Staff recommends the City Council authorize submitting an application to the Montana History Foundation for up to $5,000 to update the Downtown Historic Walking Tour mobile application.

The City Council is being asked to authorize an application to the Montana History Foundation for grant funds to update the Historic Downtown Walking Tour mobile application. In 2010, the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board (YHPB) through the City of Billings applied for a Heritage Planning Grant through the State Historic Preservation Officer to create one of the first in the state electronic walking tours of the historic downtown. That program is no longer viable as technology has significantly changed. If successful, the grant funds from the Montana History Foundation will be used to recreate the walking tour using a platform called ThingLink. This web based 2D mapping program is easy to learn and use. The software improves engagement and learning results with interactive media such as images, videos, virtual tours, 3D models and simulations. This will allow the user to view the history and architecture of significant buildings in Billings. If funded, the Western Heritage Center, consultant to the YHPB, will produce and manage the walking tour. Currently, the Western Heritage Center uses ThingLink for its displays and museum information.

City Council may:

• Direct staff to apply for Montana History Foundation grant funds to recreate the downtown walking tour application; or,
• Direct staff not to apply for grant funding to recreate the downtown walking tour application. Declining the grant application would eliminate the ability to provide a tourism and community tool to learn and understand the importance of our historic buildings in the downtown.

City Council approval would allow the City to apply for up to $5,000 in Montana History Foundation grant funds. The local match for this grant is 25% in cash or in-kind services. The Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board was given an anonymous gift of $4,000 towards historic preservation activities in 2018. With these donated funds, the YHPB will be able to provide a cash match of a minimum of $500 with the remaining match coming from the Historic Preservation Officer time in project management and content development and volunteer time by YHPB members. The total project with grant funds, local cash contribution by YHPB, and in-kind hours total just over $6,000.

This opportunity to apply for up to $5,000 in grant funds to recreate and reboot the Electronic Downtown Historic Walking Tour will benefit local tourism and provide an educational opportunity for visitors and local residents.