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Toby’s House asks Great Falls to lease small Carter Park parcel for crisis nursery; commissioners tell staff to explore legal path
Summary
Toby’s House Crisis Nursery asked the City Commission for a long-term lease of roughly 10–11,000 square feet inside Carter Park for a larger crisis nursery; donors pledged cash and in-kind support, city staff warned sale/lease of park land triggers appraisal and competitive-disposition rules, and commissioners directed the city manager to work with legal to outline next steps.
Toby’s House Crisis Nursery Executive Director Alicia Ford told the Great Falls City Commission on Aug. 19 that her nonprofit wants to expand from a cramped rental to a new building sited inside Carter Park to increase crisis care, diaper and formula support, and after-hours childcare for working families.
"Children of Great Falls deserve more than a slab of asphalt," Ford said, urging the Commission to consider a pilot partnership that would place the nursery adjacent to other services such as the homeless shelter and the YWCA. She said the proposed facility footprint for the building itself would be about 5,000–6,000 square feet and that an inclusive site for building plus a secure play area would total roughly 11,000 square feet.
Local donors and construction partners told the Commission they were ready to help. Jim Flipowitz said he and his wife were prepared to contribute "a half million bucks," and local builders said much of the construction could be donated in-kind — comments designed to underscore the time-sensitive nature of the funding.
City Manager Greg cautioned the Commission that the City Code and ordinance governing sale, trade or lease of park land requires steps such as an appraisal and disposition to the "highest responsible bidder," and said staff would need to work with Legal and the Park and Recreation advisory board to identify an appropriate process and timeline.
Commissioners debated whether approving a single park-lease request would create an unwanted precedent. Some called for a policy framework to handle requests for developed and undeveloped park land; others stressed urgency and the nonprofit’s record of serving vulnerable children. After discussion a majority of commissioners verbally supported directing the city manager to work with Legal to outline lease or other disposition options and return with a timeline and recommended next steps.
City staff did not present a final legal recommendation at the meeting; the Commission’s direction was for staff to research options, consult with the park board, and report back. No sale or lease was executed at the session.
