Foundation forms to raise money for improvements to Cedar Rapids parks

CEDAR RAPIDS - A small group of volunteers has quietly been laying the groundwork for a foundation to raise money to enhance the city's public parks and recreation facilities.

The first major undertaking will be a renovation of Old MacDonald's Farm at Bever Park.

'We wanted an old, a new and a redo,” Jackie Thompson-Oster, president and founding member of the recently formed Cedar Rapids Parks Foundation, said of the types of projects.

The Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Commission identified the need for a fundraising group to help expand and sustain the city's park and recreation resources about five years ago. The department manages at least 97 parks and trails on more than 4,171 acres of land.

Thompson-Oster and Steve White connected with then Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Director Sven Leff about 18 months ago to form the organization and begin planning. Last September, the foundation received nonprofit status, according to city officials.

'When you talk about parks or quality of life you need private citizen fundraising, otherwise it's just not going to get done,” Thompson-Oster said.

Seven members serve on the foundation board that will guide its investments under a mission to 'create, enhance, and sustain innovative parks and recreation opportunities for all community members,” according to the group's Facebook page.

City Manager Jeff Pomeranz, who worked with a parks foundation during his time as West Des Moines city manager, pushed to create the foundation and is one of its initial donors, directing his $1,500 award as Cedar Rapids Rotarian of the Year to the foundation.

'There are so many needs in communities,” Pomeranz said. 'These foundations are put together so citizens and businesses can contribute to special projects. You are seeing more and more of these foundations nationally.”

Pomeranz said donations will not go to operating costs, but rather one-time investments, such as building facilities, adding playground equipment, enhancing trails or other unique projects.

For the past year, they foundation has stayed under the radar while getting organized. The group had a trial run last fall raising money for a new $13,000 playground with a rope climbing structure at Bever Park. That is scheduled to go in this summer.

Now the group is ready to become more visible with its first wave of major projects, Thompson-Oster said.

At Bever Park, the foundation plans to raise money for a plan crafted by Iowa BIG, a project-based high school program through which students re-imagined Old MacDonald's Farm to include structural renovations and community gardens. The cost is estimated between $250,000 and $300,000.

The first phase would include vining vegetable gardens up sides of silos, butterfly gardens in the old bear pen and a mural. The goal is to complete that by fall 2018. The larger, more costly project would include expanding animal pens, moving back retaining walls, improving access for those with disabilities and improving drainage.

Other projects on the horizon are a kayak park somewhere in Czech Village and a wheels park that would replace the Riverside Skate Park. Both skateboards and bikes would be able to use the space.

The foundation is independent from the city, but will work closely with the parks and recreation department to ensure endeavors are sustainable and fit into the city's plans and capacity, Thompson-Oster said.

She said the goal will be to have a stream of projects, but also to create an endowment to sustain the efforts long term. The foundation also will allow people with smaller 'pet projects” to work under the umbrella of the foundation to bring their ideas to life.

For more information or to contribute to the Cedar Rapids Parks Foundation, contact Thompson-Oster at jackieo58@yahoo.com.

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