Glacier National Park Headquarters Building Reopens

Date: February 25, 2011
Contact: Bill Hayden  , 406-888-7927

WEST GLACIER, MONT.  – Reconstruction of Glacier National Park headquarters ventilation system is now complete and park officials today announced that employees have returned to their respective offices and functions.  Park headquarters is now open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for Federal observed holidays. As a result of the headquarters building reopening, the Apgar Visitor Center is again open for weekend, winter hours (406-888-7939). This west side visitor center is open weekends only from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through the end of April when the visitor center will be staffed daily. During weekdays, visitors may obtain information and assistance at park headquarters in West Glacier between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

On November 18, 2010, employees of the headquarters/administration building were notified of a potential risk of exposure to asbestos and lead as a result of construction and were evacuated from the building that same day. Comprehensive tests were performed throughout the building for the presence of asbestos, crystalline silica and lead; test results reflected no discernable asbestos. Tests conducted on both air and dust samples for the presence of lead returned results depicting very low, non-hazardous levels of lead.

"Although the headquarters building was determined to be safe to enter, occupants continued to work in alternative work areas until the completion of the HVAC project," said park superintendent Chas Cartwright. "Given the disruption, a decision was made to provide employees with a (construction) dust-free work environment while allowing the construction to proceed as rapidly as possible. 

Glacier's headquarters provides offices for approximately 65 year-round occupants.  The headquarters HVAC project was funded by ARRA stimulus funds as an energy efficiency project. The NPS awarded the contract to Swank Enterprises, Inc. of Kalispell in May 2010.