THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY IS NOW.

The Ekalaka community is steeped in history, bucking the trends of declining populations in rural America, and ready to make its mark on the tourism industry for Southeast Montana. The narrative of Ekalaka is about as fascinating as a small town community can get; having neither a railroad passing through nor a river flowing by town is very unique. The town provides an intriguing snapshot of western living and has the infrastructure to capitalize on what it means to be authentic to Montana in a very unique way. The High Plains Architects project team is excited and eager to help establish a memorable and meaningful Ekalaka experience with a comprehensive community master plan.

What is a Master Plan?

A Master Plan is an actionable document and policy guide designed to help communities envision what they want to look like...in this case, the focus is community wide with special attention on housing, the downtown core, tourism (Carter County Museum is a major league community asset), and community identity.

What is the Goal?

To preserve community character, guide community partnerships, activate under-utilized resources, produce positive economic development, and direct future growth.

Why Should You Care?

Master Plans can inform and guide revitalization and preservation efforts, future zoning, infrastructure improvements, and even marketing efforts for tourism. All of the above benefit and positively impact the community as a whole. Community involvement and collaboration are key to any successful plan.

This website is a platform to keep up to date with the Ekalaka Community Plan, a collaborative effort by High Plains Architects and the citizens of Carter County and the Town of Ekalaka.

Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, january 17! join the community conversation at Carter county museum to review the master plan progress.

PUBLIC NOTICE:

let your voice be heard!

Please email jsanford@highplainsarchitects.com to engage with the process and let your voice be heard.

community presentation - January 2023

Randy Hafer and John Sanford presented our progress on the Ekalaka Community Plan to roughly 50 community members on January 17th. This included a recap of our first visit as well as a more in-depth look at some of the preliminary solutions that could be transformative for the community. To access the presentation materials from the January meeting, please click here. Thank you for your feedback and involvement!