News

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 [...]

DES MOINES, IA (March 20, 2023) – ICON Water Trails is pleased to announce that it has hired Monica Converse to serve as the organization’s Project Manager. Converse fills this newly created position, established to bring five of ICON’s downtown sites to fruition over the next few years. ICON Water Trails will break ground on [...]

DES MOINES, IA (January 23, 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 fall grant to the City of Urbandale. The funding will be used to establish access to North Walnut Creek within Walker Johnston [...]

The Des Moines Metropolitan Planning Organization voted Tuesday to approve the contract for the first phase of the Scott Avenue portion of the ICON Water Trails project along the downtown Des Moines riverfront. The MPO board voted 16-3 to award a contract to United Contractors and Reilly Construction for $40.9 million. Board members Len Murray of Pleasant [...]

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 [...]