The Glacier Park Headquarters asbestos kerfuffle is over. Testing turned up no significant issues. However, headquarters personnel will remain scattered around other park facilities until the heating and air conditioning work is complete and to (cough) “provide employees with a construction dust free working environment.” They’ve rejiggered the phones, so you shouldn’t any trouble tracking people down. Read the press release for details.

The Glacier National Park headquarters building is closed for a while, with personnel relocated to various other buildings in the area. Seems they’ve been installing a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and encountered what may be some asbestos. There’s no word on why the heck they were messing with the HVAC system this time of year, but it no doubt made sense at the time.

Anyways, for those of you who might need to do business with park headquarters, here’s the press release . . .

Date: November 22, 2010
Contact: Bill Hayden, 406 888-5804

WEST GLACIER, MONT. – Glacier National Park Officials have temporarily closed the main Park Headquarters Building, due to a possible asbestos issue related to the installation of a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

At this time, we do not have confirmation that asbestos is present but we are acting on the possibility that some of the building materials may contain asbestos. Testing is underway and the building will remain closed to entry until it is shown that it is safe to return.

Employees are being temporarily relocated to other offices in the Park Headquarters area and critical functions like mail service and phones are working.

Visitors to the park can still obtain information at the Apgar Visitor Center, near the foot of Lake McDonald. Until Park Headquarters reopens, the visitor center will expand its hours from weekends only, to seven day-a-week coverage. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. The visitor center will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.