tim Welch. Three times the President of the United States or a future President has spoken at Four Seasons Arena. On February 3, 2005, President George W. Bush spoke there
10823-497: The first-ever World Professional Bull Riding Finals in 1999, and again in 2000. The arena hosted the annual Terry Casey Memorial Cup national high school hockey tournament in 2000 and 2006. It did so again in 2008, restoring ice in the main rink for the first time in several years after the city's new ice hockey venue, the Central Montana IcePlex , did not open in time. In 2006, for the first time ever, Four Seasons hosted
10960-418: The football field inside Memorial Stadium. All but the lowest panel of each of the school's 15-foot (4.6 m) high 12/12 and 9/9 double-hung windows were blocked off in 1982 and 1983 with insulated foam panels as an energy-saving measure. The track surface was replaced in 1990. In 1995, the Great Falls Public Schools commissioned a study which looked at ways to alleviate overcrowding at GFHS as well as make
11097-590: The football season in September 2000, although renovations to the concessions areas and the restrooms on the east end would take longer. The board authorized contract talks with local Coca-Cola and Pepsi bottlers in August 2000 to secure a $ 250,000 payment in exchange for giving the two companies exclusive distribution rights in city schools. Work on the east bleachers was completed around November 2000, slightly behind schedule. The brick team meeting buildings had been doubled in size and heating added to them, restrooms on
11234-524: The ground floor, and concessions and public restrooms on the second) occupied the northeast corner of the field (connected to the Old Gym by a tunnel), while an identical brick building (with no tunnel) occupied the southeast corner. Other tunnels ran beneath the building and then 1963 T-wing, providing maintenance staff with access to the electrical and steam heating system and capable of acting as nuclear fallout shelters. Four coal-fired boilers were installed in
11371-405: The groups were very poor and various groups accused city managers of playing politics in order to favor one group over another. In June 2001, city managers held an extraordinary day-long meeting of the arena's users in an attempt mediate these differences. This meeting led to a major proposal to upgrade the arena. In August 2001, the various user groups proposed that the city spend $ 99,000 to purchase
11508-466: The high school's name should be changed. Former students asked that the school's name be changed to "Charles M. Russell High School" (after famed local artist Charles M. Russell ), while businessmen in the city wanted the name to be "James J. Hill High School" (after James Jerome Hill , the chief executive officer of the Great Northern Railway , friend of Paris Gibson, and an initial investor in
11645-482: The high school. 4th Avenue South between 18th and 20th Streets South was blocked off at the same time, although the eastern and western portions of the street provide non-through traffic access to the parking lots on the east and west sides of the fieldhouse. R.W. "Bill" Swarthout Fieldhouse is south of the main school building across 4th Avenue South. The building was constructed in the Modernist architectural style , with
11782-538: The horse barns were poorly ventilated and lit, and Four Seasons Arena suffered from poor acoustics and limited seating. The report outlined a number of options, including spending $ 7 million to $ 9 million to replace the grandstand, spending another $ 35 million to build a larger arena, and paying $ 12.6 million to demolish all existing horse barns and service facilities and build a 2,000-to-3,000 seat track just for horse racing. Less radical solutions also existed. Four Seasons Arena could be converted into an exhibition hall, and
11919-417: The ice at Four Seasons would greatly expand the arena's ability to host money-making events. The ice rink issue was never adequately resolved. In March 2003, the county's insurance carrier said it would allow the arena to keep the practice rink open for another 60 days. Two weeks later, the county proposed keeping the main rink open only from mid-May to mid-June and from mid-August to mid-September, and closing
12056-488: The ice took another four days. As initially constructed, Four Seasons Arena had a seating capacity in the main arena of 6,314. In 1994, Great Falls city voters approved a $ 7.9 million bond initiative to build a new exhibition hall on the fairgrounds, renovate the fair's historic buildings and Four Seasons Arena, and generally improve landscaping, lighting, and walkways at the fair. The 15,000 square feet (1,400 m) Exhibition Hall (capable of seating up to 1,500 people)
12193-419: The improvements the city was to pay for. They also said that their lack of management expertise did not matter, as they were considering contracting with SMG World , an arena management firm, to run Four Seasons. In October 2002, SMG said it needed more time to assess the fairgrounds in order to make a firm offer. With Cascade County apparently committed to taking over the fairgrounds and Four Seasons Arena again,
12330-475: The improvements to the arena). On November 12, 2002, Cascade County signed a formal agreement to allow SMG World to take over management of the fairgrounds and arena. SMG's management of the Four Seasons Arena and Montana State Fairgrounds lasted just five years. Although the city had already studied capital needs at the fair, Cascade County paid SMG another $ 57,750 to do so itself. SMG discovered severe problems with both ice rinks. In February 2003, it reported that
