Iola will receive a $59,320 grant to support activities preparing for construction of a pedestrian bridge spanning Elm Creek along South Washington Avenue.
The grant, from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, was announced Dec. 21 by the Kansas City Business Journal.
Twelve grants totaling $4.25 million were awarded in the HCF’s service area.
Thrive Allen County has spearheaded efforts to pursue the walking bridge as a means to connect Iola to recently developed recreation areas, including the Elm Creek Park South and the nearly finished Lehigh Portland Trail near Elks Lake. The bridge also would connect Iola with Gates Corporation and other businesses south of town.
Funding resources for the bridge’s construction have yet to be decided. No price estimates have been announced.
The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City was formed in 2003 with the sale of Health Midwest, a non-profit health care provider, to HCA.
Health Midwest formerly managed Allen County Hospital.
The foundation began using proceeds from the sale — amounting to $400.5 million — to distribute grants throughout its service area in the areas of mental health, safety net health care and healthy communities, with the goal of removing barriers “to quality health care for the underserved and uninsured in (its) service area.”
Grant advances bridge plans
