City, county, non-profit cooperation is heavenly

A recent news photograph showed a City of Cedar Rapids' employee harvesting prairie grass and wildflower seeds on land owned by the Indian Creek Nature Center. After spending hundreds of hours planting, developing and caring for the natural prairie area, the nature center allowed the city to harvest the seeds to plant along the city's new Prairie Park Fishery trail. The machine used to harvest the seed was borrowed from the Linn County Road Department.

This is a wonderful example of a non-profit and Linn County assisting the city.

Recently, a private citizen living close to the new Hoover trail between Cedar Rapids and Ely went on the website of the Linn County Trails Association (linncountytrails.org), another private non-profit, to suggest that a warning sign be placed at a curve on the trail. John Wauer, LCTA president, asked me to let the Linn County Conservation Department know about the request.

I talked to Dennis Goemaat, deputy director at the Conservation Department, who indicated that portion of the trail was the City of Cedar Rapids' responsibility. Instead of letting the matter drop, however, Dennis contacted Daniel Gibbins, the city parks superintendent, about the request.

Signs now warn of the limited site distance at the curve.

This type of cooperation between private citizens, non-profit organizations and city and county government happens every day.

Is this heaven? No, it's ... Well, maybe it is.

Tom Peffer

President

Linn County

Conservation Board

Cedar Rapids