Weigh in on flood control plans

More than 75 people took time out of their busy week to join us for a Dec. 18 open house and conversation about the Flood Control System.

We want to thank those who had the opportunity to come and share their ideas and perspectives about this critical initiative for our community. Your involvement and time was deeply appreciated by city staff and consultant teams, and your input a valuable contribution to the project.

For those whose schedules made it challenging to accommodate an open house, we have placed the information on our website and will continue to share open-ended questions and surveys on our online discussion board, CRTalks.com. All are encouraged to sign up and share thoughts, feedback, concerns, and ideas as this project moves forward.

The feedback we are collecting will be incorporated into the potential alignment and aesthetic options identified thus far, and residents can expect to see an additional open house in March as we bring this updated information and opportunity for further discussion back to the community.

Residents will notice that even now, elements of the plan embrace connectivity and place making, and incorporate suggestions about how to honor the history and character of the neighborhoods most impacted by high floodwaters.

Ensuring these elements are included is essential as we collectively reflect on what this new system will mean for our community and for a strong and secure Cedar Rapids.

We again want to thank those who attended for their participation and involvement, and welcome additional comments.

We look forward to continuing this conversation.

' Jeff Pomeranz is city manager for the City of Cedar Rapids. Comments: citymanager@cedar-rapids.org