by Leah Justice
leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

The Polk County Appearance Commission distributed its 2014 beautification awards to individuals and businesses during the Dec. 1 county commissioner meeting in order to thank recipients for their contributions to the beauty of Polk County.

Awards went to the Tryon Garden Club, Linda and Andy Haynes, Openroad Coffee & Tea, McGourty’s Pub, the Town of Tryon and Robert Lane.

Joe Cooper, chair of the appearance commission, presented the awards and thanked outgoing commissioner Ted Owens for his work in getting the commission formed in 2007. Cooper also thanked appearance commission member Cathy Brettman, who publicized the award and collected the applications and information.

This is the fourth year the appearance commission has given the annual awards.

“These beautification awards are for projects that the public can view,” Cooper said. “To receive these certificates, the beautification work must be something that the general public can see from public roads or sidewalks or be on a property that is open to the public.”

Cooper said businesses and individuals who receive the awards must have completed a project that enhances and improves communities in ways the public and see and appreciate.

The Tryon Garden Club received two awards for landscaping at the Tryon Depot Garden and for the many years the club has owned and maintained Pearson’s Falls, particularly the creation of a landscaped, public, green, composting restroom with a living roof. The green restroom was made possible through a Polk County Community Foundation grant.

Susan Kelley, Tryon Garden Club president, and Carol Meeske, project manager, accepted the awards.

Linda and Andy Haynes received an award for the removal of wisteria and kudzu along Hwy. 108 coming into Tryon from Lynn at the historic residence of Lynncote.

Stan Yoder and Tyrone Perry of Columbus’ Openroad Coffee & Tea were presented an award for taking a plain and ordinary looking commercial building and turning it into a beautiful and attractive beehive where friends meet, according to Cooper.

Another award went to McGourty’s Pub in downtown Tryon for creating an attractive entry and porch on the west side of Palmer Street. Accepting the award for McGourty’s were owners Cindy and Pete Viehman.

The Town of Tryon received an award for creating the public space at St. Luke’s Plaza.

“For the coordination of state, county and private support and creative drive necessary to complete this very important space, an award goes to the Town of Tryon,” Cooper said. Accepting the award for the town was Tryon Mayor Jim Wright.

The last award was also for St. Luke’s Plaza in Tryon and went to, “the man who had the vision and capability to make this happen,” Cooper said. “We are grateful to Mr. Robert Lane for his commitment to improving his chosen town. He is both a visionary and a realist, whose generosity of spirit makes our community a better place to live.” Accepting the award for Robert Lane was his son and partner, Scott Lane, who Cooper said also has large goals for the improvement of Tryon.

“Making our county more beautiful for the public to see has the immediate benefit of allowing those of us who live here to enjoy our home county all the more,” Cooper said.

Cooper added that when Polk’s buildings and roadsides are beautiful, clean and green, the county has a better chance to bring in new businesses, grow existing businesses and provide more local jobs. In addition, the county will attract tourists and guests who will stay for a while, eat in local restaurants, shop in stores and stay in one of the county’s bed and breakfasts or inns. The county is also more appealing to someone who may decide to build their dream home, which provides local construction jobs and other benefits to the county’s economy.