WELCOME

Purpose
The purpose of Open House No. 2 is to share the feedback from
the first open house and get feedback on options for the future of
the City’s Parks and Recreation facilities and programs.
The overall system options will include concepts for meeting
needs for:
• Parks, open space and trails
• Greenway and riverfront uses
• Indoor recreation

Tentative Open House Schedule

Open House No. 1 Needs, Existing Facilities, Process,
Work to Date
Tuesday, June 23, 4-7 p.m.
DONE
Open House No. 2 Master Plan System Options
Tuesday, August 18, 4-7 p.m.
Wednesday, August 19, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Open House No. 3 Master Plan Selected System Options
Tuesday, October 6, 4-7 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel
The Challenge
This Parks & Recreation Master Plan Open
House Process must address the following
questions:

• What are the best future investments

to achieve high quality of life, compete
with other Midwestern cities and
encourage community development?

• How does the City of Cedar Rapids meet

the community’s parks and recreation
indoor and outdoor needs and
ensure the system is sustainable and
affordable, now and in the future?

• How does the overall Parks and

Recreation Master Plan impact flood
recovery planning and reinvestment in
the river corridor areas?
 Master Plan Chronology
2003 – Recreation Department creates its own master plan of
facilities and programs.
2007 – City Parks Department and Recreation Department
combine to become one department.
2008 – City begins process of its first Parks and Recreation
Master Plan. Activities including an inventory of the parks
system, needs assessment and stakeholder interviews,
were completed.
June 11-13, 2008 – Flood results in damages and needed
investment of at least $3 billion in Cedar Rapids,
including some damages to river corridor parks and
recreational facilities.
August 2008 – Parks master planning process resumes and a
post flood inventory occurs.
June 23, 2009 – First of three sets of Parks & Recreation
Master Plan open houses held.

Other Related Processes:

• P.L.A.Y. multi-generational community center/recreational
facility (2005 to date).
• Greenway – Flood Management System – River Corridor
Process (June-Nov. 2008).
• Riverfront Uses – Riverfront Master Plan Process – Halted
due to June 2008 flood.
• Neighborhood Planning Process – Reinvestment plans for
10 flood-impacted neighborhoods (Jan.-May 2009).
Master Plan Project Goals
• Meeting needs to attract and retain
residents and the next generation
workerforce.
• Providing a community-wide perspective
to the parks and recreation system as
priorities are set to meet operational
funding constraints.
• Enhancing the use of our riverfront and
attracting residents to the river.
• Ensuring indoor recreational facility
needs are met and are affordable for
the community.
• Addressing flood damage to the parks
and recreational system.
• Enhancing connectivity of parks and
open space through the trail system.
• Ensuring a system which the City and its
taxpayers can afford.
How do we currently support the
Parks & Recreation System?

Unlike most Midwest communities,

Cedar Rapids must fund parks and recreation
with only two revenue options:
1) Property tax subsidy
2) User fees

Our System Faces Significant Challenges:

• Maintenance – A high number of park acres (3359) to maintain.
• Greenway – Acquisition of the riverfront greenway as flood protection
that must be maintained and have some program elements.
• Flood – Park and recreation facilities damaged by the 2008 flood.
• Age – Recreation facilities that have outlived their life expectancy
and have limited revenue potential.
• Trails – Low number of trail miles in comparison with other
Midwestern cities.
• Needs – A growing community has growing needs.
• Resources – Limited resources within the City to meet a high level
of needs.
How can we lower maintenance costs to make the system more sustainable?
The following are potential strategies for the City to lower maintenance costs of the Parks & Recreation System.

