Dear Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce,
I am writing to express my support for designating Lehigh Portland as a Kansas state park.
I was born and raised in Iola. Growing up, my father was an Iola Elks member and we frequently spent time at the quarry lake swimming, fishing, and boating.
After living in the Kansas City metro area for nearly two decades, I returned to Iola with my husband to raise our family in my hometown.
As Elks members, our family has continued to enjoy the quarry lake area, which has been significantly enhanced by the addition of the surrounding trail system.
We hike, bike, kayak, canoe, swim, and fish — and we do it together. Having nearby access to outdoor amenities means that we participate and are active more often. And the time spent as a family and with friends has immeasurable value.
I was not upset when I learned that the Elks’ lease on the lake was not renewed. I knew something bigger was in store and I was excited to learn of the possibility of a state park.
Designating the quarry lake and surrounding trail system as a state park would not only give other families the opportunity to enjoy lake recreation as my family has, but it would attract visitors to the area, make Allen County a destination for outdoor recreation events and festivals, and benefit our local economy.
A partnership with the state is important to help improve safety measures for the area. With more people accessing the quarry lake and surrounding trails, added support from the state would lend the expertise and resources needed to properly maintain and monitor the public green space, helping to ensure that everyone has a safe experience so that these resources can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
Thank you for your consideration of this bill.
Sincerely,
Traci Plumlee,
Iola, Kan.
Dear Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce,
I’m writing you as a small business owner in southeast Kansas and Iola resident to express my enthusiastic support for HB2331, to create Lehigh Portland State Park.
I opened Southwind Cycle and Outdoor, an independent bicycle shop in Iola, in 2018, and have spent countless hours working on the trails, riding mountain bikes with others, and hiking. The development of the trails in this area has made my business and other recreation- and tourism-oriented businesses in the area possible, and inspired other communities in Kansas to follow our example.
• In southeast Kansas, we are also very close to northwest Arkansas, a region that has become virtually synonymous with mountain biking as an engine of rural economic development.
• Natural surface trails and opportunities for hiking and mountain biking are rare and unique in Kansas, particularly nearby a small town that can provide the services regional tourists look for.
• The Lehigh Portland Trails provide a uniquely nature-centric experience in a state where the overwhelming majority of land is managed for agricultural production.
