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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Governor Culver Recognizes New Great Places

Work plans, memos of understanding to be developed

DES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver formally recognized Iowa’s newest Great Places today during a ceremony at the State Capitol Building in Des Moines.

Representatives from Appanoose County, Davenport, Decorah, Charles City, Council Bluffs, Perry and Valley Junction of West Des Moines received Great Places Awards Certificates signed by Culver. The newly identified Great Places are expected to develop work plans and sign Memorandums of Understanding with the state in the next few months.

“The Great Places program is one of a kind, and truly reflects the possibilities that exist when state resources are coupled with local initiatives,” said Governor Culver. “The seven new Great Places were selected because of outstanding proposals for their communities – and their readiness and abilities to move forward with their plans.

Iowa’s newest Great Places were identified last week after the Iowa Great Places Citizen Advisory Board concluded a four-day tour of seven finalist locations and made its recommendations to Department of Cultural Affairs Director Cyndi Pederson. Pederson approved the advisory board’s recommendations, bringing the total number of Iowa Great Places to 16.

Iowa Great Places is a program that calls on state agencies to partner with Iowans by combining state resources with local assets to make Iowa’s communities, neighborhoods, districts and regions great places where people want to live, work and raise a family.

The program asks Iowans to develop proposals that address seven unique and authentic dimensions that make their places special: engaging experiences; rich, diverse populations and cultures; a vital, creative economy; clean and accessible natural and built environments; well-designed infrastructure; a shared attitude of optimism that welcomes new ideas; and based on a diverse and inclusive cultural mosaic.

State agencies continue to work with Iowa’s previously identified Great Places – Adams County, Clinton, Coon Rapids, Dubuque, Fairfield, Guttenberg, Jackson County, Mason City and Sioux City – to achieve their visions by identifying technical assistance and existing programs such as grant and financial aid programs, and the State Historic Preservation Tax Credit program.

Following is a list of this year’s newly identified Great Places, their visioning statements and summaries of their project proposals:

Appanoose County – A Unique Sense of Place: A multitude of 52 cultures and nationalities settled, prospered and raised their children with an ability of overcoming challenges and the resilience to meet and change with the times.

  • Restoration of Ritz theatre.
  • Development of 545 acres Lelah Bradley Active Campus that includes trails, natural habitat, reservoirs, sport fields and community gardens.
  • Rathbun multi-use trail connecting Rathbun Snow trails and the new trails in Honey Creek Resort State Park.

Charles City – America’s Hometown: Showcase Charles City as a great place to live, work and play. The only remaining structure in the Midwest dedicated to one of the premier advocates of women’s suffrage in the United States that resulted in passage of the 19th Amendment, along with a unique kayak rodeo for outdoor usage.

  • Carrie Chapman Catt Girlhood Home & Education into education, enlightenment and awareness of suffrage rights and their relationship to rights of women.
  • Riverfront development of kayak rodeo, ravine area, park entrance enhancement, storm water fountain and CW trail augmentation.

Council Bluffs – The River’s Edge at Iowa’s Leading Edge: Enhance the Council Bluffs image within the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area by diversifying tourism opportunities, increasing commercial and housing activities and improving the quality of life for western Iowans.

  • Development of former Playland Park site into mix use neighborhood offering unique living and working environment.
  • Development of riverfront park to encourage access to Missouri River and public art.
  • Complete enhancements of pedestrian bridge linking Council Bluffs and Omaha riverfront developments.
  • Sustainable expertise and programming forum for activities in riverfront park.

Davenport – Iowa’s Front Porch: At the crossroads of America, this city has intrigued entrepreneurs, adventurers and explorers for centuries. It is planning its future on education, arts and neighborhoods that are steeped in the rich history of the state and country.

  • Centennial Park is a 58-acre former industrial area and will turn into a gathering place for the community with a state-of-the-art skate park, basketball courts, and informal play and concert area with active recreation, family play and picnic area.
  • Centennial Park spray ground, a 10,000-square-foot area featuring programmable and interactive play for young families without hazards for young children, based on a Mississippi River theme and a migratory flyway of the river.
  • Front Porch parkway that envisions water transportation on River Drive, farmer’s market and beautification that promotes Union Station as a visitor’s center and expands the River Drive skyway.
  • LeClaire Park enhancement of Main Street pier, sculpture garden, family activity center, nature area, fountain area and Brady Street Bowl.

Decorah – A Healthy Community: A healthy community is reflected in its physical attributes, successful business environment and active citizen participation that brings tourists to a beautiful spot that is set apart from much of Iowa with its limestone bluffs and scenic river ravine.

  • Development of Health Center and development and rehabilitation of visitor’s center and community recreation/education center.
  • Continuation of 12-mile trail.
  • Local food and fitness center along with $500,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation to increase consumption of healthy food in rural communities.

Perry – Living the Small Town Dream: A hometown that enriches its residents, fosters a sense of community, provides the basics and celebrates their significance with a shared experience and appreciation of diverse cultures.

  • Downtown revitalization focused on beautification, improved infrastructure and creation of pedestrian friendly walkways.
  • Town Craft Center to help small communities envision a sustainable future through creative approaches to development with Iowa State University College of Design and Iowa State Extension.
  • Recreation/Brownfield/Interpretative Center – includes connection of trails of Raccoon River Valley, Hiawatha Trail and Galloping Goose Trail.
  • Reintroducing bays of original roundhouse and certain buildings of railroad center and creation of educational center for railroad history and immigrant center to fully explore the immigrant experience from yesterday to today.

Valley Junction – Historic Valley Junction: Under Construction: Broad-based group of supporters that want to show how a small neglected part of the metro Des Moines area can rise from a derelict and neglected part of the larger suburban city and forge its own unique identity as a small village in suburbia.

  • Development of pattern book to promote walk ability and consistent small town feel for the village.
  • Public art.
  • Railroad Avenue and Valley Junction streetscape.
  • Small business incubator in restored railroad depot.
  • Trail connection from city to Raccoon River and to metro Des Moines.

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is responsible for developing the state’s interest in the areas of the arts, history and other cultural matters with the advice and assistance from its two divisions: the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa Arts Council. DCA preserves, researches, interprets and promotes an awareness and understanding of local, state and regional history and stimulates and encourages the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts and public interest and participation in them. It implements tourism-related art and history projects as directed by the General Assembly and designs a comprehensive, statewide, long-range plan with the assistance of the Iowa Arts Council to develop the arts in Iowa. More information about DCA is available at www.culturalaffairs.org.