Great Places Update
Summer 2008
With the warm, dry summer weather, work on multiple Great Place projects is underway.
The Stage Coach Road Trail between the School, Aquatic Center and Stage Coach Road is completed except for grading and landscaping. This concrete trail, which will last for decades, provides a safe route for youth living north of town to walk or bike to school and the city park.
Work on the Thomas Rest Haven Assisted Living Wing is 99+ percent complete. Several local residents have signed up and will become residents in July or early August.
Work on the 5th Ave gateway to Coon Rapids is underway. Footings for walls, the Hybrid Icon Sculpture and the new Coon Rapids sign are being poured. Hardscaping is expected to be completed in August. Landscaping is scheduled for September.
A new stained glass panel, paid for by local donations and an Iowa Arts Council grant has been installed in the library. The panel depicts the Raccoon River north of the swinging bridge at Riverside Park.
The initial contract for work on the Town Loop trail has been awarded and work on extending our current trail into Whiterock will soon be underway.
Our city park shelter house is reserved nearly every weekend. This facility with inside and covered outside dining areas and a complete kitchen is proving to be a very popular and useful community asset. It can be reserved by calling the city clerk at 712-999-7749.
We now have three B&Ks (bedroom and kitchens) lodging facilities in Coon Rapids. The business directory on this site provides contact information.
June 2008
Iowa Senator Charles Grassley’s visit to Coon Rapids may have been long overdue, but when he arrived here last Friday -- about 15 minutes early -- it wasn’t long before he got caught up in the Coon Rapids/Whiterock Great Place partnership. Read more.
April 2008
Streetscape site construction work begins. Gurney Parket Post 357 membership recognition. Pheasants Forever to plant up to 10,000 trees this spring. Read all the details here.
February 2008
The Coon Rapids-Whiterock Steering Committee reports getting very near to “closing in” on their current objective: a $1.7 million Vision Iowa Community Attractions and Tourism (CAT) grant that they have been pursuing since early last year. These $1.7 million state CAT funds -combined with significant state, city, CRMU, county, private, and Whiterock funding- will allow nearly $4 million in tourism infrastructure to be constructed in 2008 and 2009 as part of an effort to position the Coon Rapids-Whiterock area as a major rural tourism destination area. The goal is to help diversify the local economy and support retail and employment. In addition, Whiterock aims to educate visitors about sustainable agriculture and the environment. Read more.
January 2008
With cold temperatures and snow on the ground not much outside work is being done on Great Place projects. However, the Thomas Rest Haven Assisted Living Wing Contractor is hard at work on build out the 12 units in the assisted living wing. A grand opening of the facility is scheduled for May. The streetscaping committee is meeting periodically to refine the Phase 1 Design.
On Jan 7th the Coon Rapids City Council met to review Phase 1 construction bids and initiate action to award a contract. Whiterock and DNR trail experts have been working to finalize the route and detailed design for the town loop trail. Work on the trail will begin as soon as possible this spring.
The Great Place Steering Committee continues to track grant opportunities. Announcements on several major grants related to trails and streetscaping are pending. In December the Principal Financial Group of Des Moines announced a $5000 award to Whiterock Conservancy for signage. This grant will in part fund the extensive need for signs as part of our “Opening Whiterock” project.
Read our 2007 updates.
|
Coon Rapids Development Group |