PARKS & OPEN SPACE

Potential Funding or
Strategy Impact on Level of Service Rationale Capital Cost Implications Operating Cost Implications Timing Partnership Opportunities

Policies/Standards:

Adopt mandatory parkland Provides parkland for new Affordable parkland to No cost to City NA 0-5 years Land provided by
dedication residential developments serve new residents developer

Adopt park impact fee Provides fee to build park Growth contributes to park Depending on fee – City Maintenance cost 0-5 years Apply a percentage of new
on dedicated land from new capital costs to serve new partial-to-full costs of park of $2237 per developed property tax revenue to
development residents development park acre park maintenance budgets

Park Maintenance:

Convert select park mowed areas to Minimal to Moderate Environmental Impact; $20,520 to convert to Cost per acre to maintain 0-5 years Iowa Dept. of Natural
natural areas Affordability switch grass decreases from $2237 per (Ongoing) Resources and
acre to $250 per acre environmental grants for
$124,800 to convert to
prairie restoration
prairie grass $100,000 in mowing
equipment

Lower park maintenance standards Moderate Affordability None Cost per acre to Timing: 0-5 years
(e.g. reduce frequency of mowing of mow decreases from
lower-use parks) $425 to $290

Increase parkland agreements/ Minimal to Moderate Affordability None Savings of $425-$2237 0-5 years Requires commitment
leases for maintenance by private per acre from homeowners and/or
groups for recreational uses neighborhood associations
to maintain at an
acceptable level of service

Underutilized Lands and Facilities:

Re-purpose lands or facilities that Minimal Affordability None Savings of $425-$2237 0-5 years Potential buyers of
do not contribute to parks and per acre re-purposed land
recreation system, and level of
service
 What can we do to
increase funding?
The following are potential strategies for the
Parks & Recreation System to increase revenue.

Alternative Funding Sources

• Increase funding through sponsorships (including
naming rights)
• Federal, state and local grants

Community Support
• Develop a “Friends” group to increase grant and
private funding
• Develop an “Adopt-a-Park” program
• Increase partnerships with schools
• Pursue partners to assist with capital projects

Programs and Special Facilities

• Recreation programs: Strategic review and refinement
of fees and charges
• Old MacDonald’s Farm: Identify private endowment
to fund operation budget
• Rentals: Increase rental of indoor and outdoor facilities
• Ushers Ferry Historic Village: Increase cost
recovery (non-tax revenue)
 Parks & Recreation
System Sustainability
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan
must identify ways for the system to address
financial challenges so that it can endure
for future generations.

The Master Plan must:

• Provide for maintenance of a
newly-acquired greenway
• Address deficiencies in indoor
recreation and trails
• Meet quality-of-life expectations
• Plan for a growing community with
limited new funding opportunities
Open House No. 1 Feedback – Important System Facilities
The number of times a response was mentioned in the feedback is indicated in parentheses after each item.
Parks, Open Space, Trails Riverfront
Trails & connectivity (42) Trails & connectivity (20)
Active recreation/outdoor sports facilities (23) Ellis Harbor (10)
Parks & park components (18) Outdoor event spaces (7)
Dog park (10) Outdoor cafés and restaurants (7)
Riverfront recreation (9) Boating (7)
Event space/amphitheater (7) Active recreation (6)
Open space (7) Amphitheater/outdoor concert venue (6)
Community gardens (6) Open space (5)
Playgrounds and splash pads (5) Community gardens (4)
Picnic/shelters (4) Indoor recreation/community centers (4)
Natural areas/habitat (3) Arts and culture (4)
BMX and remote-controlled airplanes (1) Natural areas (4)
Water taxis (3)
River walkways (3)
Dog and pet facilities (2)
Picnic areas (2)
Market/festival space (2)
Retail (1)
Waterpark (1)
Ushers Ferry (1)
Indoor Recreation
Indoor pool (18)
Active recreation (14)
Indoor recreation/community center (10)
Community/meeting space (6)
Track (5)
50-meter competition pool (4)
Gyms (3)
Weights/fitness (3)
Skate park (2)
Marketplace (2)
Dance facilities (2)
Indoor event space (2)
Childcare (1)
Indoor dog and pet facility (1)
Indoor water park (1)
Tournament facilities (1)
Indoor water park (1)
Tournament facilities (1)
Aquarium/zoo (1)
Therapy pool (wellness) (1)
Party rental room (1)
Early childhood (1)
Outdoor children’s play area (1)
Central café/concessions (1)
Gardening (1)
Community Benefit/Sustainability Analysis – Park Facilities & Programs
When adding or creating parks and recreation facilities and services, cities look at how broad the community impact is of
that facility or program and how integral it is to a parks system. They look at the number of users and the cost to provide
the service, then determine how to pay for it. Generally, there are three main categories.

