Metro leaders presenting new Vision Iowa plan

Wed November 13 2002
Posted Nov 13, 2002
6,343

Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Evansdale and National Cattle Congress projects proposed. By TIM JAMISON and JON ERICSON Courier Staff Writers It's been almost three months since Black Hawk County voters shot down a sales tax referendum and $16 million Vision Iowa grant for Waterloo's Riverfront Renaissance plan. But a regrouped cadre of Cedar Valley leaders headed back to Des Moines today armed with a new spirit of cooperation and a new request for $16.1 million in Vision Iowa funds to help pay for a list of projects in Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Evansdale. Those involved in preparing the new grant application hope the cooperative spirit between the area communities, including a $2.1 million funding commitment by the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, will convince Vision Iowa board members that the Cedar Valley deserves another shot. "The communities of the Cedar Valley are connected by the Cedar River and many biking and hiking trails," local leaders said in a cover letter attached to the application. "This natural linkage ties the communities to our natural environment while providing outstanding recreation and tourism opportunities," the letter continued. "Our communities and our residents of the Cedar Valley are excited to focus this renaissance project on our greatest natural asset -- the Cedar River." The new application, expected to be presented to the Vision Iowa board during its meeting today, retains many elements of the initial Riverfront Renaissance plan in Waterloo. Key elements of the city's new plan include a riverfront pedestrian plaza and amphitheater, a riverwalk loop and improvements to the Cedar River dam or the river itself to improve recreational boating activities. Cedar Falls has hopped on board with plans to expand its Recreation, Athletic & Wellness Center and rebuild Ray Edwards Swimming Pool. Other Cedar Falls projects include a variety of trail, river and downtown improvements and a combination nature/welcome center near Prairie Lakes Park. Evansdale is looking for a small slice of the grant to help fund a trailhead shelter, Meyers Lake trail extension and new skatepark, while the National Cattle Congress is seeking a larger slice of the pie to rebuild the Waterloo fairgrounds into a showcase for agricultural technology and entertainment. The application also includes a joint effort between the county, the cities of Waterloo and Cedar Falls and the Cedar Valley Youth Soccer Association to further enhance the soccer complex on Ridgeway Avenue. "I'm confident that our application is worthy of funding," said Waterloo Mayor John Rooff. "A lot of people worked very hard to make this application represent the communities. I hope they (the Vision Iowa board members) look favorably on it." Each city is planning to dig deep into their coffers for money to match the $16.1 million Vision Iowa grant, while additional private sector donations and grants are expected to boost the total project price tag to nearly $58 million. The city of Waterloo is expecting to kick in nearly $9.2 million in city funds to its projects and another $2.5 million into the NCC project, with both of those amounts reflecting interest it expects to pay on construction debt. In the application, Waterloo officials expect to borrow most of its match from the federal government using recently awarded loan guarantees and pay it off with some $1 million it is slated to receive in each of the next 15 years from the county Solid Waste Management Commission. Asked if the city could afford such a commitment, Rooff replied, "I don't think we can afford not to do it ... for the future of our communities and our children." In Cedar Falls, the recreation center expansion is tabbed at $2.8 million. An expansion would add free weights, an aerobics/fitness room, child care room, locker room expansions, a second gym and expanded track. A new swimming pool has become a priority for Cedar Falls, as the Ray Edwards pool loses thousands of gallons of water and is in a general state of disrepair. A new $6.85 million facility would offer much more to swimmers, including a lazy river, separate recreation and lap swimming pools, a shallow are and water slides for recreation and possibly a wave generation area. The visitors and nature center would expand existing plans for a new Tourism and Visitors Center off of Hudson Road near the Prairie Lakes. A Vision Iowa grant would help fund prairie and wetland plantings, as well as exhibits and nature interpretation in the welcome center. That project has a estimated cost of $840,000. The final category, downtown riverfront and trail projects, encompasses a wide range of projects that center on recreational trails, Cedar River improvements and recreation, and downtown improvements. Total price tag for all the elements amounts to $1.1 million. Cedar River portions include dam improvements, a water trail connection between Big Woods Lake, Snag Creek and the river, a new Island Park boat launch, riverfront improvements and a whitewater kayaking course. A redesigned downtown streetscape also made the list, as well as riverfront sculptures and a new Historical Society museum in the City Hall annex building. Trail components would add trails at Hudson Road, extended Greenhill Road, downtown, and the University Branch of Dry Run Creek. "I think its a well-rounded thing," said Cedar Falls Mayor Jon Crews. "Toward the end we got the museum and soccer complex, and that inserts a lot of private money. We didn't have a lot of private money match before that." NCC officials will be looking for a lot of private money –- $7.88 million, to be exact –- to make its project viable. Plans to renovate existing buildings and construct new facilities for the AmeraFarms and Parade of Power exhibits received a blow when Cedar Falls city leaders balked at committing money to the project. Waterloo city leaders had indicated they might double their $2 million commitment if Cedar Falls had kicked in $1.5 million. "The bottom line is that we need the cities to come through," said Bob Molinaro, co-chairman of the NCC steering committee. "Otherwise, we're going to have to raise it from the private sector." Molinaro said the Cattle Congress has some commitments for donations and is actively pursuing additional money from foundations and corporate sponsorships. "We have to scour the different foundations to find where we can get the money," he said. "Even if we don't get the Vision Iowa money we're still going to move ahead with our plan," he said. "It's just going to take longer and it's going to be harder." The Cedar Valley Vision Iowa application is going to be in hot competition with several other communities for a dwindling pool of grant money. Clinton has already filed an application while the city of Cedar Rapids and Page County have each indicated their intent to join the chase. Local officials hope the submission of the application this week could lead to some action before the first of the year. "I think the best-case scenario is we will be presenting and negotiating at the December meeting," Crews said.