Vets park and Stott’s Ford receive awards

 

COLUMBUS – Veterans Park in Columbus and Stott’s Ford in Tryon were the recipients of the 2017 Polk County Appearance Commission Beautification Awards.

 

The awards were given by appearance commission’s Joe Cooper during the Polk County Board of Commissioner’s Monday, Jan. 8 meeting.

 

Cooper said this is the seventh year the beautification awards have been given. The awards are given to projects that can be viewed by the public.

 

“Both of these projects are making our county more inviting, more attractive and more interesting,” Cooper said. “One of the winners is an important civic organization and the other is a private business with a long history in Polk County. The people who did this work made our county a better place to live, work and visit.”

 

Veterans Park on the corner of Ward and Gibson Street in Columbus was given an award in appreciation for its contribution in 2017. Cooper said the park is used for public activities and events and there are music concerts and gatherings for Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Veterans Park has landscaped areas and places for people to sit and walkways to view the memorial to the contribution and sacrifices from our veterans, Cooper said. Plans are in the works for more memorials and improvements to landscaping.

 

Cooper said there have been many people involved in the beautification of Veterans Park, including the local American Legion Post, local Boy Scouts and law enforcement but the organization that has been most responsible and has coordinated work is VFW Post 9116. Post Commander Bevin Corbin accepted the beautification award.

 

Cooper said the appearance commission would not normally give an award to a private business making improvements to the outside of their building, but Stott’s Ford in Tryon made an exceptional effort and invested more, earning it the next beautification award.

“They enhanced not just their own property but they made a significant improvement to the visual experience of Tryon with their tasteful architecture and landscaping,” said Cooper.

 

Stott’s Ford has been family owned and operated for three generations, Cooper said, and last year they remade the exterior of their building with extensive architectural improvements that make visual reference to our past and to our heritage and express modern and stylishly contemporary design.

 

“Everyone driving through Polk County on Hwy. 176 can enjoy and admire this important improvement to our area,” Cooper said. “Stott’s Ford sets an excellent example for us and makes Polk County more beautiful.”

 

Stott’s Ford President Robbie Stott accepted the award.

 

The Polk County Appearance Commission is a volunteer board appointed by the board of commissioners with its mission to initiate and promote beautification projects throughout the county.