Cultural Affairs announces Great Places site visit schedule
Citizen Advisory Board to visit Marquette/McGregor, Spencer, Warren County, West Union
(DES MOINES, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs today announced the schedule for site visits to four Iowa Great Places finalists.
Great Places Citizen Advisory Board members and DCA staff will tour Marquette/McGregor, Spencer, Warren County and West Union Sept. 22-24, 2008. Iowa’s newest Great Places will be identified Sept. 30, 2008.
Iowa Great Places is a program that calls on state agencies to partner with Iowans in a new way by combining state resources with local assets to make Iowa’s communities, neighborhoods, districts and regions great places where people want to live, work and raise a family.
In developing their proposals, Iowans were asked to address seven unique and authentic dimensions that make places special: engaging experiences; rich, diverse populations and cultures; a vital, creative economy; clean and accessible natural and built environments; well-designed infrastructure; a shared attitude of optimism that welcomes new ideas; and based on a diverse and inclusive cultural mosaic.
Following is the 2008 Great Places Citizen Advisory Board site visit schedule:
Monday, Sept. 22, 2008
10 a.m. Leave Des Moines
11:30 a.m. Arrive Fort Dodge for lunch
12:15 p.m. Leave Fort Dodge for Spencer
2:15 p.m. Arrive Spencer for presentation
4:15 p.m. Depart Spencer for Mason City
6:15 p.m. Arrive Mason City for overnight stay
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008
8 a.m. Depart Mason City for West Union
10 a.m. Arrive West Union for presentation
Noon Depart West Union
12:45 p.m. Arrive Elkader for lunch
2 p.m. Depart Elkader for Marquette/McGregor
2:45 p.m. Arrive Marquette/McGregor for presentation
5 p.m. Depart Marquette/McGregor
7 p.m. Arrive for overnight stay TBD
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008
7 a.m. Depart for Warren County
10 a.m. Arrive Warren County for presentation
Noon Depart Warren County for Des Moines
12:30 p.m. Arrive in Des Moines for consultation
Following are themes and projects from Iowa Great Places finalist’s proposals:
Spencer - “Sparkle in Spencer & Ignite Your Imagination”
* Spencer’s Grand Enhancements – Grand Avenue Boulevard & Bridge Revitalization.
* Spencer Community Theatre Remodel & Expansion.
* Parker Historical Museum Remodel & Expansion.
* Adaptive Reuse of the Historic 1914 Old High School & 1937 Auditorium.
* “Pathway to Information”- bringing Spencer’s cultural & historic assets to its people.
* Continued expansion of the Little Sioux River Trail.
West Union - “A Green Pilot Community”
* West Union has been chosen by the Department of Economic Development as one of two state communities that will be pilot statewide programs for Green Initiatives.
* Redesign of the downtown streetscape.
* Redesign that will make West Union neighborhoods walkable/bikeable.
* Redesign of the Courthouse Square Plaza.
* Energy efficient, zero-water runoff with geothermal sidewalks and ice and snow removal.
Marquette/McGregor - “The Great Spirit of Iowa”
* Driftless Area Wetland Center.
* Emma Big Bear Nature Trails & Nature Shelter.
* Marquette-Joliet Wildlife Observatory.
* Andrew Clemens Art Center.
Warren County - “… your natural choice”
* Scotch Ridge Center & Trails – 47-acre tract that will link Carlisle and Warren County to the Principal Riverwalk in downtown Des Moines.
* Indianola Memorial Trail & Amphitheater.
* Year-round stage for Balloon Classic Facility.
* National Balloon Museum Addition and Educational Center.
* Technical assistance for the Blank Performing Arts Center.
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The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is responsible for developing the state’s interest in the areas of the arts, history and other cultural matters with the advice and assistance from its two divisions: the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa Arts Council. DCA preserves, researches, interprets and promotes an awareness and understanding of local, state and regional history and stimulates and encourages the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts and public interest and participation in them. It implements tourism-related art and history projects as directed by the General Assembly and designs a comprehensive, statewide, long-range plan with the assistance of the Iowa Arts Council to develop the arts in Iowa. More information about DCA is available at www.culturalaffairs.org.