Project Destiny

Posted Dec 12, 2005
11,373

What is it? and how can it help fund $7.7 million dollars for Iowa Trails?

What is Project Destiny? Project Destiny is a blueprint for the future of our economic and community development efforts. It's the culmination of months of discussion among business and community leaders. The final Project Destiny report will give the business community a roadmap for going forward with economic and workforce development efforts in the years to come.

Simply put, Project Destiny's goal is to establish a “regional” one-cent ($.01) municipal local option sales tax (Polk, Dallas and Warren counties) in order to achieve many of the priorities outlines in the Project Destiny recommendations. If the tax becomes a reality, 35% or roughly $7.7 million dollars per year will go toward recreational trails. 40% will got toward Regional facilities, and 25% will got toward Culteral and Arts Organizations Find out more about the splits and Estimated 2006 Revenue Flow for Project Destiny. You can get all the details regarding Project Destiny here:Project Destiny Look to vote on this in 2006!

The Project Destiny Infrastructre Task Force "We enjoy some of the best parks and recreation areas in the country here in Greater Des Moines – from Jester Park to Easter Lake and the scores of parks and trails in between – it is now necessary to build the links that tie these assets together to make Central Iowa the 'Recreation Trails Capitol' of the world." Project Destiny Infrastructure Task Force Recommendations 1.) Recreational Trails Over the past five years, poll after poll has demonstrated Central Iowa’s support for recreational trail development and greenways. Clearly, trail use is one passion of our time. However, we need new approaches to the development of these concepts to match the pace with which Central Iowa is growing and developing. One of the biggest challenges, of course, is MONEY. While trail development is consistently at the top of customer service surveys, other park expenditures rank higher in terms of allocated dollars. Furthermore, no consistent revenue stream exists to support trail and greenway expansion. While various municipalities and Polk County work together to build the regional trail network, the city with the greatest need to expand its infrastructure is the City of Des Moines. The central city, it logically follows, needs to be the central hub of the trail network. This is undermined by the fact that land within Des Moines is largely developed and offers few opportunities to expand trails without complicated land acquisition or right-of-way considerations. A mile of trail within the City of Des Moines costs twice as much as a mile of trail in one of the surrounding communities. Recommendation The Infrastructure Task Force believes that Central Iowa can be the “Trails Capital of the World.” The local terrain, with rolling hills, scenic waterways, and ancient forests provides an excellent environment for recreational cycling, running, and walking. The citizenry of central Iowa has shown a preponderance (based on market research and empirical evidence) to utilize and appreciate the existing trail network. Further, this form of recognition is essential for Central Iowa to compete in the national economy.