Balfour Beatty Community Center grand opening

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Delia Marchick
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont --  Balfour Beatty Communities opened the doors to a new community center with a brief ribbon cutting ceremony May 5.

"I would like to remind you of the reason we are here today - the U. S. military family," said Luke LaLiberty, Balfour Beatty Communities project director.

The staff of Balfour Beatty believe the military families play an important role in helping our Airmen complete the AF mission. 

"In addition to the military members who serve and protect around the world, there are the family members who remain behind and serve on the home front, LaLiberty said. "It is our mission to give our military world-class service and communities in which to do that."

The community center grand opening took place at the beginning of military appreciation month.

"It's about the military family who oftentimes gets left alone in our mission here, where we go to the missile field for three, four, five days," said Col. Tom Wilcox 341st Missile Wing Commander. "It allows that military family to have a place to go and enjoy state-of-the-art equipment. We are happy to have it and happy to have that partnership with Balfour Beatty."

The Balfour Beatty staff continuously seeks to improve the quality of life for service members and their families. The community center is one of the ways they support the military community. 

"Balfour Beatty communities are a change from military housing and we want to provide a place for the families to go and enjoy something that we can give back to them," said Jennifer Benski, community manager of Balfour Beatty Communities.

"I think that if you go outside the base and into communities that have apartment complexes or townhouses you will see that they have centers and activities that bring people together," said Benski. "I think that even though we are on a military installation and we have that closeness with everybody it's nice to have something that the families can come together and enjoy."

The community center is the latest development of the five-year initial development period at Malmstrom Family Housing. The Air Force and Balfour Beatty Communities entered into a partnership in March 2012 under the Military Housing Initiative of 1996 with a focus on the well-being and quality of life for military members and their families.

The community center features an indoor basketball court, family fitness room with a children's play area, indoor theater with seating for 23 residents and a 12 foot screen, kitchen area, conference room and multipurpose room.

The outside portion of the community center includes an outdoor barbeque area, outdoor basketball court, multipurpose field, playground, and a dog park located behind the community center.

At this time, access to the community center is limited to Balfour Beatty residents.

"The center is open to anyone who lives in the Balfour Beatty community here at Malmstrom," said Benski.

Community center hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week and will be closed on Federal Holidays.

Benski said the indoor pool is the most anticipated part of the community center.

The 54,000 gallon heated indoor pool will be open year-round for base residents to enjoy. The pool features a UV pool filter system that provides 99.99 percent containment free water and a reduction in chemical usage.

The community center will provide Life Works program events, fitness classes and a place for family events such as childrens birthday parties and get-togethers.

"I am really excited about it," said Holly Kidwell base resident and military spouse. "I think it will be great to have an indoor pool and group fitness classes. The northern tier bases need all the indoor facilities they can get," she added.

The community center is open and the lease-holder can gain access and receive one pass for the whole family once they register with Balfour Beatty.

"If they haven't already come in to get their passes to get in to the center they need to do that in order to gain entry after the grand opening," said Benski.

For more information on the community center or Balfour Beatty, call 406-315-2262 or visit the office at 6945 Goddard Drive.