State funding for rural economic development
~a column by Mary Weaver
This is going to be a convoluted circuitous column. It involves Springbrook Park, a nephew by nursing sisterhood, a workshop, and rural economic development.
I am an only child, but I have a BROW family. The BROW family sisters were assigned dorm rooms at our original diploma nursing program. Alphabetical assignment by last names, Gaule married Beadel, Druehl married Ross, Duncan married Olerich, and me, Dorris, married Weaver. We graduated together and were in each other’s weddings, had children, anniversaries, and funerals, and thus became the BROW family.
Patsy of BROW has a son, Rob Beadel, who is the Arkansas educational conservationist director.
Rob is visiting his mom in July and was willing to conduct a workshop for Iowans about making a scrap book, tips on nature photography, sketching, writing poetry, and using the woods for mediation.
I have been to Springbrook State Park for BOW (Becoming an Outdoor Woman) for both summer and winter workshops. My first attempt at mushing a dog sled occurred at a winter BOW. The educational building was heated and air conditioned. A cafeteria was available for participants, and three bunk houses including restrooms and showers served to accommodate overnight guests. A fee was charged, but as I recall was not outlandish. I served on the Iowa Nurses’ Association board, and we held our annual board meetings there. After a long day of policy discussions, we would gather around a campfire for socializing.
It seemed like it would be a perfect place for my BROW nephew Rob to conduct a nature workshop.
I contacted the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and was informed that the educational unit, the bunk house, and cafeteria were closed in 2017.
The third portion of this convoluted story came April 15 at the Meet Your Legislator event. Iowa House Representative Carter Nordman and I had an amicable conversation about economic development in rural western Iowa. He informed me Debi Durham of the Iowa Economic Development Authority has lots of funds available, but the State of Iowa should not be totally responsible for bolstering the rural economy. [Read about the Destination Iowa program at iowaeda.com/destination-iowa/. Funding for this program is being made available through the federal American Rescue Plan Act]
A bit of additional research and conversing with the Guthrie County conservation officer and the DNR park ranger who oversees Springbrook revealed that the educational center had up to 20,000 visitors per year, with an operational cost of $275,000. The closure decision did not include a conversation with the Guthrie County conservation board and ill feelings in the community continue to prevail about the closure. We are all aware there has been a trend to defund State Parks.
The park ranger indicated a cost to update the 1969 built facility for fire suppression, adding an elevator to the cafeteria, improving the sidewalks, and creating ramps would have cost upwards of $2 million. The decision was made in 2017 by then DNR director Chuck Gipp to close the educational facility.
Some of you may recall attending church camp at Springbrook. My 8th grade end of school year class outing was a picnic at the State Park. Children had nature opportunities such as archery, photography, hiking, and tracking at the educational center. The park is still open to the public, and classes continue to be made available, but they are all held outdoors.
Decreasing State of Iowa taxes resulting in the closure also diminished economic development for Guthrie County. Jobs at the park such as the cafeteria staff, and other workers are no longer. People no longer visit the educational center for conferences nor campfires.
I contend my tax dollars should be used for services and jobs that will aid in rural economic development and encourage persons to live, work and play in rural Iowa.
-Mary Weaver of Rippey is chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus
