Cedar Rapids a finalist for All-America City Award

Cedar Rapids is one of 25 cities across the country that have been named a finalist to win an All-America City Award for 2014.

The city has won the award since it was established by the National Civic League in 1949.

'This is the Super Bowl of recognition for municipalities,” Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said Monday.

He said a Cedar Rapids delegation of about 20 people will travel to Denver in June to make the city's case for All-America designation.

This year the National Civic League is putting a special focus on cities that address the underlying conditions that impact the health of the community, such as obesity, walkability, biking, fitness and healthy eating.

Pomeranz said Cedar Rapids' application has highlighted how the Cedar Rapids community has responded to the adversity of the Flood of 2008 and moved the community forward since then.

Cedar Rapids also is currently a Blue Zones demonstration site for healthy living in a program in Iowa sponsored by Wellmark.

Marshalltown also is among the 25 finalists for this year's All-America City Award.

In 2013, the National Civic League selected 10 cities, including Dubuque, for the All-America City Award.

In 2012, the League named 14 cities, including Dubuque, Marshalltown and the Quad Cities in Iowa and Illinois, and in 2011, it picked 10 cities, none in Iowa.

According to the League's website, eight Iowa cities have achieved the League's All-America City status since 1949. Des Moines has won the award five times, most recently in 1981 and 1982 while Dubuque has won it three times, in 2007, 2012 and 2013, and Sioux City has won it twice, in 1961 and 1990. Ames, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Ottumwa and the Quad Cities have won once.