FORT BENTON — An auto dealer in Fort Benton is hosting a drive-in movie night this weekend to raise money for the community pool. The Fort Benton pool has been struggling, leaking water and chemicals at an accelerated rate.
'Movie Night' fundraiser planned - watch:
Recently, the pool’s boiler broke as well, adding to the financial strain.
Wolfe Fort Benton decided to host a movie night on Saturday, July 19, with all proceeds going toward the Fort Benton pool.
Kristi Johnston, manager of Wolfe Fort Benton, said, “The pool in Fort Benton is a very beloved thing. And it's very obvious to us that this town cares a lot about the pool. Our own, staff and their kids use it all the time, and it's just really important for us to be part of that.”
Doors open at 8pm and the movie “The Avengers" will start at dusk (between 8:30 and 9pm). Wolfe Fort Benton is at 2520 Saint Charles Street.
Entry Fee: Donation per car. Concessions available include pizza, popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy, and pop.
There will be a community meeting regarding the pool at 6:30pm on July 23 at the Community Bible Church in Fort Benton. at 1600 Main Street in Fort Benton.
(JUNE 10, 2025) Maycee Ort is 13 years old and loves swimming at the Fort Benton pool. Ort said, “I'm normally out here every day.”
The pool has been a staple of summers her whole life: “Being able to swim with my friends doing backflips off the diving board is pretty fun.”
But on Monday, her summer plans were put in jeopardy.
Ort said, “I was kind of upset, but I understood why.”
It should take about two weeks for a pool to go through a barrel of chemicals. But with the current state of the Fort Benton pool, that time frame has been reduced to just a few days.
Amanda Brown, Fort Benton’s Pool Manager said, “We're just losing a lot of water, which the water contains the chemicals, so we're losing the water and the chemicals all at the same time.”
Brown has managed other pools across Montana, and said that faulting infrastructure in pools is a statewide issue.
Brown said, “It's just kind of what it is, unfortunately.”
The city of Fort Benton announced on Monday afternoon that they would have to shut the pool down on Wednesday. By Tuesday morning, citizens had gathered at the city hall for an emergency meeting.
Roger Axtman, Fort Benton City Council President said, “One of the major decisions is we’re going to try and get the pool and limp it along until we can after this big swim meet.”
Axtman explained that the swim meet is July 19-20, but getting there will be strenuous: “Yeah we'll be able to make it, but it's just conditionally getting into next year's budget.”
After that, the pool will close, and the city will work on a long term solution.
Axtman said, “We’re just dealing with dated infrastructure, unfortunately.”
The infrastructure is a problem absolutely worth solving, as the pool is a necessity in Fort Benton.
Brown said, “We don't want kids in rivers, canals. And so it's super important for kids to be in the pool so that they can be watched and made sure that they are safe.”
This way, kids like Ort can continue to make summer memories.
Ort said, “I would say that it would be important to the community and it would help kids get out of their rooms more than just sit in their rooms on their phones.”
Once there is more information on funding and donations, it will be posted on the Fort Benton website.