Broad Community Benefit

– City subsidy Many users, basic to parks system, essential
Funding – Find ways to minimize operating
costs and make more functional.
to greater community.

Community/Individual Benefit
– City subsidy & user fees Serves individual interests but has broad appeal
Funding – Fees & charges cover some,
but not all, operating costs.
in the community.

Individual Benefit
– User fees Specialized services, limited users and not part of
Funding – Self-sustaining with user fees;
ideally generating a profit.
direct parks/recreation mission.
How Do You Incorporate Facility Feedback into the System Options?
In order to determine the cost of incorporating the facility feedback into options, the feedback was evaluated for
sustainability/affordability and community benefit.
Parks, Open Space, Trails Riverfront Indoor Recreation
Broad Community Benefit Trails & connectivity (42) Trails & connectivity (20) Active recreation (14)

– City subsidy Parks & park components (18)

Playgrounds & splash pads (5)
Open space (5)
Indoor recreation/community centers (4)
Indoor recreation/community center (10)
Community/meeting space (6)
Funding – Find ways to minimize operating Picnic shelters (4) Natural areas (4) Track (5)
costs and make more functional. Natural areas/habitat (3) River walkways (3) Gyms (3)
Picnic areas (2)

Parks, Open Space, Trails Riverfront Indoor Recreation

Community/Individual Benefit Active recreation/outdoor sports facilities (23) Boating (7) Indoor pool (18)

– City subsidy & user fees
Funding – Fees & charges cover some,
but not all, operating costs.
Dog and pet facilities (10)
Event space/amphitheater (7)
Outdoor event spaces (7)
Active recreation (6)
Outdoor children’s play area (1)
Gardening (1)
Open space (7) Amphitheater/outdoor concert venue (6) Dog and pet facility (1)
Community Gardens (6) Community gardens (4)
Dog and pet facilities (2)
Market/festival space (2)
Water park (1)

Parks, Open Space, Trails Riverfront Indoor Recreation

Individual Benefit BMX and remote-controlled airplanes (1) Ellis Harbor (10) 50-meter competition pool (4)

– User fees Outdoor cafés and restaurants (7)

Arts & culture (4)
Weights/fitness (3)
Skate park (2)
Funding – Self-sustaining with user fees; Water taxis (3) Dance facilities (2)
ideally generating a profit. Retail (1) Indoor event space(2)
Ushers Ferry (1) Aquarium/zoo (1)
Central café/concessions (1)
Early childhood (1)
Tournament facilities (1)
Childcare (1)
Therapy pool (wellness) (2)
Party rental room (1)
Outdoor children’s play area (1)
Indoor water park (1)
 City Council Direction
The City Council frequently uses
these five keys to successful redevelopment
to evaluate initiatives.

• Consistent with Community Goals

• Neighborhood Support
• Financial Feasibility
• Market Feasibility
• Experienced Development Team
 Evaluation Criteria
In addition to the Council’s keys to successful redevelopment,
the criteria listed below are being used to evaluate
parks and recreation options.

Cost
Short-term capital costs to implement

Affordability
Long-term operating costs and sustainability

Need
Meets a demonstrated need and has community support

Quality of Life
Impact to residents’ health, safety, family life and
community life

Community Impact
Number of people that will use it or be affected by it

Economic Impact
Impact in terms of competitiveness to attract and retain
residents, bring visitors to Cedar Rapids, or result in
additional revenue to businesses

Environmental Impact
Ecological benefit by providing flood mitigation,
stewardship of natural resources, and environmental
sustainability
Three Options to Improve and Sustain Our Parks System
Noelridge Noelridge Noelridge
Park Park Park

Squaw Ellis
Ushers Shaver Creek
Ferry Park Daniels Seminole Harbor Seminole
Seminole Valley Daniels Valley Ellis
Valley Park Park
Ellis Ellis Bever Park Bever
Bever Park Park
Park Park Park
Time
Check Time Check
Shawnee Downtown Greenway
Park Ambroz Downtown Downtown
Bender
Van Vechten
Apache Park Apache Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill Park Cherry Hill Park Park
Park Park
Landfill
Cedar Valley Park Urban
Urban Fishery Urban
Fishery Fishery
Jones
Park Jones
Park
Beverly Beverly Future
Park Park (based on growth)

