In recent years, a group of steely determined volunteers, equipped with various grants and an occasional assist from the city helped convert empty industrial land and an abandoned railroad right-of-way near Iola into one of the region’s signature trails complexes.
The Lehigh Portland and Southwind Trails systems have since drawn hikers and bikers from near and far.
Now, Thrive Allen County has set its sights on turning city-owned property at the old Cedarbrook Golf Course into another recreational mecca.
Thrive representatives Jonathon Goering, John Castellaw and Lisse Regehr spoke Monday with City Council members about their vision, which includes converting old golf cart paths into hiking and biking trails; adding a foot bridge or two to cross a pair of former water hazards; stocking those bodies of water with fish, if possible; adding flower gardens and native grass areas; and later adding other amenities, such as fire pits, a dog park and campfire areas.
Council members were receptive, but asked for more information.
Goering, Thrive’s economic development officer, Castellaw, advocacy and outreach director, and Regehr, executive director, spoke about their five-phase plan, which has been developed with input from city officials.
Noting that both the Lehigh Portland and Southwind trails are south of town, Goering and Castellaw said they were eager to see a recreational venue developed in the north part of town. Currently, the largest nearby park is Meadowbrook Park in the middle of town.
The proposed park would lie just south of Oregon Road and east of the Prairie Spirit Trail, or the northernmost portions of the old golf course, which closed its doors for good in 2019.
The cost to the city, in terms of dollars and cents, would be nominal, although Thrive would eventually ask for in-kind contributions, such as labor.
A materials and cost breakdown for all amenities comes in at about $30,000, but Thrive has a grant application pending that would fund up to $8,000 for limestone screening for the proposed trail.
Likewise, some of the costs are for amenities that likely would not be included in the early phases of the park’s planning, such as concrete ping pong tables, pegged at $7,800.
GOERING pointed to a pair of financial benefits to the city, the first of which would be in lower property taxes Iola must pay on the Cedarbrook property. Because the land is considered development property, Iola pays about $5,800 annually in property taxes for its Cedarbrook property.
It would not be taxed if it were considered greenspace.
More so, with an attractive park, the land could entice further development.
Councilwoman Nancy Ford asked about security around the area, and whether having an additional park in town would require patrols by Iola police officers.
