WEST GLACIER – The partial federal government shutdown has forced a delay in the scheduled meeting to talk about the rebuilding of Glacier National Park’s Sperry Chalet.
Much of the historic chalet — which was originally built in 1914 — was lost to the Sprague Fire in August of 2017.
The National Park Service, in partnership with the Glacier National Park Conservancy, had planned to host the event on January 8 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell.
There is no word yet on when the meeting will be held.
The National Park Service expects to announce and award the construction contract for Phase 2 of the Sperry Chalet project in the spring of 2019.
Click here for more information about Sperry Chalet.
(October 7, 2018) Winter may be moving fast in Glacier National Park, but construction crews working on the reconstruction of Sperry Chalet are moving faster.
Crews were able to get a roof on the chalet, a critical goal for this year’s work.
Contractors and suppliers have been hard at work since mid-summer, hoping to complete the first phase of the reconstruction before the season ends. Efforts have included numerous deliveries of building materials and supplies, both by air and ground.
The progress was nearly dealt a setback when snow hit this week, but contractors were able to finish getting the roof structure onto the chalet, which will help weatherproof the building against winter storms. It will also help protect the walls, which were still standing after last year’s fire.
“It’s really amazing when you think that just 3½ months ago the construction season began in earnest. To think about going from what was the ruin of the Sperry Chalet dormitory to a structure with a roof on it for the winter, it’s really quite remarkable what the construction team and everybody involved has been able to do,” said Glacier National Park Conservancy Executive Director Doug Mitchell.
The fund drive to pay for the reconstruction now tops $1.3 million toward the project’s $2.8 million goal.
Whistling Andy Distillery reported this week that sales from its “Spirit of Sperry” vodka have generated $30,000 toward that goal.
-Reported by Dennis Bragg
