The Town of Columbus, in cooperation with the Polk County Appearance Commission, was recently awarded a grant of $10,000 from the Polk County Community Foundation. The foundation made this grant available through its unrestricted grants fund.

The funds will go toward a Gateway Improvement Project within the Town of Columbus.&bsp; This project represents the first phase of the Polk County Gateway Tree Project. The project’s goal is to provide a greater sense of place and identity to those entering Columbus through the beauty of sustainable trees along the roadway.

The Appearance Commission is very excited about this first step in our Polk County Gateway Tree Planting Project [made possible through the support of] the Polk County Community Foundation. This section of 108 is the most traveled road into Polk County and into Columbus, our county seat. These gateway trees will greatly enhance this important entry, said Joe Cooper, chairman of the Polk County Appearance Commission. &bsp;

Later phases of the Polk County Gateway Tree Planting Project will focus on the Highway 176 and Interstate 26 corridors.

For more information on this project, please contact Columbus Town Manager Jonathan Kanipe at 828-894-8236.