12467-500: The infobox) was an immediate hit. In time, the logo was added to the front of the press box in Memorial Stadium, where it still existed as of 2015. Students from GFHS maintain a giant "GF" logo on the side of Hill 57 (near the intersection of Valley View Drive and 11th Street NW), which overlooks the city of Great Falls. The logo is composed of whitewashed stones, which GFHS students regularly repaint and keep in place. (The hill
12604-430: The interior—even though the locally-made bricks cost more than twice as much. While the high school was being built, workers discovered a huge cache of blasting powder in a manhole adjacent to the construction site. Since the manhole itself had been dug only two months earlier and no mining or construction company in the area reported any explosives missing, the discovery was even more mysterious. The final cost of
12741-448: The main building to another north–south classroom wing (about 40 feet (12 m) wide and 175 feet (53 m) long) to the east. On the north end of the main building is the east–west-oriented, rectangular "Old Gym" wing, which is about 175 feet (53 m) wide and 100 feet (30 m) long. Against the "Old Gym", on the northern extreme of the high school, is the wrestling addition. This single-story, east-west running rectangular addition
12878-515: The main ice led the Great Falls Americans junior league hockey team to move to Fargo, North Dakota in April 2003. With the semi-closure of the main ice, Four Seasons Arena began seeking other events to make money. In May 2003, it signed an agreement with the Class C Northern Division high school athletic league to "permanently" host District 7, 8, 9, and 10 boys' and girls' basketball tournaments. In December 2003, Four Seasons Arena spent $ 9,000 remodeling
13015-409: The money for these improvements was going to come from current funds, however. The school board hoped to sign a contract with local bottling companies to provide semi-exclusive access for their products in city schools, and anticipated using most or all of that money to help pay for the west grandstand improvements. By now, work on the east bleacher seating was due to be complete in time for the start of
13152-414: The old boiler room was turned into a swimming pool, and that a student drowned in the pool—leaving the high school haunted. An investigation in the 1990s revealed that although student Grant Mill from Great Falls High School did drown in 1915, he did not drown in a fictitious pool in the basement but rather in the Missouri River. The clock tower was removed in 1916 after its massive weight began to compromise
13289-415: The old practice ice space (now known as "Side 2"). The space was made handicapped-accessible, the floor was fixed, electrical improvements made, the dashers removed, a concessions stand built, and large-screen video monitors installed. The space was turned into a viewing area, and rented out to a local rodeo organization so that fans could watch live rodeo broadcasts (an event which quickly sold out). "Sparky,"
13426-465: The old west-side main entrance and sit on or use the old west main exterior staircase (the "Senior Stairs"). This tradition was started in 1931. The west-side exit and staircase to the north of the main exit (adjacent to the Old Gym) is traditionally used only by juniors (the "Junior Stairs"). Beginning in 1968, Great Falls High School began using a logo with the word "Bison" in the form of a bison. The logo
13563-405: The practice ice permanently. The cooling system under the practice ice failed the first week of April 2003, and the county hired a refrigeration specialist from Canada to determine whether it could be repaired. The consultant estimated the cost of repairs at $ 450,000, money the county did not have. The practice ice closed permanently. The loss of the practice ice and limited hours of use given for
13700-430: The practice ice rink had leaked and the ice was at a 3 inches (7.6 cm) slant, which created a legal liability issue for the county. SMG proposed immediately closing the practice rink, and said that fixing the leaks would cost $ 600,000 to $ 750,000. Another $ 150,000 needed to be spent to replace the dashers on the main rink to prevent them from collapsing and injuring players and/or fans. The ice rink problem highlighted
13837-448: The running track also needed to be replaced (at a cost of $ 400,000) because drainage problems and substrata settling had caused portions of the track to buckle and the latex surface to separate from its asphalt base. The committee suggested spending up to $ 250,000 for a new high-tech surface (rather than replace the existing latex one). Finally, the committee suggested spending $ 235,000 to improve exit stairs, upgrade and expand bathrooms in
13974-438: The running track, and doubling the size of the team meeting/concessions buildings. In May 2000, the work was expected to be complete by the fall. The school board had yet to decide whether the track should be expanded to 10 lanes, but did agree to solicit bids to determine the cost of improving the west grandstand. The track was expanded to eight lanes two weeks later. The track work contract came in 16 percent low, which enabled
