Dennis Goemaat leads Linn County Conservation through large projects

CEDAR RAPIDS — In his four decades with Linn County Conservation, Director Dennis Goemaat has seen a lot of big projects.

Goemaat, 64, originally from Pella, moved to Linn County when he joined the conservation department in March 1981 and became its director in 2017.

“It’s been a lifelong love,” Goemaat said of the outdoors. “When I was young, I would go with my parents to Colorado, picnic next to mountain streams, looking for wildlife. And at home, I would go to the local parks. I’ve just always been an outdoor-oriented person.”

His love for the outdoors would take him to Iowa State University to major in fisheries and wildlife biology.

“Then I got into the park field for my first job and found out I loved it, so I just stayed with it,” Goemaat said.

Goemaat now oversees department with 37 full-time employees and 18 seasonal employees each summer. Staff members manage dozens of parks and natural areas in the county, including Morgan Creek, Wanatee and Pinicon Ridge.

Pinicon post

When he first joined Linn County Conservation, he was an assistant park ranger at Pinicon Ridge Park, then helped start the department’s education program and eventually moved to be deputy director.

His job now includes tracking projects and managing project budgets.

“It's ironic because I got into this to be outdoors, but now I spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen,” he said. “But it's very rewarding to see these projects come to fruition and see people use them, whether it's a trail, park upgrade or campground. Seeing that enjoyment is my favorite part of the job.”

Grant Wood Trail

Quite a few projects are going on in Linn County.

This month, the city of Springville and the county will hold public meetings about expanding the Grant Wood Trail Corridor, off Highway 13 near Marion’s Waldo’s Rock Park. The trail originally was a railway in the 1870s between Marion and Savanna, Ill., located on the Mississippi River.

The trail is being improved from Waldo's Rock Park, 6303 Partners Ave., to Oxley Road. The 2.8-mile section will be hard-surfaced with completion expected this fall. The project was made possible in part by a $400,000 Iowa Department of Transportation Recreation Trails grant, Linn County Water and Land Legacy Bonds and local-option sales tax funds.

Highway 100 Trail

Linn County Conservation also is beginning planning and gathering feedback on the Highway 100 Trail and a bridge across the Cedar River.

The trail is to extend from 42nd Street NE near Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids through the Rock Island Botanical Preserve to the Cedar River. It would follow Highway 100 right of way, connecting northeast Cedar Rapids to northwest Cedar Rapids and also connecting to the Cedar Rapids trail system.

That route requires a pedestrian/biking bridge over the Cedar River. Conservation officials are considering using the abandoned Milwaukee Road Bridge as a base for the bridge and is asking the public for its feedback on the bridge and the trail. The survey, on the county conservation’s website, is open through Oct. 14.

Other projects

Some $6 million in upgrades were completed this year at Morgan Creek Park, 7212 E. Ave. NW in Cedar Rapids, with a new playground and pavilion. More improvements are planned in coming years.

And last month, the conservation board awarded a $3.4 million contract to Boomerang Construction of Anamosa to modify the Pinicon Ridge Park roller dam and lower it, to make it safer for recreation opportunities and wildlife.

In July, the department was awarded $3.5 million of federal American Rescue Plan funds allocated by the state to finish paving the last 16 miles of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail that runs between Evansdale and Hiawatha.

When Goemaat started with the department, the Cedar Valley Nature Trail was still mostly just an idea.

“It’s been fun to see the team over the years grow and change,” he said. “The Cedar Valley Nature Trail has become quite a model on how to do trails in Iowa, and we’ve gone from no trails to even more linear trail work, connecting communities. … At the beginning, people were worried about gangs on bikes and motorcycles roaming these trails and a bunch of other weird unknowns, but people just enjoy the trails and use them to commute.”

‘A model’

Conservation Deputy Director Daniel Gibbins said that Goemaat has been a great leader of projects, made possible through the $40 million Linn County Water and Legacy Bond issue being passed in 2016, with 74 percent voter approval.

“Dennis’ leadership is valued across the Iowa County Conservation system and promotes Linn County Conservation as a model of conservation stewardship and customer satisfaction in outdoor recreation,” Gibbins said.

Goemaat said that passing the bond issue has helped immensely in getting larger projects up and running.

“Passing the bond in 2016 has helped a ton. Applying for grants and having match dollars behind you, that has brought a lot of extra money to Linn County,” Goemaat said. “Five (to) six years ago, it was even more challenging to find that money.”

Goemaat credits the entire conservation department’s daily work for getting the projects done and planned.

“I want to make sure the staff gets credit for all the things that happen,” he said. “I am most proud of the trail work we are doing. Our parks, trails and natural areas have been busier since COVID. The team really managed and persevered through it.”

Comments: (319) 398-8255; gage.miskimen@thegazette.com