BOZEMAN — From one angle, it may look like a scenic playground nestled in the mountains. Flip the camera, however, and you’ll see a whole lot of development. That’s exactly why the new Southwood Park in south Bozeman is so important to those who live nearby.
“Having a big open space like this is really nice for the city — to take your family to and have a moment with them,” said Casey, who was spending the afternoon at the brand-new park with his 4-year-old daughter, Evelyn.
WATCH: Bozeman's newest park — 27 acres in the heart of a fast-growing south Bozeman neighborhood — officially opened Friday
When asked what he thought when he first heard about the park, Casey said, “I was excited because Evelyn loves going to all the different parks around here.”
Evelyn considers herself something of a park connoisseur.
“We’ve been to, I feel like, every single one. We love exploring new parks,” Casey said.
But for the father-daughter duo, getting to parks was often a hassle because they live in South Bozeman.
“We go all the way over by the library, like Lindley Park — that’s the main one way over there. Then Dino Park across town,” Casey said.
Now, their park prayers have been answered. On Friday, the city hosted a grand opening for the 27-acre Southwood Park at the corner of Stucky Road and 17th Avenue. That costs approximately $964,000.
“It’s pretty crazy — we’ve never been able to get to a park like this. Super exciting,” Casey said.
The location was deliberate.
“We’re opening a new park today that’s adjacent to apartments, student housing, and dense living,” said Mitch Overton, director of the Bozeman Parks and Recreation Department.
Overton said a park in this area has been in the works for years.
“This section of park space began its dedication back in 2018 with several developments around here — Stadium View, Arrow Apartments,” he said.
Since then, other large housing complexes have popped up, including Highmark Apartments, 19th & Garf Apartments, Nexus Point Apartments, and more — bringing hundreds of new residents to the area.
“As a part of development, there is a state requirement to dedicate some public park land, and that offsets those new residents,” Overton explained.
During Friday’s ceremony, Overton spoke to the crowd, followed by Bozeman Mayor Joey Morrison. After the remarks, the ribbon was cut and the green space officially opened to the public.
“Park spaces are critical to the community,” Overton said. “As the community grows, it’s more and more important that we preserve these spaces for quality of life.”
The grand opening marks the completion of phase one of the park. Phase two is expected to wrap up this fall, adding a brand-new dog park to the site.