14111-448: The school IDEA -compliant. The study recommended building an addition to house classrooms and the construction of an elevator in the main building to give students access to science laboratory space on the structure's second and third floors. Too few voters turned out in balloting on April 2 and June 4, 1996, for a valid election to occur. A third election was successful, however. The bond issue funded construction of 13 new classrooms and
14248-502: The school did not come soon enough, however. The family of a handicapped student at Great Falls High School sued the school, arguing that the quality of their child's education had been impaired due to a lack of IDEA-compliant facilities. In September 1998, the Montana Human Rights Commission agreed, and ordered the school district to make improvements and pay the family a monetary settlement. The school district appealed
14385-536: The school district $ 50,000 a year for five years (for a total of $ 500,000). District officials approved the expenditure of $ 360,000 from the contract revenues to pay for west bleacher improvements. In mid 2012, a group of Great Falls High School graduates formed the Great Falls High School Heritage Foundation, with the goal of having the current high school's building placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The building
14522-458: The school district to add improvements to the long-jump paths and pits as well. The contract for replacing the east bleachers, however, came in $ 95,000 high after contractors discovered that the existing drainage system was far more damaged than previously suspected. In June 2000, the school board agreed to tap its general maintenance fund to pay for the work on the west bleachers after these cost estimates came in much lower than expected. Not all
14659-421: The school's antiquated telephone system. About $ 975,000 would be used to transform grassy areas into student parking. Voters approved the high school levy on October 4, 2016, by 60.9 percent (11,341 to 7,187). The bond levy required GFPS to seek matching funds to replace 16 of the school's windows. In order to preserve the school's NRHP-protected status, architects had to design special window frames, making
14796-498: The school. In 2004, the Great Falls Tribune called him "one of the most influential coaches and educators in the city's history." His successor was assistant principal William Salonen, who led the school from 1983 to 1988. Karol K. Johnson, former dean of students at C.M. Russell High, held the principal position from 1988 to 1990. Johnson's successor was former boys' basketball coach and assistant principal Gary Davis, who held
14933-424: The solid doors were 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) thick, and highly detailed molded pediments were emplaced over each door. Ornate brass doorknobs and hinges were used throughout the building, and heat was supplied by cast iron radiators with delicate, filigreed covers. The building (whose original cost was estimated at $ 59,940) was completed by McKay Brothers in 1896 at a total cost of $ 110,000. The structure, which
15070-513: The south, and 18th Street South on the west. Except for 4th Avenue South (as noted above), all streets are open to vehicular traffic. The original main entrance to Great Falls High School was in the center of the original building on the west side. However, construction of the industrial arts annex, closure of 4th Street South, and other alterations to the campus plan led the school to treat its unadorned, plain east entrance as its main access portal. By tradition, only seniors may now exit in and out of
15207-401: The southern end of the high school, expanding facilities for choir, orchestra, and band. The western grandstand (with its press box and concessions area) was also built in 1957. The "T-wing" on the building's east side opened in 1963. This three-story addition housed the business and home economics departments on the first floor, a new library and the history departments on the second floor, and
15344-443: The stadium to host the state track meet), and would also permit widening of the grass field to permit soccer games. A committee of school board members and public citizens studied the issue, and recommended in November 1999 that $ 475,000 be spent to improve the drainage, fix the east sidewalk, make ADA-required improvements, and upgrade the team meeting room buildings. But the committee reported some bad news as well. It discovered that
15481-509: The top job from 1990 to 1999. Davis' successor was assistant principal Tracy Clark. But Clark retired after just a year as principal, citing health reasons and the retirement of his wife (also a city public school teacher). C.M. Russell High School assistant principal Steve Henneberg was chosen to replace Clark in 2000. But Henneberg resigned in July 2001 after he and another man (who had accused Henneberg of having an affair with his wife) engaged in
15618-399: The town). But the name was not changed. Another argument erupted over the type of brick to be used in the building. The architects specified that the exterior be built of dark brick. However, some school board trustees wanted local bricks to be used, but these were much lighter in color. As a compromise, dark imported bricks were used for the exterior and light, locally-made bricks used for
