Troy upgrades community, schools

The 101-year-old city of Troy has seen quite a few improvements in recent years thanks to the work of the community itself.

Around the City, the Troy Area and County Parks and Recreation, Troy Public Works Department, Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks and a long list of volunteers have spent many hours constructing, painting and designing many improvements throughout the town and schools. The overall estimated cost of the improvements around the city was $77,000, according to City Clerk and Treasurer Tracy Rebo.

As of this year, Roosevelt Park in Troy has a new shaded picnic-area between the kids’ water-splash and the playground equipment, courtesy of County Parks and Recreation. The Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks also constructed a handicap-accessible dock overlooking the fishpond. Troy Parks and Recreation are also currently building a new pickleball court.

“It’s a great park, we’re really lucky to have something like this,” Troy Mayor Darren Coldwell said.

The walkway next to St. Regis Hall Road, between Troy museum to the Roosevelt Park, also received improvements, with brand-new lights and interpretive signs complete with photos and information on Troy’s history. According to Coldwell, Jim Hammons installed the signs, which include information on the Roundhouse and Troy’s Semi-Pro Basketball Team.

According to Coldwell, last year the Public Works Department crew also installed the way-finding signage on U.S. Highway 2, to help people navigate in light of the wildfire smoke. During that time, banners were also installed on the street lamps on Highway 2, and the caboose next to the museum was given a new look from Josh Moore of Moore Services’ paint job and Steve Becquart’s emblem designs.

W.F. Morrison Elementary School has also received many improvements during the recent years. The foyer of the elementary school is newly decorated with murals of a mountain landscape and a wide-screen television displaying the students’ artwork.

Last summer at the elementary school, Jill Francom along with volunteers designed and painted murals of green rolling hills down main hallways where the students have their cubbies. According to Rewerts, Troy Public Schools Superintendent Jacob and his wife, Jill Francom worked together at home after work to make the wooden flowers that hang on the walls, accompanying the murals. The flowers have small, round mirrors in the center, which increase in height down the hallway for the average height of each grade.

Elementary School Principal Diane Rewerts said that prior to the new white and light-green color scheme, the walls of the hallway used to be painted a darker-brownish color.

“Imagine going from mismatched flooring and brown walls to this. It’s pretty amazing,” Rewerts said. The kids loved the new improvements, Rewerts said, and one student even said it resembled the world of Dr. Seuss’s children’s book, “The Lorax”.

Jill said the inspiration for the murals came from “the beautiful place in which we live.”

In 2013, Jill also designed the new seat-wall next to the playground built by volunteers and the elementary crew as well as planted trees on the far end of the playground, extending around the football field.

“During our Family Fun Night last year… we had about 200 parents here, and they all could sit on that seat-wall,” Rewerts said.

Jill has a degree in horticulture, with an emphasis on landscape design. Now, Jill works as a volunteer on many community projects.

“I believe that everyone should try to find things to make their community better. We need to be involved (and) bring about positive change by being engaged,” Jill said in an email. “It is great to see people excited about the changes and improvements. I enjoy getting to be a part of it.”

The school also raised over $30,000 from local donations last year for new playground equipment and a new picnic area, and the Troy Parks and Recreation helped with the basketball and tetherball court concrete.

Over this summer, the elementary school maintenance crew also updated the bathrooms, replacing the old linoleum in one bathroom and finishing the tiles in the other. They also replaced the vanity cupboard below the sink, which Rewerts said had water-damage.

At Troy High School, in the senior-high building, Jill along with some student volunteers also painted a mural on the wall with white trees overlaying a maroon background featuring bears, elk and silver birds on top of white trees. The floor tile in that hallway has also been replaced in the last week, featuring a large Troy Trojan emblem. The junior high building also has new windows, and the bus barn has been remodeled with new siding. A sprinkler system was recently installed , and the junior high building has new carpet and paint.

According to Jeni Evans, the head of the Troy Planning Committee, the town will celebrate Troy Centennial Days on Sept. 16 and 17. Evans said that they are planning a kids fishing derby, a street dance and live music at ‘R’ Place.

Reporter Bethany Rolfson may be reached at 293-4124 or by email at Reporter@TheWesternNews.com.