Havre Beneath the Streets looking for funds to make important repairs

Havre Beneath the Streets is seeking some help repairing damage to its popular historic tourist attraction, and a Havre legislator is working to help it get some funds.

Christy Owens, office manager for the popular historic attraction and for the Frank DeRosa Railroad Museum, said two of Havre Beneath the Streets rooms have been closed due to water leakage.

The leak is coming through the sidewalk on Second Street in front of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Club which has glass prisms, now yellowed by age, that let light into the steam and access tunnels that were under downtown Havre more than a century ago.

The damage forced the organization to move displays, two of the displays showing depictions of historic Havre businesses generally using actual equipment from the businesses themselves.

Owens said Havre Beneath the Streets first noticed the leak about a year ago, after water came into the the mercantile, post office and the auto shop rooms, which cover more than 780 sq. ft. They later made the decision close these rooms and take the artifacts out to prevent any water damage, she said, although a few of the artifacts had already been damaged and will take time to repair.

Another exhibit that had to be moved was the dentist's office, she said, which now has its items displayed in the saloon. Owens said that many of the artifacts and displays have been temporarily moved to other locations within the Beneath the Streets exhibits.

She said they still talk about the items, informing visitors of the history behind each piece, although, she added visitors lose something in the experience by not being able to see the way everything is supposed to be set up.

Beneath the Streets board member Jerry Waltari said this is the most expensive repairs they have had since first creating the Beneath the Streets exhibits in the 1990s.

Montana Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, said from Helena during a legislative teleconference last Friday in Havre that the repairs of the Beneath the Streets was appraised at approximately $200,000. A large part of the cost is due to the repairs required on the sidewalk.

Bachmeier introduced House Bill 391 to address this issue. Bachmeier said the scope of the bill was narrow enough that it would apply to Beneath the Streets, offering a grant for $100,000 for repairs.

Bachmeier said his bill was tabled in the State Administration Committee.

"But this bill is not dead by any means," he added.

He said he is working with people on the Appropriations Committee to add the bill as a special project into House Bill 7, introduced by Rep. Jim Keane, D-Butte, which is a reclamation and development grants bill. Once the amendment is in the bill, Bachmeier said, it will be very hard to get it out. Bachmeier said that Keane is also getting people on both sides of the aisle to work on this bill.

Owens said Havre Beneath the Streets approached Bachmeier last fall shortly before the Museum's Holiday Stroll, giving him a private tour and explaining the situation. She said if this bill was passed it would give them the resources to quickly make these repairs and reopen the exhibits.

Waltari said having to move some of the artifacts and displays makes them look as if they don't flow naturally, causing them to lose some of their effect.

He added that having to close the rooms has also caused an issue for people with handicaps because the entrance on Second Street is handicap-accessible. He said if guests can be carried down the steps they are able to provide a wheelchair for them, although the stairs are narrow and difficult to navigate.

Owens said that they have noticed a slight difference in visitors, with many of the handicapped visitors not coming due to this issue.

She said that, with time, the problems will only get worse, with the erosion getting worse every day and the integrity of the sidewalk being in danger.  

"It's not something that's going to go away," she said. "It needs to be fixed."

Owens said that, eventually, they will have to make a decision, either to make the repairs so they can reopen the exhibits or to fill the entire area in to prevent collapse and have those displays be gone forever.

"Losing a bit of Havre's history," she added.

To lose Havre Beneath the Streets would be really sad, she said, and effect the entire Havre community.

She said that since Havre Beneath the Streets first opened in 1994, more than 200,000 people from across the world have visited the exhibits. Every year the attraction averages approximately 8,000 visitors, she said - those visitors stay in the local hotels, eat at the local restaurants and shop at the local stores. Havre Beneath the Streets is something that affects Havre as a whole, she said.

Owens said that, at this point in time, they are still in the early stages and are still working on bids. She added that they have also set the date for their first fundraiser for this project. The fundraiser will be April 26 in the Havre Eagles Club. She said this fundraiser is still in planning stages, but more details on the event will be released at a later date.

She added that the Havre Eagles Club has been a great partner, agreeing to work with them and help them collect money for the sidewalk project, "both entities coming together to save the Havre underground."

She said people can walk in and donate to the sidewalk fund at the Eagles Club or at Havre Beneath the Streets. She added that they are also working on a GoFundMe page as well as having a flyer available on their Facebook page for people to fill out.

Waltari added that these donations are also tax deductible and Havre Beneath the Streets can write people a receipt for their donations.

A Bear Paw Credit Union representative said people can donate to the Sidewalk Fund for Havre Beneath the Streets account at the credit union. People can either put their names on as a memo or remain anonymous. If people want a receipt for tax purposes they need to ask their teller.

Bear Paw Development Corp. Director of Community Planning Nanette Gabriel said Bear Paw is working with Havre Beneath the Streets to apply for a number of grants. She said one grant that is most fitting is the Tourism Grant, adding that it is a good fit for the project.

The application for this grant opens in July and closes in September, she said. Gabriel added that they also be notified if they qualified for the grant in December. She said are hoping to raise the required funds before the September deadline.

The Tourism Grant is a two-to-one match grant, meaning Havre Underground will have to raise a dollar for every two dollars which are awarded to them.

She said, because of that, it is important that Havre Beneath the Streets does fundraisers. She added that the museum will also be applying for several smaller grants to help pay for the fundraisers as well as preliminary architectural reviews. Some of these smaller grants they will be applying for are through BNSF Railway Havre Area Chamber of Commerce, Triangle Communications and NorthWestern Energy, she said.

Gabriel said that, initially, the match funds needed will be about $40,000.

She said Bear Paw Development is still looking for larger dollar grants and is still exploring some other options.

Havre Eagles Club has been such a supportive entity in Havre, she added, with the club and Beneath the Streets working together to make these repairs and support the community.

"It's just such an integral part of Havre and its history that if it doesn't get worked on, it keeps deteriorating, and pretty soon then we won't have a Beneath the Streets and it will have to close," Gabriel said. "We just don't want to see that happen. ... It's very interesting. It's a really huge part of our community."