Bonner County Historical Society asks Sandpoint parks commission to clear path for Lakeview Park expansion, seek early lease renewal

The Bonner County Historical Society asked the Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Commission on March 12 for permission to pursue a development concept that would expand the museum footprint at Lakeview Park and to seek an early renewal of a long-standing lease.

The society’s board president, Tonya Sherman, told commissioners the museum’s building is full and the organization needs more collection storage and community space for research, lectures and programming. “We would like the consent to proceed with the development concept, potentially expand in the park area,” Sherman said, adding the society wants to begin stakeholder outreach and to engage an architect to prepare concepts.

The request matters because the society’s current lease — a 1979 agreement the presenters described as a 40‑year arrangement — expires in September. Museum representatives said they would like the city council to execute the society’s 40‑year lease option “effective immediately” so the group can move forward with fundraising and community engagement. City staff explained that the building is privately owned by the historical society but sits on city property, and under the existing lease the building would revert to the city if the society vacates. A city staff member told the commission that formal lease renewal or extension is a decision for the Sandpoint City Council.

Museum leaders described recent technical work and donor interest that inform the proposal. The group referenced a 2023 capital assessment by museum consultants that identified additional collection storage needs (the society said the assessment indicated roughly 3,500 square feet of extra storage) and described an active donor willing to seed community matching funds. The society said the museum’s current facility contains about 5,200 square feet overall and that portions of the building need major maintenance, including roof work.

Commissioners said the item could not be voted on at the March 12 meeting because it was not listed as an action item. Staff and commissioners agreed to add the historical society’s request to the commission’s next agenda as an action item so the commission can consider a formal recommendation to city council.

The society emphasized that it was not asking the commission to approve a final design or request funding at this time but rather for consent to proceed with concept development and community outreach, then to return with a detailed plan if the lease extension is secured.

The presentation included discussion of how an expanded museum might integrate with other Lakeview Park features (the arboretum, playground and nearby Lions Club facilities) and with longer-range infrastructure projects in the area, including the wastewater treatment plant replacement. Museum leaders named an architect they hope to work with for concept design and said they will coordinate with parks staff and community partners in any outreach.

Next steps recorded during the meeting: the commission will place the historical society request on the next Parks Commission agenda as an action item so the body can consider a formal vote or recommendation to City Council.