by Leah Justice
leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

Tryon’s Maple Street project was receiving its finishing touches late last week: after stucco on the landscape beds, the sealing of the bottom of Maple Street was done, rock work on the planters was completed and the kiosk was installed.

Tree beds were expected to be filled at the end of the week and striping was expected to be complete over the weekend, weather permitting.

The work is being complete in the expected time frame with work beginning on July 21. The project was expected to take between 30 and 45 days.

The kiosk was installed near the corner of Maple and Trade Streets, just in front of a plant bed.

Town council debated last month what the best location would be for the kiosk, with it not being placed where originally planned. Town council said a map will be installed at a later date as a directional sign for businesses.

Tryon council approved a budget for the project in June for $40,000 and awarded a $37,300 contract to Trace and Company. The town has not yet decided what work will be done to the sidewalk between Maple and Oak Streets. The town has plans to do repair work to the sidewalk and has not yet decided if part or all of the sidewalk will be repaired.

Trace and Company will do the work to the existing sidewalk and was also contracted by the town to do phase I of work at the depot plaza, which is also ongoing.

The Maple Street project includes a new sidewalk on the St. Luke’s Plaza side of the street, paid for through a $20,000 Polk County Community Foundation grant; two bump-outs with planters at the Trade Street corners; angled parking to add parking spaces along Maple Street and improved sidewalk transitions as well as a staircase to the new sidewalk from the plaza. The kiosk was also part of the project.

Tryon gave Trace and Company until the end of October to complete the work. Tryon Town Council is scheduled to meet tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. where council will likely hear updates on both the Maple Street and depot plaza projects.