Option 1: Decentralized System Option 2: Centralized System Option 3: Hybrid System

The Decentralized System works closely with the The Centralized System creates a recreational The Hybrid System creates focused activity
existing parks system, relying on enhancing destination riverfront by focusing new centers along the Greenway and throughout
existing facilities rather than creating new community and regional facilities in the future the City. This option consolidates active
facilities. Neighborhood spaces, community parks Greenway. programming to meet community needs into a
and regional facilities are dispersed throughout series of multi-neighborhood cluster parks.
and beyond the City limits.

EXISTING PARK

NEIGHBORHOOD PARK

RIVERFRONT ACTIVITY NODE

INDOOR RECREATION

NATURALIZED GREENWAY

PRIORITY TRAIL
Decentralized
System
Option
(Please fill out the
Option 1 comment card while
viewing this set of boards and drop it
in the nearby kiosk.)
The Decentralized System Option
The Decentralized System Option works closely with the existing
parks system. Neighborhood spaces, community parks and regional
facilities are dispersed throughout and beyond the City limits.
Noelridge
Park This option relies heavily on enhancing existing facilities rather than
creating new facilities.
Squaw
Creek
Ushers
Ferry Shaver
Park
Seminole
Valley Ellis Daniels
Park
Riverfront
Park
Bever
Park
Focuses a limited amount of new programming in the downtown core.
Shawnee Time
Park Check
Downtown Ambroz
Apache
Park Bender
Pool Trails
Van Vechten
Cherry Hill
Park
Park
Focuses on planned and funded trails.
Potential Future
Facility Cedar Valley Park
Urban
Fishery Indoor Recreation
Jones
Park Replaces the City's three facilities with similar facilities and provides
programs in two schools or neighborhood centers.
Beverly
Park

EXISTING PARK
Parks and Open Space
NEIGHBORHOOD PARK
Maintains the existing parks and open space system.
RIVERFRONT ACTIVITY NODE

INDOOR RECREATION

NATURALIZED GREENWAY

PRIORITY TRAIL
Decentralized System: What does this mean for the Riverfront?
Focuses new programming along the Downtown Facilities
riverfront in the downtown core, between • City promenade with outdoor dining
I-380 and 12th Street. Areas of the riverfront and cafés
beyond the downtown are naturalized with trails • Farmer's Market
and prairie plantings.
• Event Plaza on May's Island

Seminole
Valley
Ellis
Park

Downtown

Urban Naturalized Areas

Fishery
• 80% of the
Greenway is
naturalized.
City
Wetlands Promenade

Capital Cost: $101,700,000 • Prairie plantings, Event

Space

river's edge
Total Operational Cost: $361,100 naturalization and O Ave Naturalized
Greenway
the creation of
New Operational Cost: $169,250 Naturalized
Greenway
wetlands.
Advantages Disadvantages Boat
Dock
Boating
Plaza at
Time Check • Expands Ellis
• Incorporates naturalized • Does not make the Harbor facility
riverfront into the regional trail riverfront and Greenway to include public
landing and boat
and ecological system. a regional recreational launch.
destination. • Expands facility
• Creates some new riverfront to include boating
F Ave and fish stocking
access with event space. program.
Decentralized System: What does this mean for Trails?
Focuses on developing trails that are already
planned and funded.

Seminole
Valley
Ellis
Park

Downtown

Urban
Fishery

TRAIL STRATEGY

Capital Cost: Funded

New Operational Cost: $49,000

Advantages Disadvantages
EXISTING TRAILS
• Provides some trail • Less extensive trail system.
connectivity. FUNDED TRAILS

• Does not maximize trail

• More affordable due to a lower connectivity. TRAIL SYSTEM
amount of new trail miles.

