February 28, 2022
For all of ICON’s existence, its downtown run has only been hypothetical. While many regional sites already exist and are ready for recreators, the vision for the rivers at the heart of Des Moines has yet to be fully realized. With groundbreaking at several locations on the horizon and…
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November 29, 2021
Fishing is a fun activity that the entire family can enjoy together, from kids to grandparents. It’s a wonderful way to get back to what’s important. Participation in fishing also helps fund fishery management so our lakes and rivers have robust fisheries. The Des Moines River in Downtown Des Moines…
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August 31, 2021
As we re-imagine our relationship to our creeks and rivers through ICON, so too will we reimagine the role of the arts in our community. In 2020 the National Endowment for the Arts awarded a grant to our region for Shoreline Signals. Shoreline Signals will use public…
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June 30, 2021
As a certified canoe and kayak instructor for the Iowa DNR, I have seen it all. People buy their first boat and head to the river before understanding the environment they are about to enter and without the skills they need to remain safe and anxiety-free. Here are “Todd’s Top…
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June 22, 2021
Iowa Project AWARE is bringing families, friends and a cavalcade of educational programming to the lower and middle Raccoon River watershed July 11-16 with the return of this annual event. After a pause in 2020, N-Compass Inc. is busy preparing for hundreds of volunteers to gather in local parks…
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February 16, 2021
I have been canoeing and kayaking since high school and have lived in the Des Moines area since the summer of 1994 but had never had an opportunity to be on the Des Moines River until 2016 when I became a member of Des Moines Rowing (DMR). I learned…
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October 19, 2020
Every winter, as the state of Iowa goes into hibernation, we love to make big plans for when the seasons turn to “shorts weather,” or 50 roughly degrees. Each approaching summer promises to be the summer that you do the thing and hone a new skill. The summer to get…
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