15755-515: The two high schools. The stadium underwent significant renovations from 1999 to 2002. The fieldhouse pool underwent reconstruction in 1994 to replace its fiberglass lining. Cracks in the lining were discovered in February 1999 and patched. Larger cracks appeared in March 1999, so the entire lining was replaced (under no cost to the school, as it was under a 25-year warranty) and the pool reopened in November 1999. The 1998 and early 2000s improvements to
15892-462: The unfinished concrete exterior reflecting the Brutalist genre of Modern architecture. The east-west running rectangular building is about 200 feet (61 m) long and 435 feet (133 m) wide, with the western one-fifth of the structure consisting of the South Campus classroom addition. Swarthout Fieldhouse is bounded by 4th Avenue South on the north, 20th Street South on the east, 5th Avenue South on
16029-505: The upper floors expanded, handicapped-accessible restrooms added, and the concessions areas enlarged. Eight wheelchair-accessible seating spaces for handicapped spectators were added in the middle and at both ends of the east grandstand, drainage improved, the sidewalk widened to 12 feet (3.7 m) and replaced, and better signage and improved lighting installed. The running track, too, had been replaced. The improvements to Memorial Stadium's west grandstand were made in 2001. About $ 362,774
16166-407: The west concourse beneath the stands had been built directly on clay rather than on a foundation. This area was slightly excavated, gravel was used to fill in the space, and a firmer foundation created for the concourse. Workers also discovered that instead of a concrete foundation, the north and south walls of the west grandstand were built on a wood foundation—which had rotted away. The rotten wood
16303-402: The west grandstand, widen aisles in the west grandstand, replace railings in the west grandstand, and replace benches and chairs throughout the stadium with aluminum seating. Some committee members suggested replacing the east bleachers entirely at a cost of $ 1.8 million to allow for track expansion, and argued the city should seek a private donor or corporate sponsorship of the stadium to pay for
16440-626: The years, the Four Seasons Arena has hosted a number of special events. In January 1989, Great Falls native and Olympic boxer Todd Foster made his professional boxing debut at the arena. Foster fought again there in October 1991. Rock music legend Bob Dylan played there on July 26, 2005. The first MayFaire, an annual arts and music event benefitting the Benefis Health System , held its first-ever concert at Four Seasons Arena in 2006 (featuring country-western singer Trisha Yearwood ). In 2007, for
16577-416: Was also designed to expand the facility's use, and reduce the city's subsidy to the fairgrounds. Four Seasons managers noted that the arena had to turn away bands, comedians, and other entertainers because the venue could not be turned around fast enough. Cascade County managers, however, argued that although the county did not have the credit rating or tax revenues of the city, they could obtain grants to make
16714-727: Was appointed principal at GFHS in 1957, and held that position until his retirement in 1983. During his tenure at the school, he introduced girls' sports for the first time, installed the first computers for student use, and led the fight to win funding to construct the fieldhouse. He died on December 16, 1997. The school board unanimously voted to rename the fieldhouse after him on February 24, 2003. The basketball court at Swarthout Fieldhouse underwent its first major renovation in 2011. The original wooden bleachers had become damaged after years of use (and fans jumping up and down on them), and new blue-and-white colored fiberglass bleachers ordered to replace them. Removable bleachers were also added to
16851-562: Was appointed principal at Great Falls High School. Anderson, who has PhD in education administration, was principal for Custer County District High School in Miles City for 20 years. He remained principal as of the 2010–2011 school year. However, in May 2012, Great Falls Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Crawley announced that Dr. Anderson would be transferred to take over as principal of North Middle School. North Middle School principal Jane Gregoire took over at GFHS. Also assigned to GFHS
16988-533: Was associate principal Julie Tramelli. Gregoire retired at the end of the 2014-2015 school year, and assistant principal Heather Hoyer was named as her successor. Great Falls High School is a modified Renaissance Revival structure, and the building and its campus were designed to imitate an Ivy League college. The main building faces west and is built along a north–south line. It is about 75 feet (23 m) wide and 300 feet (91 m) long. A square classroom wing about 75 feet (23 m) on each side connects
17125-453: Was built primarily as an ice rink . It also lacked air conditioning . The arena originally housed two ice rinks: A main 33,000 square feet (3,100 m) rink and a 17,000 square feet (1,600 m) "side" or practice rink. With four days' notice, the main ice rink could be thawed and flooring laid down to transform the main section of the arena from an ice rink into a basketball court, rodeo arena, or exhibition hall. Removal and restoration of
17262-404: Was constructed in 1995. Cascade County owned the Montana State Fairgrounds, and built the Four Seasons Arena. Although not designed to be a multi-purpose arena, Four Seasons began to be put to a wide variety of uses. The facility quickly began to show excessive wear due to these pressures. The facility's management also began to suffer. By 1987, the Fairgrounds were more than $ 600,000 in debt and