CEMAR Trail Ellis Trail Trails funded by others

• Connects Cedar River Trail to Boyson Trail
• Connects Eastern and Southern Marion to
Central Cedar Rapids and Cedar River Trail
• Provides access to: Mt. Mercy College,
Regis and Arthur Schools
• Connects Ellis Trail to Ellis Park and • Hoover Natural Trail: Connects metro
Edgewood Road Northwest area to Johnson County through Ely
• Provides access to: riverfront West, Ellis, • Ely Connection
and Manhattan- Robbins Lake, and Ellis • Grant Wood Trail
Golf Course
Greenway Trails
Decentralized System: What does this mean for Indoor Recreation?
Meets indoor recreation needs by replacing the Replace Ambroz Replace Bender
three existing facilities: Ambroz, Bender, and
• Gymnasium • Indoor 6-lane lap pool
Time Check. Continues some indoor recreation
programming co-located at two schools or new • Dance • Party rental room
neighborhood centers. • Arts and crafts • General program
room
• Multi-purpose rooms
• Creative play/ child
• Support spaces
care
• Facility administration
• Support spaces
• Reception
• Facility administration
Time
Check Ambroz
Bender
Pool
• Reception

Potential
Future Facility

Replace Time Check Co-location at Neighborhood Centers

• Gymnasium • Gymnasium

Capital Cost: $24,000,000 • Social and cultural • Reception

Total Operational Cost: $237,100
New Operational Cost: $129,739
Advantages
• Replaces existing
buildings with new
facilities that are code
compliant and energy-
efficient.
programming
• Office
• General programming
and service club
Disadvantages • Support spaces
• Duplicates staff, spaces and utilities at • Facility administration
multiple facilities, decreasing efficiency.
• Reception
• Has limited potential for additional revenue
based on size and program elements.
• Current locations are difficult to access and
do not meet the growth of the community.
Decentralized System: What does this mean for Parks and Open Space?
Neighborhood spaces, community parks and Streamline Park System
regional facilities are dispersed throughout
• Removes parcels that
and beyond the City limits. This option relies have no recreational
Budget Reductions:
heavily on enhancing existing facilities rather value (such as road Operational Savings:
than creating new facilities. medians). saves $320,587 annually
• Converts 104 acres of • Close 12 old wading pools (saves $34,992)
Noelridge
Park
parks to natural areas • Privatize Ushers Ferry (saves $196,293)
for overall operating • Full cost recovery at Tuma (saves 89,302)
Squaw
Shaver Creek efficiencies.
Seminole Park Daniels
Valley Park
Give property to adjacent school for
Ellis
Park Bever maintaining: saves $34,047 annually
Shawnee
Park Active Recreation
Park Coolidge ballfields, Monroe playground, Pierce
Downtown
Van Vechten • Maintains existing playground, Reed trail and soccer fields, Van
Park
Cherry Hill
Apache
Park ballfields and sports Buren playground and trail, Viola Gibson ballfield.
Park
complexes.
Cedar Valley Park Turn over property with no recreational
• Adds baseball and value to another department (i.e. traffic
Jones
Park softball tournament islands, boulevards): saves $3467 annually
Beverly facilities to the Tuma
Park
Complex. Chandler, Fairview, Glenway, Haskell, Huston,
Krebs, Stefan.

Capital Cost: $10,904,160 Special Facilities

New Operational Cost: New operational costs are offset by • Maintains one
operational efficiencies. dedicated dog park
Advantages Disadvantages facility at Squaw Creek
location.
• Maintains neighborhood • Favors neighborhood facilities with
level of service fewer programs and services over • Improves existing
provided by current community facilities with a higher skate park at Riverside
parks and recreation level of programs and services. Park.
system.
• Dispersed system is less efficient to
maintain.
Evaluation of the Decentralized System Option
Community Minimizes
Minimizing Increase in Long- Meet Community Economic Impact Improvement of
Impact Environmental Notes
Short-Term Costs Term Affordability Need on City Quality of Life
(# Users) Impact

Parks & Open Low Low High High Low Medium High Status Quo with some
Space improvements

High High Low Low Low High Low Naturalized with

Riverfront
Downtown Core

Trails High High Low Medium Low High Low Already funded Trails

Dispersed indoor
Indoor Recreation Medium Low Low Low Low Medium Medium recreation at upgraded
existing facilities

