News

The Des Moines City Council will vote March 22 whether to adopt a $54 million master plan for the north side's Birdland Park, 2100 Saylor Road, that would transform what increasingly has become a deteriorated area. The plan, created along with stakeholders such as the restaurant's owners, the rowing club, the Oak Park neighborhood association [...]

A plan to transform the Des Moines River into a downtown recreational amenity for kayakers, paddlers and even surfers gained more approvals Wednesday, bringing the Central Iowa Water Trails project one step closer to fruition. The Des Moines Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday approved conditional use permits for three river access points at Prospect Park, [...]

The Central Iowa Water Trails project in 2020 went from “this would be great if it happened, to this is happening.” “So I think in 2021 we're going to see more of that come online, more of the actual bones of this long-term, multigenerational project be built, and turning from sort of this startup to [...]

In the midst of a challenging environment, there is still reason for optimism in Greater Des Moines. Visionary, transformational projects are moving forward. Think about the Central Iowa Water Trails project, the planned soccer stadium in downtown Des Moines and the Des Moines International Airport terminal project. To read the full article, visit The Des [...]

Take a listen as Hannah Inman, CEO of the Great Outdoors Foundation, talks with Lou and Jackie on Iowa Live on how to enjoy Central Iowa’s water trails. With more than 80 access sites planned to activate 150+ miles of waterways, there is almost something for everyone on Iowa’s waters. To learn more about the [...]

JOHNSTON, Iowa – The City of Johnston and the Central Iowa Water Trails Incubator are pleased to announce a new partnership with an outfitter, Quarry Springs Outfitters, to offer kayak rentals at the recently opened NW 70th Avenue access point along Beaver Creek. “This is another important step in better connecting the City of Johnston [...]

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — West Des Moines residents soon won’t have to travel far to go kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboarding. The Raccoon River Park boathouse is now less than two weeks away from being complete. “People are still going to be surprised when they pull into Raccoon River Park that all of a sudden [...]

Polk County and Bravo Greater Des Moines have received a $125,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to incorporate public art with the Central Iowa Water Trails access points. The “Our Town” grant is awarded to help integrate arts, culture and design activities to strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical and social [...]

This is really saying something. After all the projects over the decades — Wells Fargo Arena, the sculpture park, Western Gateway, Principal Riverwalk — the four co-chairs of the Central Iowa Water Trails Incubator’s Campaign Advisory Council say the regional effort to line 155 miles of waterways with 86 well-planned fun spots is the biggest [...]

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), together with its partners working to implement Central Iowa Water Trails, today announces its receipt of a $25 million grant from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, grant program of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant will significantly accelerate the implementation of the [...]