17399-429: Was designed by then-student Daniel Clasby. In the fall of 1968, Clasby was lying in bed when the idea for a logo came to him. He spent several hours that night working on it, and then showed it to art teacher Don Walters. Walters heartily approved of it, and so did many of the school's athletes. A silk screen was made, and Clasby and his friends began making posters and T-shirts with the logo on it. The Bison Logo (seen in
17536-465: Was designed to educate 500 students, contained 14 classrooms, a physical laboratory, a chemical laboratory, an art studio, and an assembly hall that could seat 400. A boiler system was installed in the basement. The first class of nine boys and 37 girls helped open the school on November 1, 1896. Helen Edgerton was the first principal. The graduating class of 1897 (the high school's first) contained five students, but commencement ceremonies were held in
17673-414: Was established in 1886. That year, the city opened the Whittier Building (later known as Whittier Elementary School) and began holding ungraded educational instruction for all students there. Great Falls High School was founded in the fall of 1890 by the city of Great Falls after four teenage girls (newly arrived in the city) asked to receive a high school public education. The four young women constituted
17810-435: Was forming and intended to award Great Falls a franchise, SMG said it would stop offering ice events in the main arena permanently. But the league collapsed just days after it began operations in September 2005, SMG said it would offer more ice time. SMG managers estimated they would lose $ 30,000 in revenues by adding more ice time. Cascade County renewed its contract with SMG in 2007. The new two-year contract paid SMG $ 84,413
17947-580: Was in serious disrepair. The stadium's seating and restroom facilities were not ADA-compliant, the sidewalk on the eastern side of the stadium and the concrete steps in the east side bleachers were crumbling from over-use, poor drainage had damaged the foundation of the east side bleachers so much that their structural integrity was at risk, concession areas were too small, and the meeting rooms for home and visitor football teams were plagued by small size as well as humidity, mold, and general disrepair from overuse. The cost of creating ADA-compliant facilities, fixing
18084-616: Was officially listed as a national historic place on March 20, 2013. Architectural Digest magazine called Great Falls High School the most beautiful public school in Montana in 2017. Several notable events have occurred at Great Falls High School. In 1943, famed jazz trumpet player Louis Armstrong and his band performed for the GFHS Senior Prom (held at the Great Falls Civic Center). On September 26, 1963, more than 20,000 people crowded into Memorial Stadium to listen to
18221-566: Was one of the most prominent architects in Montana at the time. He also designed the Masonic Temple in Great Falls, the Great Falls Civic Center , and Turner Hall on the campus of the University of Montana .) The new high school was located at 1900 2nd Avenue South, and occupied four city blocks (between 2nd and 4th Avenues South, and 18th and 20th Streets South). The construction of the building generated strong debate over whether
18358-460: Was removed, concrete footings were poured, and a new rot-resistant wood foundation for the walls set in place. Contractors also installed new grandstand gates (to control access to the track from the bleachers), and said the entire project would be completed after the end of the track and field season in May 2001. A few weeks later, the school board approved the semi-exclusive soda and juice distribution contracts with Coke and Pepsi. Each contract gave
18495-438: Was spent to add wheelchair lifts and wheelchair-accessible seating in the west bleachers. These costs included replacement of the wood and fiberglass seating with aluminum chairs, and the addition of an aisle to the front of the lower bleachers. Although the contractor saved money because work proceeded ahead of schedule (due to mild weather), an additional $ 13,558 was appropriated for the improvements after workers discovered that
18632-552: Was taught once more at GFHS. In the late 1930s, Great Falls High School won national notice for its efforts to integrate teaching of the social sciences and physical sciences, and for its attempt to engage students in critical thinking about future societal needs. More recently, GFHS has had trouble meeting the "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) standards established by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). HVAC Too Many Requests If you report this error to
18769-491: Was upgraded for the first time since its construction at a cost of $ 124,100. Concerned about the stability of the ice at Four Seasons, the city also commissioned a study of both rinks. The study concluded that both rinks needed $ 1.5 million in repairs and upgrades. But this study was not acted on. The city's management of the facility had also not gone smoothly. Nearly 20 groups which used the facility frequently (hockey teams, exhibitors, rodeo promoters, etc.), but relations between
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