Photos: Marion opens $8.35M Central Plaza project with ribbon cutting Wednesday

The Central Plaza now features a refrigerated loop for ice-skating, a live performance space, play equipment and an enclosed depot building.

Elizabeth Wood

May. 7, 2025 7:17 pm, Updated: May. 7, 2025 9:19 pm

Marion Mayor Nicolas AbouAssaly speaks during Marion’s Central Plaza opening ceremony in uptown Marion on Wednesday. During his speech, AbouAssaly highlighted the features of the Central Plaza, like the refrigerated loop for ice-skating and a live performance space. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Hallie Hoyt (bottom right) dances in the rain while Heidi Hoyt (center) and Henry Hoyt play on the jungle gym after Marion’s Central Plaza opening ceremony in uptown Marion on Wednesday. After the ceremony, it began to rain. After running for cover, the Hoyts noticed it wasn’t raining too bad and ran out to play on the jungle gym some more. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

John Low plays on the jungle gym after Marion’s Central Plaza opening ceremony in uptown Marion on Wednesday. The jungle gym is one of the features of Marion’s new Central Plaza, which also holds space for a refrigerated ice-skating loop, a live performance space, water features, and public art. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Marion Mayor Nicolas AbouAssaly jokes with a photographer after cutting the ribbon for Marion’s Central Plaza opening ceremony in uptown Marion on Wednesday. Debi Durham (left), director of the Iowa Finance Authority and the Economic Development Authority, also attended the ribbon-cutting. The new central plaza has refrigerated loop for ice-skating and a live performance space. More information about the central plaza can be found on the City of Marion’s website. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Photographers and guests had to step out onto the grass of Marion’s Central Plaza to get a photo of the ribbon cutting ceremony in uptown Marion on Wednesday. For now, Mayor Nicolas AbouAssaly urges citizens to stay off the new grass to prevent soil compaction. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

A crowd of people listens to Marion Mayor Nicolas AbouAssaly’s speech during Marion’s Central Plaza opening ceremony in uptown Marion on Wednesday. In his speech, he discussed how far Marion’s downtown has come since the destruction of the derecho almost five years ago. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Kids sit on top of the jungle gym to listen to Marion’s Central Plaza opening ceremony speeches in uptown Marion on Wednesday. Throughout the ceremony, dozens of kids climbed the jungle gym in the Central Plaza. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Donors and key figures for Marion’s Central Plaza’s construction mingle inside the Depot Pavilion after the opening ceremony in uptown Marion on Wednesday. The $8.35 million project took about a year to finish. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Sullivan Stoner hangs off the jungle gym during Marion’s Central Plaza opening ceremony in uptown Marion on Wednesday. The jungle gym is one of the features of the $8.35 million project which also holds space for a refrigerated ice-skating loop, a live performance space, water features, and public art. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)