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Stephanie Oppel looks to her family for inspiration when it comes to helping ICON Water Trails reach its full potential as a recreation and placemaking attraction that can help the region attract and retain talent, and improve water quality throughout Central Iowa. She started as ICON’s new executive director on Sept. 25. Oppel grew up [...]

The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails announced that the third annual Wild Prairie Showdown on Oct. 12, presented by Bolton & Menk, raised more than $120,000 for conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives. The Wild Prairie Showdown is a competition to name the MVP, or Most Valuable Philanthropist. The record-setting fundraising total from this [...]

Three total whitewater access points are planned to be located in downtown Des Moines and open to the public in 2026. ICON Water Trails is in charge of these three and 12 other recreational sites around central Iowa. ICON is connecting 150 miles of rivers and creeks in the state, making 80 plus improvements to [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]