Low Medium High

Capital Cost: $137 million
New Operational Cost: New operational costs are offset by operational efficiencies.
Advantages
• Maintains neighborhood level of service provided by current parks and recreation
system.
• Creates some new riverfront access with event space at the downtown core.
• Provides some trail connectivity.
• Indoor recreation needs are addressed by replacing the outdated and inaccessible
buildings with new, efficient, and code-compliant buildings.
• No additional operating expenses and the lowest capital cost of the three options.
Disadvantages
• Does not keep Cedar Rapids competitive with other communities in terms of employee
recruitment, quality of life enhancement, and national recreational trends.
• Favors more lower quality neighborhood facilities over fewer high quality community facilities.
• Does not make the riverfront and Greenway a regional recreational destination.
• Does not maximize trail connectivity.
• Duplicates staff, spaces and utilities at multiple facilities, increasing capital and operating
costs at indoor recreation facilities.

• Converts to natural areas and repurposes parks for operational efficiencies.

Centralized
System
Option
(Please fill out the
Option 2 comment card while
viewing this set of boards and drop it
in the nearby kiosk.)
The Centralized System Option

The Centralized System creates a recreational destination riverfront by

focusing new community and regional facilities in the future Greenway.

Noelridge
Park
Riverfront

Ellis
Introduces activities and programs along the entire riverfront to provide a
Seminole
Harbor
high-quality regional destination.
Valley
Ellis Daniels
Park Park
Bever

Time Check
Park
Trails
Greenway
Prioritizes trail segments that connect to the riverfront and City center.
Downtown

Apache
Cherry Hill Park
Park Indoor Recreation
Landfill
Locates a regional-scale, centralized "Multi-Generational Community Life
Urban Facility" along the River in Ellis Park.
Jones Fishery
Park

Beverly Parks and Open Space

Park

Increases operational efficiencies by repurposing parks and recreation

EXISTING PARK
facilities that are outdated or do not meet community needs.
NEIGHBORHOOD PARK

RIVERFRONT ACTIVITY NODE

INDOOR RECREATION

NATURALIZED GREENWAY

PRIORITY TRAIL
Centralized System: What does this mean for the Riverfront?
Focuses new program and shift some existing Riverfront Programming
park uses to the riverfront to create a regional
• 7500- person with permanent and lawn
attraction.
seating.
• City promenade at downtown core with
outdoor dining and cafés.

Ellis
• Fountain/ event plaza/ ice rink on
Seminole
Harbor May's Island.
Valley
Ellis
Park • Inflatable dam near the 8th Avenue
Bridge creates a recreational pool Fountain / Event City
Time Check Plaza / Ice Rink Promenade
Greenway
Downtown
downtown for boating.
Greenway
• Urban Fishery expands to include
boating and fish stocking programs.
Landfill
Urban
Fishery
• New outdoor recreation fields in Time
Check Greenway and Seminole Valley. Boat Docks

• Temporary beaches for volleyball and Amphitheater with Fixed

and Lawn seating

boat launch.
• 70% developed/ 30% naturalized
Capital Cost: $259,200,000 Greenway

Total Operational Cost: $659,150

Pedestrian
Bridge

New Operational Cost: $378,900

Advantages Disadvantages O Ave

• Makes the riverfront a signature • Draws resources Soccer

Boat
Dock

destination for the City of Cedar away from dispersed

Fields

Rapids and the region. neighborhood parks and Plaza at

Time Check

• Accommodates a variety of facilities. Baseball

programming, appealing to Parking

a wide range of users, at the BMX /

Skatepark
riverfront. F Ave
Centralized System: What does this mean for Trails?
Develop trails that connect regional systems
and neighborhoods to the riverfront, the
Greenway, and City Center.
Noelridge
Park

