News

As we do each year, we asked our readers to cast votes for what Des Moines has to offer in a variety of business-related categories. These businesses make up an ecosystem in our region that supports a strong and vibrant community. Here’s how it worked: You voted. We checked the data, removed any suspicious or [...]

Stephanie Oppel, pictured, has been named the new executive director of ICON Water Trails. The organization announced her hiring today, saying Oppel will begin her new duties on Sept. 25.Oppel’s hiring comes almost a year after Maggie McClelland, who held the director’s position since July 2021, left the organization. Hannah Inman, CEO of Great Outdoors [...]

ICON Water Trails is pleased to announce that it has hired Stephanie Oppel to serve as the organization’s Executive Director. Oppel will fill this newly-revised, senior-level position, leading ICON’s staff and board to achieve its objectives. To date, the initiative has secured more than $97 million in funding and boasts fifteen sites across the region. [...]

DES MOINES, IA (Aug. 17, 2023) – The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails are pleased to announce the launch of the third annual Wild Prairie Showdown, presented by Bolton & Menk. This peer-to-peer fundraising campaign will conclude with a pseudo-pageant in which four local participants compete to be named MVP — Most Valuable [...]

ICON Water Trails announced Tuesday it's been awarded a $425,000 grant, bringing its total funding to more than $97.6 million. The grant will be dedicated to the trail's planned Fleur Drive site on the Raccoon River, one of three whitewater features planned for ICON portion in and around downtown Des Moines. The Fleur Drive access point [...]

DES MOINES, IA (July 11, 2023) – ICON Water Trails is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $425,000 Prairie Meadows Legacy Grant for its future Fleur Drive site. This Learn & Play access point is one of three signature whitewater features planned for ICON’s downtown run. With this investment from Prairie Meadows, [...]

DES MOINES, IA (June 20, 2023) – The Great Outdoors Foundation is pleased to announce that the MidAmerican Energy Regional Fund, a $5 million investment in ICON Water Trails, has awarded its $125,000 spring grant to the City of Clive. The funding will be used to establish access to Walnut Creek within the future Clive [...]

Two years ago, the then-named Central Iowa Water Trails celebrated a concept becoming a reality. On Thursday, leaders behind the now-named ICON Water Trails and community supporters celebrated the official groundbreaking of the Scott Avenue project, the largest of the first phase of the initiative. To read the full article, visit the Business Record.

DES MOINES, IA (April 27, 2023) – ICON Water Trails has broken ground on the first of its downtown sites, the access point located at the Scott Avenue dam in Des Moines. This project includes both in-water and uplands work, with eventual whitewater features and educational plaza. In honor of a generous $3 million investment [...]

Monica Converse has joined ICON Water Trails as its new project manager, the organization announced this week. In the newly created position, Converse will work to bring five of ICON’s six downtown Des Moines sites to fruition over the next few years. According to a news release, ICON will break ground on the Scott Avenue [...]