Depictions will brighten up downtown Havre

Some consider the traffic light boxes in downtown Havre to be a bit unsightly even if they are necessary.

But soon they will be covered with locally produced drawings that depict some of the Hill County’s most interesting sights.

The downtown group that is hoping to make the center of the city more attractive came up with the idea, and it caught on, said Paul Tuss, the executive director of Bear Paw Development Corp., and a member of the committee.

Havre City Council last week approved an agreement with Montana Department of Transportation that will allow the depictions to be placed on the state-owned boxes.

With that paperwork out of the way, Tuss said, the committee can begin the work of putting the depictions up.

Some are hand drawings and others are photos, he said.

The committee last summer asked artists to submit their work for the project. Lots of entries were received, Tuss said.

To get public input, the committee placed all of the entries on the wall at the annual Kiwanis Festival Days Pancake Breakfast.

People gave their ideas to the committee, and the panel used the suggestions in deciding which nine to use.

There are a variety of landmarks, he said.

One portrays the Rocky Boy Powwow, one is a scenic view of the Bear Paw Mountains one is a BNSF Railway train, he said,

Tuss said he hopes the covers will be up by early summer.

Tuss said other communities in Montana have similar decorations on the boxes, and they have gone over well with the public.

“Other communities have these,” said council member Janet Trethewey, as she voted for the MDT agreement. “They look nice.”