www.iowagreatplaces.gov

Guttenberg’s listing on the Forbes website.

Here’s a press release from Whiterock Conservancy, Coon Rapids, a 2005 Great Place:

[Coon Rapids, IA] - A crowd of over 100 visited the brand-new Bur Oak Visitor‘s Center in Coon Rapids for its grand opening on April 17, 2010.

“I think this is awesome. I think the whole concept is awesome,” local resident Gwen Stablein said of the visitor’s center.

The Bur Oak Visitor’s Center was completed in late fall of 2009 and constructed with monies from the Vision Iowa CAT grant. It is designed to serve as a location where visitors can learn about local outdoor attractions as well as a rentable meeting hall located on Whiterock Conservancy’s (WRC) extensive trail system.

Visitors at the grand opening were given the opportunity to take a wetland and savanna hike with WRC ecologist Elizabeth Hill.

“I probably enjoyed the hike the most,” said area resident Ron Brower. “I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve learned things I never knew from Elizabeth.”

Then, ISU extension wildlife biologist Rebecca Christoffel gave an “unhuggables” presentation about Iowa snakes.

“Snakes are just starting to emerge in these last few weeks,” she said, noting that this is why Iowans are seeing a lot of them right now. Christoffel brought five snakes with her to the demonstration and allowed the audience to touch and ask questions about the reptiles.

Up next was Kay Neuman of Saving Our Avian Resources (SOAR), who brought with her a red tail hawk and a Peregrine Falcon. She presented an educational program about raptors as endangered species.

Later in the afternoon, WRC Executive Director Tolif Hunt hosted a ribbon cutting along with Fred Diehl, a Vision Iowa board member. WRC board members Liz Garst, Jennifer Garst, Bob Riley, and Rachel Garst; Keith Dorpinghaus, Coon Rapids mayor; and Doug Carpenter, president of the Coon Rapids Development Group helped to cut the ribbon.

Then, Dave Moore played a set that had the crowd tapping their toes. Moore, who has appeared several times on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” is lauded as one of the greatest songwriters to rise out of Iowa.

The April 17 event marked the completion of “Opening Whiterock: A Public-Private Partnership for Rural Tourism,” an impressive community infrastructure project that was over three years in the making. Because of this important initiative, the town of Coon Rapids and WRC accomplished a number of infrastructure improvements for the benefit of the public including a sustainable trail system complete with educational signs, art installations, handicapped-accessible fishing piers and much, much more.

For more information, visit www.whiterockconservancy.org.

Business Week takes a look at West Union’s planned renovation.