KCRG TV teams with Chamber to promote Kalona

By Mary Zielinski
Cedar Rapids KCRGTV (Channel 9 ) is joining with the Kalona Chamber of commerce in a campaign to promote the Quilt Capitol of Iowa that is known for his Old Order Amish presence. During the Kalona Chamber luncheon meeting Monday, P. J. Cahill of Channel 9 outlined plans for a series of television and internet promotions to air this summer.
The Chamber has applied for a $25,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) to aid with the plan. Additionally, Channel 9 is contributing $10,000, said Cahill, and the Chamber allocated $1,000 for it. The Chamber previously received a tourism promotion grant from the WCRF for a large scale print media campaign for inserts in St. Louis, Minneapolis and Kansas City newspapers.
The WCRF grants will not be announced until June, although work on the program was to start in May.
Featured speaker for the Chamber meeting was Lke Newton, landscaping engineer with MMS Consultants who are preparing the plans for Kalona’s downtown revitalization. MMS began last month with survey work, identifying key problem areas with sidewalks, streets, drainage and alley accesses. As MMS has told the council earlier, before streetscape changes can be made, the infrastructure needs to be addressed.
Doug Yotty, a member of the planning/steering committee, stressed that “We are a long way from a finalized project”, adding that “This will not be a council or committee decision, but one from the people of Kalona.”
He said,”That first are the basic, then second, the nice things.”
Among the possible “nice things” will be a permanent quilt design at the intersection of B Avenue and 5th Street, use of colored concrete on sidewalks, including possible quilt designs, signage and plantings.
MMS stressed that things to be considered involve the town’s Amish/Mennonite heritage, its reputation for quilts, the renown of the Kalona Sales Barn and its unusual shops.
Chamber President Larry Moeller announced that there will be 22 hanging floral baskets, filled with purple flowers, installed on 22 downtown area poles and that Wes Rich volunteered to do the daily watering of the plants. Rich is a Kalona resident and the District 2 county supervisor.