Cedar Rapids will seek funding to bring newly adopted greenway plan to life

CEDAR RAPIDS — The city of Cedar Rapids is now armed with a plan to seek funding for adding amenities on the west side of the Cedar River that officials hope could turn the space into a community attraction that drives new development.

The Cedar Rapids City Council on Tuesday adopted its latest effort to re-imagine the more than 100-acre greenway along the river, aiming to transform how residents and visitors interact with the river, integrating flood protection with community amenities like white-water rafting, new parks and more access to trails.

The council made enhancing the greenway its top priority in 2022, looking to rally the private sector around revitalizing the space. The greenway was created by construction of the city’s approximately $1 billion permanent flood control system.

City officials have said crafting this plan will better position the city to secure federal and other grant funding to bring amenities online as flood protection work progresses on the west side of the river. The plan would take more than 10 years to implement.

“We are done turning our backs on the river,” Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said.

The plan updates the original 2014 concept. Since launching the planning process last August, the city received engagement from more than 900 people through a survey, meetings and open houses. Draft concepts were shared in February.

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The city contracted with New York-based Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates — which designed the Maggie Daley Park in Chicago — to update the plan at a cost of $262,800.

How will the plan be funded?

The plan estimates an economic impact of about $60 million a year and projects the greenway’s full implementation would create 1,300 jobs. It is expected to draw 1.5 million visitors a year.

Moreover, according to the study, “riverfront parks generally act as catalysts for new development within walking distance.” Based on case studies of other communities, consultants estimate future riverfront park investment could spur $250 to $500 million in new development.

Cedar Rapids could take inspiration from other parks nationwide to generate revenue to put toward the greenway parks’ ongoing operation and maintenance.

For instance, New Orleans’ City Park receives some revenue from concessions sales at the Cafe du Monde both in the park and from events, such as its signature Celebration in the Oaks. That event typically attracts 165,000 visitors to see the holiday lights wrapped around the park’s iconic oak trees.

Grant funding for a park on the west side of Atlanta’s Beltline from the Blank Foundation helped that city kick-start initial construction in 2018. Other potential revenue sources that other parks around the nation have used include fees to rent facilities for weddings and other special events or parking, among others.

City Council member Tyler Olson said this initiative is “ripe” for a public-private partnership. The city in the coming years will need to organize efforts to put funds in place to bring the plan to life, he said.

“This is something that we put at the top and it’ll be on us as a group to continue to do that,” Olson said. “It’s going to take some time obviously to get it done but in my mind when we look at investments that the city needs to make long-term after flood control, this is up there as a priority.”

Key plan features

In Time Check, the plan re-imagines the greenway in the city neighborhood most devastated by the 2008 flood.

The plan includes a promenade stretching roughly from Q Avenue NW to O Avenue NW, with stone seat steps and a rocky point. There also would be a long-awaited destination skatepark and water play elements. A levee lawn overlook and picnic grove faces a “canoe safari” — a waterway, accessible to canoes, winding around islands in the river.

Around Kingston Village, a riverfront park would add a valley lawn, a dog run and parking near F Avenue NW. The riverfront walk in front of Big Grove and Pickle Palace on First Street SW would be refreshed, and the area would eventually feature a white-water rafting course.

A feasibility study released in 2021 proposed a $14.6 million project to modify the 5-in-1 Dam to offer white-water and flat-water features in separate channels, with amenities such as ziplining and an island for spectators.

Finally, in Czech Village, the plan includes water play. “Paha gardens” surrounding a park on both sides are inspired by Iowa’s signature landforms. There would be hills for children to climb and shaded areas for people to sit.

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The plan builds upon the “LightLine Loop” project created by the Alliant Energy LightLine Bridge that will connect the two neighborhoods — Czech Village and NewBo — featuring a new Roundhouse structure being designed.

The greenway is expected to improve accessibility to the trail system as well, allowing people to connect to the greenway with their bikes or by foot. There are about 330 parking spaces pointed out in the plan for those accessing by car.

When will the plan be implemented?

In the short term — one to five years out — the plan recommends:

Medium-term items to be implemented over the next five to 10 years include:

Long-term items that will take more than 10 years to implement are:

Ultimately, the timing of when certain amenities would come online depends on when the city secures funding, when flood protection construction occurs and when engineering designs are completed, Recreation Superintendent Tony Ireland said.

“This gives us a reconciliation with the river,” council member Ashley Vanorny said. “It’s that opportunity to reclaim that river’s edge that has caused us so much trauma for decades.”

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