Vision Iowa Board grant helps Manchester whitewater park reach fund-raising goal

The Vision Iowa Board on Wednesday awarded $1.9 million in grants to a Manchester whitewater course, a Davenport museum renovation, a Harlan community field and an outdoor gathering space in Des Moines.

The $300,000 grant that will help fund construction of a whitewater park on the Maquoketa River in downtown Manchester “puts us right at our fund-raising goal and enables us to make decisions and move forward,” said Leo Monaghan, the former chairman of Manchester's Good to Great Committee, the driving force behind the project.

The $1.768 million project will turn the frequently flooding river from a liability into a community asset, Monaghan said.

“With the grant, we are able to go full steam ahead for the final design,” said Ryan Wicks, a local engineer credited with first envisioning the project five years ago.

Wicks said applications for required permits have been submitted and the permits could be in hand by year's end.

Construction will begin next fall with a grand opening slated for late spring or early summer of 2015, he said.

The 900-foot-long course will include six drop features, one of which will be created by substantially lowering the existing Marion Street dam.

The project also includes bank restoration and terracing, improved access points and development of spectator locations.

“It will help make Manchester more appealing to tourists while improving the quality of life for residents,” Monaghan said.

The project will also eliminate an obstacle to fish movement and create additional habitat for fish and other aquatic life, Wicks said.

In addition to the $300,000 grant announced Wednesday, the project has secured $600,000 from the city of Manchester, $50,000 from Delaware County, $518,000 in capital campaign donations, a $200,000 Department of Natural Resource low-head dam grant and a $100,000 DNR Resource Enhancement and Protection grant.

The largest of Wednesday's Community Attraction and Tourism Fund grants, $1.1 million, went to the Cowles Commons Renovation in Des Moines.

The $9.7 million project entails a complete renovation of the 35-year-old public space, including a large community gathering space, gardens, new fountain and new public art piece. The area will also provide a “fourth stage” for Des Moines Performing Arts programs and community partnerships.

A $200,000 CAT grant will help fund the $1.53 million renovation of the Merrill Field Complex in Harlan. The project includes bleachers and entrances in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as a new track, lighting system and field turf.

A $300,000 CAT grant will help fund the Davenport-based Putnam Museum's $1.6 million renovation of 10,000 square feet of exhibit space into a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Learning Center.

The Vision Iowa Program provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa.