Funding a new “pocket park” is included in the city of Kalona’s plans for this year’s allocation from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation.

Each year, the city receives $140,000 from the WCRF, and the city is required to detail the projects on which they plan to spend the money.

“We receive roughly $140,000 a year from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation,” City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh said. “We have to submit non-competitive grant applications for those funds to say how we’re going to spend them.”

One of the projects is a small park to be placed on a city-owned vacant lot on the northwest corner of B Avenue and Third Street.

Schlabaugh said that there is some playground equipment currently on the Shiloh property that the city would like to move to the vacant lot.

“We would like to relocate that and create a pocket park on B Avenue,” he said.

Public Works Director Matt Jacoby said he inspected the playground equipment at Shiloh.

“That equipment was put out there in 2017; it’s not old,” Jacoby said. “It’s literally brand new equipment. It’s the same type of stuff we have at the park.”

Schlabaugh said that the city also plans to use some of the WCRF money to start the process of adding an ADA compliant playground at City Park.

“We would like to allocate $40,000 to start that project,” he said. “We can use that $40,000 as seed money for other grant opportunities.”

Other projects include:

• Replacing flag poles at Highway 1 and 22 and city park, as well as adding a new flag pole at Sharon Hill Cemetery.

• Landscaping and tree removal around City Hall.

• Partnering with the library to replace carpet in the community room and staff area.

• Adding four black granite pillars to the Unknown Soldier Memorial at Sharon Hill Cemetery.

• Debt service for the Kalona Community Center.

• Funds for Fall Festival and the Kalona Historical Society.