Cedar Bayou will enhance our community

As you know Cedar Rapids is a Blue Zone community yet we lack recreational facilities that many of the towns around us have. Do we have a water park? NO! Yes we do have upgraded and modern outdoor aquatic centers. Do we have a public indoor swimming pool that is not antiquated and that can be used by all ages? No, we have Bender pool. Cedar Bayou will give us this needed element and truly give meaning to the term Blue Zone.

The park would include a traditional swimming pool for learn to swim lessons, a therapy area and lap lanes. An indoor/outdoor water park that would include rides, a mid-ranged hotel, RV park, a lazy river, a food court with restaurants and shops. It could also be incorporated into the College Community Schools as part of their physical education and athletic programs. It will have a competition pool which means they could host swimming events such as Iowa Games and age group swim meets. These events bring in hundreds of participants.

Our community now hosts various sporting events from Girls State Volleyball, NCAA Wrestling, and numerous soccer tournaments but lacks facilities to host swimming events. These events really help to boost sales and generate revenue for the area through motel/hotel rentals, food, entertainment, shopping, and fuel sales.

Cedar Bayou will create jobs for our area construction companies; it will have high efficiency equipment and they plan to have solar power as well. This facility will add to the growth of the city and open the door for more. It also will give the city another source for recruiting and keeping our young professionals in our town.

Its location makes it an easy drive from anywhere in Eastern Iowa. And having a mall close by and motels/hotels in the area makes it a great destination for families. What is more important is that it is a private investment which means taxpayers will only reap the benefits of this facility, not pay for it.

I support this venture and wish the Cedar Bayou group the best of luck as they try to make our community a more enriching place to live and visit.

' Jim Voss is a retired teacher and coach in Cedar Rapids. Comments: coachjimvoss@gmail.com