Central Iowa Water Trails
Greater Des Moines Partnership Chief Operations Officer Tiffany Tauscheck, MidAmerican VP of Economic Connections and Integration Kathryn Kunert, who also serves as the Vice Chair of the Central Iowa Water Trails Board, and Great Outdoors Foundation CEO Hannah Inman highlighted what’s new with the ongoing Central Iowa Water Trails project, including the latest updates on its 150 miles of water trails across 86 sites within the region. The project plans for a zipline in the future at one of the Downtown DSM sites, along with additional fishing spots, whitewater rafting, creek walking, kayaking, swimming opportunities and more.
Central Iowa Water Trails is looking into new branding that will highlight the transformational nature of the project. Inman said they will launch the new brand this summer, as well as a new government structure. She said with just under $25 million raised for the project, community support and excitement will help get the project to its goal of $33.5 million quickly. Towards the end of 2021, the larger Downtown DSM projects will begin construction, including Prospect Park, Birdland Marina, Scott Avenue and Harriet Street.
Kunert said this region has an amazing history of collaboration. The cities have stepped up to figure out how to transform their community to embrace the Central Iowa Water Trails project, while the private entities bring funds, time and talent to the project.
Water Quality Collaboration
Along with its regional impact, the trio discussed how the project allows leaders within the community to address water issues. Inman has been working on water quality issues within the state for 15 years. She said great conversations are happening with upstream and downstream agricultural partners. With just 200 saturated buffers throughout the state, there are also plans for another 200 to be added within the water shed by working with individual partners.
The amenities of a place will determine quality of life. For DSM to compete for top talent, Kunert said there must be a focus on outdoor recreation and transformational projects that will lure new workers to the region. The Central Iowa Water Trails project is a development that will be accessible to all, adding inclusive programming to the region’s communities on an ongoing basis. Everyone’s voice is being heard — from arts and culture to fishing. From the beginning, inclusion has been an intentional hallmark of the project.
The OneVoice DSM podcast was previously produced by the Greater Des Moines Partnership. To learn more about current events in the region, sign up for the OnePartnership Weekly newsletter.