News

DES MOINES, IA (Sept. 30, 2024) – ICON Water Trails is pleased to announce a $1 million gift from Casey’s, granting naming rights for the future overlook at ICON’s coveted Center Street site. Casey’s joins dozens of others from the greater Des Moines business community who have backed the transformative quality-of-life initiative aiming to connect [...]

DES MOINES, IA (Sept. 26, 2024) – The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails are pleased to announce the recipients of the inaugural Creative Conservationist and Waveshaper awards. These honors celebrate exceptional contributions to conservation and recreation from community members involved with the Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails, aligning with the organizations’ [...]

The ICON Water Trails project is one step closer to being fully funded, with the Raccoon River portion along Fleur Drive slated to receive $1 million in federal funds and break ground next year. To read the full article, visit the Des Moines Register.

ICON Water Trails has received $1 million from the federal government to help fund a project that will turn the low-head dam on the Raccoon River at Fleur Drive into a hub for water recreation. The funding was announced during a news conference Friday morning at Gray’s Lake, near the site where the work will [...]

DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today announced that he secured a $1 million federal investment in improvements to the Fleur Drive Dam in Des Moines as part of a major economic development project for the region. “The ICON Water Trails Project will bring huge economic growth to our community,” said Rep. Nunn. [...]

DES MOINES, IA (Aug. 15, 2024) – The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails are pleased to announce the launch of the fourth annual Wild Prairie Showdown, a peer-to-peer campaign advancing conservation and recreation in the region. The Wild Prairie Showdown is a dynamic, grassroots initiative that will conclude with a pseudo-pageant in which [...]

Plans to turn the Des Moines north side's Birdland Park and Marina into a resort-like recreation area just got a $5.3 million boost. The city announced that the project — which includes a new boathouse, kayak rentals, playgrounds, an all-season skating ribbon, splash pad and a river overlook — will receive the U.S. Department of the Interior grant funding [...]

DES MOINES, IA (June 28, 2024) – ICON Water Trails, in partnership with Bravo Greater Des Moines, the Polk County Board of Supervisors, and Polk County Conservation, is pleased to announce that “Hello, River,” an interactive art installation connecting culture and conservation, has been installed next to the Lauridsen Skate Park and the future capstone [...]

A shimmery sculptural landmark set to debut in downtown Des Moines in mid-June is designed to catch eyes and capture hearts. The creative duo behind "Hello, River" hopes its head-turning public art piece will serve as the catalyst for a conservation-oriented meet-cute. To read the full article, visit dsm Magazine.

DES MOINES, IA (April 9, 2024) – ICON Water Trails, in partnership with Bravo Greater Des Moines and the Polk County Board of Supervisors, is pleased to announce that “Hello, River,” an interactive art installation connecting culture and conservation, has been selected to fulfill a $125,000 National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” grant, originally [...]