Dear Chairwoman Renee Erickson and members of the Senate Committee on Commerce,
I am writing to express my support for HB2331, creating Lehigh Portland State Park.
I have moved all over the world and throughout the United States with my husband, Major Scott Kroenke, in support of his 26-plus years with the Army. One of the things that we used for help in dealing with mental health stressors, was the physical healing and family bonding, provided by area state parks wherever we lived.
My husband is preparing to retire later this summer, and he decided to move our family back to our hometown area. Since being home, I was excited to discover the availability of the Lehigh Portland trails. The positive impact of these trails has been phenomenal. I have been able to use the paths to go for runs to clear my head while my husband has spent this last year in Kuwait on a final tour overseas, walking with friends from church, hiking with my family, and exploring caves.
Designating the Lehigh Portland trail area and the lake connected to it as a state park would offer even more activities for our community, including camping, kayaking, fishing, and discovering more trails to hike and run. It has been nice to see so many people taking advantage of the trail system.
Currently, Allen County does not have any state parks or lakes. HB 2331’s passing would have a significant economic impact on our rural community. Those traveling through could take advantage of a place to stay, play, and visit for shopping and exploring.
Sincerely,
April D. Kroenke,
Iola, Kan.
Dear Chairwoman Renee Erickson and members of the Senate Committee on Commerce,
I am writing to express my support for bill HB 2331, creating Lehigh Portland State Park.
I am excited about the possibility of the proposed state park being available to all citizens of Kansas and surrounding states. We are not members of the Elks Club, so we have not had access to the lake in previous years.
The increased visitors to Allen County would be of financial benefit to our community. We already have a number of visitors from all over Kansas and beyond taking advantage of our beautiful trails for walking and biking. The quality-of-life improvements discussed in planning the proposed park include campsites, swimming, fishing, accessible restrooms, and further amenities for local residents and visitors alike.
We have enjoyed using the trails for recreation. Both our high school and community college athletes are frequent visitors to the trails for workouts. The trails provide some challenging and beautiful scenery for our track and cross country runners.
Another advantage of designating the area as a state park will be to improve the safety infrastructure and maintenance of the property by including onsite park staff. Having access to state resources will also help to continue our efforts in developing a healthy ecosystem for our area wildlife.
Thank you for taking time to review our letters of support for bill HB 2331 creating Lehigh Portland State Park.
Sincerely,
Shellie Regehr,
Iola, Kan.
