Des Moines Metro officials could approve a contract for construction of a key part of the downtown water trails renovations as soon as next week, finally moving forward a project that local leaders have long prioritized to create more outdoor activities in town.

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization will hold a special called meeting Nov. 8 to vote on a $40.9 million contract with two companies to renovate the Scott Avenue dam at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. The renovations will make the dam safer and generate white waters that people can raft or kayak through, creating an attraction similar to those offered in communities like Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Bend, Oregon.