© 2024 WVIK
Listen at 90.3 FM and 98.3 FM in the Quad Cities, 95.9 FM in Dubuque, or on the WVIK app!
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Community

Mercer County Implements Plan

Mercer County Better Together
Old School Park in Matherville
Credit Mercer County Better Together
Joy Park

After several years of planning how to improve their economy, residents of Mercer County are ready to take the next steps. Led by the group Mercer County Better Together, they're starting to fix up their parks and promote tourism.

The group's executive director, Kyle McEwen, says they began working on a strategic plan in 2015, first organizing leaders from the 11 main towns in the county then holding public meetings. Now, they're ready to put their plans into action.

Credit Mercer County Better Together
Seaton Park

"During the planning process, our residents identified their public parks and recreation facilities as one of their most valued assets in their communities."

McEwen says a key part of the plan is for all the communities to help each other fix up their parks and recreation facilities, with money from a local foundation and donations.

Their second project is figure out what signs are needed to help tourists.

"And leveraging that tourism opportunity in our county is to identify are we steering visitors toward our important assets, whether they be recreational assets, business assets, historical assets, et cetera."

McEwen says Mercer County Better Together is now recognized by the IRS as a non-profit organization so financial contributions are tax deductible. 
 

A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.