Vibrant greenspace, public seating, event space and accessible restrooms
PRESS RELEASE
The Village of Iola is receiving a $50,000 Vibrant Spaces grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to fund the construction of Chester Krause Legacy Park in downtown Iola.
The Vibrant Spaces grant program is designed to help cities and towns revitalize underused spaces to build community and attract future residents. Through this grant program, communities across the state of Wisconsin will be investing in their workforce attraction and small business development by creating inviting, walkable spaces in their downtowns, arterial districts and economic centers.
“Investment in our communities is one of the best talent attraction strategies Wisconsin has,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s leading economic development organization. “These grants will help communities create new gathering places in thriving downtowns to draw in residents, visitors, new businesses, and investments. Vibrant communities are places where people want to live and work.”
Funded in part by WEDC’s Vibrant Spaces grant, the Legacy Park will be dedicated to Chester Krause, a life-long Iola resident that played a role in building Iola into the community it is today. The space will feature a vibrant greenspace, public seating, event space and accessible restrooms. A mural depicting the history of Iola and a bronze statue of Chester Krause will major features of the future park. The space aims to be a welcoming place for community members to come together and enjoy the myriad of community events that downtown Iola has to offer.
“The Village of Iola is grateful to the WEDC for its help in making the Chester L. Krause Legacy Park a reality. During Chet’s business career, Iola’s population grew by 50 percent due in part to the many jobs created by his company. The park is the community’s way of showing what a huge impact Chet had and what a legacy he has left.” Jennifer Schustek, Iola Village President
This year, the Vibrant Spaces Grant program, an initiative within WEDC’s Community Development and Investment (CDI) grant program, supported 34 communities with more than $1.5 million in grants. Projects were evaluated based on their ability to create visible and pedestrian oriented public spaces that attract and accommodate multiple users and activities. Successful projects demonstrated that they would benefit the local district, nearby businesses and the community as a whole. Communities were required to match grant funds and begin construction this summer.
More information can be found online at: https://wedc.org/vibrant-spaces.
ABOUT THE WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) leads economic development efforts for the state by advancing and maximizing opportunities in Wisconsin for businesses, communities and people to thrive in a globally competitive environment. Working with more than 600 regional and local partners, WEDC develops and delivers solutions representative of a highly responsive and coordinated economic development network. Visit wedc.org or follow WEDC on Twitter @WEDCNews to learn more.