Wickiup Hill lands $850k from Vision Iowa

Improvements at Linn County's Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center will get $850,000 in state money, the state Department of Economic Development announced this afternoon.

The funding is part of $1.475 million inVision Iowa grants announced by the program's board.

The $3.645 million plan for Wickiup Hill, located east of Palo near the Cedar River, includes a near doubling of the present 10,000-square-foot building to accomodate classes, meetings, a library, more exhbits, and a second set of restrooms.

Administrative offices will also be added, allowing  conservation department employees to move from the county engineer's building on County Home Road in Marion. Adding those seven workers to Wickiup Hill's three-person staff will allow the center to be open 50 hours a week, said county conservation director Dan Biechler said.

The Vision Iowa grant is contingent upon Linn County Conservation securing the project's final $61,000 in funds. The Cedar Rapids City Council has passed a resolution of support for $25,000, but hasn't appropriated the money yet.

Other funding includes:

• $615,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Iowa Department of Homeland Security for a tornado shelter that will double as the office space.
• $1.2 million in bonding, already committed by county supervisors but not yet issued.
• $200,000 in Linn County funding to extend fiber optic cable about 5 miles to the center.
• $2,450 contributed by Linn County cities.
• $10,000 worth of site preparation and other work by Linn County Conservation employee.
• $350,000 Hall-Perrine Foundation grant.
• $197,492 in corporate contributions
• $7,475 individual donations.