The Washington County Board of Supervisors approved providing a letter of support for a grant application for a trail project in Kalona’s Southtown Area development.

Washington County Conservation Director Zach Rozmus, Kalona City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh, and Adam Kos of C.J. Moyna & Sons, LLC. presented their project to the board Tuesday, explaining that the Iowa Transportation Commission has approved a one-time $5 million allocation of funding to partially offset COVID-19 related reductions in their State Recreational Trails program. Grant applications are being accepted until May 17th for activities such as acquisition, construction of new trails, maintenance and restoration of existing ones, and development and rehabilitation of trailhead facilities. They hope to receive a grant to fund a proposed 2.25 mile trail on the west side of the former Shiloh property that is being converted into a residential property with recreation such as a disc golf course, dog park, pickleball courts, and more.

Schlabaugh commented on how this project would be a benefit not only to Kalona, “To really have a presence in the north end of the county that kind of mirrors ultimately what Marr Park is for the entire county, I think this would just be another gem in Conservation.”

Rozmus is optimistic of their chances of receiving a grant as CJ Moyna has already done surveying and grading work as part of the Southtown development. Schlabaugh mentions the eventual second phase of the project would be to have a trail connect Southtown north to the city park. The partners did not request matching funds from the supervisors as it is not required for this grant.