November 23, 2024

New Three Mile Lake cabins get gift

By JOHN VAN NOSTRAND
Since 1993, area residents have been turning to the South Central Iowa Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern-improving the quality of life in Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Ringgold and Union Counties in South Central Iowa. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations create permanent charitable funds that help our region meet the challenges of changing times. The foundation invests and administers these funds that help our region meet the challenges of changing times. We then use the distributions to award more than $1,000,000 in grants each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable region we call home.

South Central Iowa Foundation awards a $30,000 grant to Union County Conservation for the construction of new lodging at Three Mile Lake. The presentation was made during the High Lakes Outdoor Alliance banquet Oct. 5. (UNION COUNTY CONSERVATION)

Union County Conservation’s plans for new cabins at Three Mile Lake received a $30,000 grant earlier this month from the South Central Iowa Community Foundation.

The grant presentation was made during the High Lakes Alliance Outdoor banquet held Oct. 5 at the Three Mile Lake Lodge.

Since 1993, the South Central Iowa Community Foundation has donated to humanitarian, educational and cultural projects in Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Ringgold and Union counties. The proposal is to build two housekeeping cabins at Three Mile Lake. Estimated total cost for both of them is $720,000.

Late last year, Union County Board of Supervisors approved dedicating $720,000 of the county’s American Rescue Plan funds for the cabins.

Union County Conservation Director Doug Jones presented the proposal to build two housekeeping cabins. The cabins can hold multiple people with individual bedrooms, bathrooms, heating, air conditioning and be open year round. Jones also estimated they would not be ready to use until 2024. The planned location is west of the campground; one facing southwest and the other facing northwest.

Union County initially received $2.37 million in American Rescue Plan funds between two $1.18 million payments. The federal government provided the money for government entities to use to make up for lost revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These would offer a lot more amenities, more area and don’t have to go outside to use restroom,” Jones told the supervisors. The design he explained is used in Scott County.

“We could consider putting them on the hill, line up with the ones we have there. Everybody wants to be down by the water. Get the cottage, get the lake, close access. Walk down to the shore line and fish and have your own private dock. That’s the way we’d like to do them,” he said last week.

Jones used Lake Icaria’s cabins in Adams County as a comparable facility.

Lake Icaria has a 10-person cottage which he called “pretty impressive.”

Jones has said all lodging revenue at Three Mile Lake averages $160,000 a year. The amount jumped to $230,000 during the pandemic as it forced people to do more outdoor, recreational activities.

Creston
John Van Nostrand

JOHN VAN NOSTRAND

An Iowa native, John's newspaper career has mostly been in small-town weeklies from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River. He first stint in Creston was from 2002 to 2005.