After months of seeing several upgrades to Iola’s newest park — Elm Creek Park — members of the Iola Community Involvement Task Force/Pride Committee have returned their sights on Riverside Park beautification.
Members of CITF/Pride have raised enough funds to paint art deco trim and moldings around the walls of the Iola Municipal Pool bathhouse and the Recreation Community Building.
Iola Park Department crews recently spent a few days painting the north and south walls of the rec building.
The rec building’s trim alternates between patches of blue and tangerine orange. Differing shades of blue will adorn the bathhouse trim.
Before the paint project began, most Iolans likely never realized the intricate art deco stylings of both buildings, said Donna Houser, CITF/Pride member.
“This really makes the deco stand out,” she said. “We’ve already received comments about it.”
Armed with generous donations from Sonic Equipment Company, Community National Bank and Iolan Jim Smith, the group hosted a number of fundraisers through the spring and summer to raise more than $3,000 for the paint.
“This paint isn’t cheap at all,” Houser said.
City crews will apply the paint in their spare time.
The paint project caps an eventful year for CITF/Pride. Since last fall, club members have overseen the installation of new picnic tables at Elm Creek Park South, as well as trees and a small walking bridge that spans a ravine along the south side of the creek.
