Rotary's 100th Anniversary Spawns Ice Rink Project In Philipsburg.

2005 marked a significant year for both Rotary International [R.I.] and it's tiny club in Philipsburg, Montana. The world's largest volunteer service organization, founded in Chicago in 1905, is marking its 100th birthday with over 31,000 clubs in 165 countries. Rotary's 1019th club, the Philipsburg Rotary, was chartered in 1924 and chose Rotary's Centennial year to launch the largest project in its long history of serving Granite County.

"Every Rotary Club around the world was challenged by R.I. to pick a Centennial project that would have a lasting impact on its community," said Philipsburg Rotary President Anne Fillmore. "Our members reviewed a lot of worthwhile ideas and determined that improving Philipsburg's 40-year-old skating park could provide a terrific year-around venue for community activities."

Working with engineers from Montana Tech., and Public Works Director Dick Hoehne, the Rotarians analyzed the existing ice rink that is located in downtown Philipsburg, Southwest of the Granite County Museum. They determined that the rink could be improved to provide space for wintertime hockey events as well as summer sports such as volleyball and soccer. In addition the hillside above the current rink was ideal for sculpting into an amphitheater with terraced seating for as many as 1,000 people.

"We shared our findings with School Superintendent Mike Cutler and he was very excited about having more space for year-around youth activities," said Jim Jenner, the Rotarian who chairs the Centennial Project. "The site is only a block from the school and hockey is one of the fastest growing youth sports in the state."

In order to create the amphitheater, the club was blessed with a donation by Deeann Alcamo of the city lots that are on the south hill above the rink. Her father, Bob Winninghoff, is the Philipsburg Rotary Club's oldest member.

"The current rink is on land originally donated to the town by the Winninghoff family, and others, many years ago," said Anne Fillmore, "This generous new donation more than doubles the size of the park and makes it possible to create the arena seating."

The local Rotarians talked to other business people began to enlist help in the initial site work.

"Folks have been great in donating their time. Bill Bayer and Hans Bohrnsen donated survey work and Phil McDonald personally spent many days bulldozing the hill to create the levels where people can sit," said Jenner.

Like many outdoor amphitheaters, the Philipsburg site will be a set of six foot wide, grass covered terraces cut into the hill. People can sit on the grass, on in chairs they bring themselves. In the future a concert, play or other performance could take place on the flat rink area and people could sit at ground level or on the hillside terraces.

"Overall it's a very exciting project for all of Granite County," said Zane Murfitt, Sec./Treasurer of the Rotary Club "The natural ice rink already gets a good amount of winter use, and upgrading it for hockey will be popular. But, in the year's ahead, I think having an outdoor arena will be a big benefit to Philipsburg's ability to host fun events. The proximity to downtown, and the ample parking near the school, is a real plus."

For information on donating money, materials or time to this project please call Jim Jenner [859-8001] or Zane Murfitt [859-3241].