City of Iola crews were busy clearing trees alongside Montana Road in the ongoing preparation of Lehigh Portland State Park Wednesday morning.
“They are clearing some road right-of-way to make way for a power line,” explained Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock. “They are just about finished.”
After the clearing is done, the city’s involvement with the park preparation will be complete. Schinstock anticipates the installation of the power line will take about two weeks.
Iola Industries purchased over 500 acres of land in 1971 when the Lehigh Portland Cement Co., closed after 100 years of operation.
With the donation of the land, Kansas legislators approved LeHigh Portland State Park as Kansas’ 29th state park on April 6, 2023. On April 19, 2023, Gov. Laura Kelly signed the legislation.
Funds from the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) program will be used to develop the park.
