Glacier Bank Park, Kalispell, Mont.

by Christopher Brinckerhoff | 10 December 2024 6:00 am

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Sited in Montana’s Flathead County, near Glacier National Park, Glacier Bank Park features mountain views and a design that blends into its surroundings.

A&E Design specified a palette of materials reminiscent of mountain lodges: masonry, wood timbers, and architectural metal panels. Weathering steel panels appear to be aged, though the minor league ballpark, home of the Glacier Range Riders, is new construction with modern amenities.

Shane Jacobs, AIA, associate at A&E Design, says, “The siting of the park is really fantastic; the views are awesome and 360 degrees, and center field has a view right into Glacier National Park.”

Jacobs says the design team wanted to incorporate the idea of a national park lodge in the design of Glacier Bank Park. “We wanted to make some nods to the park; it’s a lot of steel and wood,” he says.

Peach State Roofing Inc. installed Petersen Aluminum Corp.’s 24-gauge steel, 22 mm (7/8 in.) Corrugated panels in Weathered Steel, and 24-gauge steel, 12.7 mm (1/2 in.) Corrugated panels in Matte Black. Petersen also supplied shop-fabricated 24-gauge steel edge metals in Matte Black.

In terms of construction timeline, Glacier Bank Park was developed in phases. In 2022, after 10 months of construction, the Glacier Range Riders played games in a construction site with the minimum required facilities. Glacier Bank Park opened in 2023.

Chris Kelly, of Peach State Roofing, says, “The two biggest challenges were, we didn’t even know the design in the beginning to start ordering long lead-time items that were still in supply crisis; the design at times changed around product availability. Second, was the weather. Building this type of project in this timeline, alone, is challenging, but combine that with northwest Montana winter conditions and it was tough.”

A&E Design made a list of priorities the league demanded be in place, which included a playing field, dugouts, ticket stands, food service, and restrooms.

“We started breaking it up into volumes and got some temporary trailers for the teams,” Jacobs says. “Then, while this was coming together, we invited the public in while the park was still under construction; we were building the plane while we were flying it.”

Architect: A&E Design, Kalispell, Mont., ae.design[2]
Installer: Peach State Roofing Inc., Lawrenceville, Ga., peachstateroofinginc.com[3]
Metal wall panels: Petersen Aluminum Corp., Elk Grove Village, Ill., www.pac-clad.com[4]

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/projects/sports-recreation/glacier-bank-park/

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