Ellis
Harbor
Seminole Daniels
Valley Park
Ellis
Park Bever
Park

Downtown

Apache
Cherry Hill Park
Park
Urban
Fishery

Beverly
Park

TRAIL STRATEGY

Capital Cost: $25,800,000

New Operational Cost: $374,100 EXISTING TRAILS

FUNDED TRAILS

Advantages Disadvantages PRIORITY TRAIL CONNECTIONS

• Increases connectivity to TRAIL SYSTEM

• Does not maximize
the downtown core from connectivity to
some neighborhoods and neighborhoods.
the riverfront. Implement funded trails Lincoln Trail (Mt.Vernon to CEMAR) Prairie Creek
• CEMAR • Connect CEMAR Trail to Sac & Fox and Squaw • New trail connecting SW Cedar Rapids &
• Increases trails level of • Ellis Trail Creek Trails the city of Fairfax to the Cedar River Trail
service in the downtown • Connects SE Linn County: Bertram, Mt. Vernon, & system
core. Lisbon to the Cedar River Trail
• Provides access to: Sac & Fox, Bever, Cottage F Avenue
Grove Parkway, & Northview, and Franklin & • On-street trails
Washington Schools
Centralized System: What does this mean for Indoor Recreation?
Creates a regional scale (245,000 square The Multi-Generational Community Life Center would include:
foot) indoor recreational facility, The Multi-
Generational Community Life Center, along the Passive Recreation
Greenway in Ellis Park. Repurposes existing • Dance
outdated facilities. Partners with schools to offer
• 2 Arts and crafts rooms
programming in other parts of the city.
• 8 Social and cultural
programming rooms
• Multi-use room and
Ellis
Park stage
• Kitchen
• Party rental room
• Creative play and
child care with indoor
Conceptual View of Center at Ellis Park playground

Active Recreation Partnership Opportunities

• 8 Gymnasiums • Older adults partner

Capital Cost: $82,900,000
• Indoor track • Community early
Total Operational Cost: $298,000 learning institute
• Indoor lap pool partner
New Operational Cost: $232,639
• Indoor family activity • Wellness partner
Advantages Disadvantages pool
• Creates a state-of-the-art facility • Reduces neighborhood • Central café
with multiple partners to serve level of programming.
• 50 Meter competition
pool • Community safety
regional recreation needs, enhance
redevelopment and generate tourism
• Increases travel to partner
revenue.
recreation facilities. • Health and fitness
• Branch library partner
• Efficiently uses staff, space and utilities • Aerobics
at one facility to reduce ongoing
operating costs. • Rock climbing
Centralized System: What does this mean for Parks and Open Space?
Increases operational efficiencies by Streamline Park System
repurposing or naturalizing parks with lower • Repurposes or
recreational value. creates management Budget Reductions:
partnerships for the Tuma Same as Option 1:
Noelridge Complex.
Park • Operational Savings: saves $320,587
• Converts areas with less annually
recreational value to low-
Daniels
Park mow and prairie plantings • Give property to adjacent school for
Bever
Park to minimize maintenance maintaining: saves $34,047 annually
cost. • Turn over property with no recreational
• Creates partnerships value to another department (i.e. traffic
Cherry Hill
Apache
with community groups islands, boulevards): saves $3467 annually
Park
Park
to maintain existing park Additional Strategies:
land. • New Funding Strategies $100,000
Jones
Park Sponsorships, annual campaign, donations.

Beverly
Park
Capital Cost: $399,160
New Operational Cost: New operational costs are offset
by operational efficiencies.
Advantages
• Focuses facilities and
attractions in the City’s core
along the riverfront that benefit
the entire community.
• More efficient to maintain a
high level of amenities in a
concentrated area.
Replaces existing park amenities with improved facilities in the Greenway
• Conversion of manicured park land to prairie
• Skate park or switch grass: saves $237,459 annually
Bowman Woods (100%), Cherokee, extended (93%), Cherry
• Rugby field Hill (35%), Cheyenne (100%), Delaney (10%), Ellis Park
(8%), Interstate Ramp Areas (75%), Lincoln Way (38%),
• Dog park Navajo (72%), Nixon (9%), Osborne (100%), Seminole Valley
/ Usher's Ferry (10%), Shawnee (83%), Stejskal (100%), Sun
• Spray pools Valley (100%), Tait Cummins (30%).
• Basketball courts • Repurposing, selling, or transferring
• New outdoor recreation fields maintenance: saves $54,538 annually
Disadvantages in Time Check Greenway and 10th Square, Anderson, Arrowhead, Central Park, Garnett,
Seminole Valley Park Iroquois, Lincoln Heights, Northview, Sokol, Tokheim, Glass
• Reduces developed parks Road, Long Bluff Road, Papoose, Sinclair, Wellington,
and recreational facilities Whittam, Williams.
within neighborhoods
• Change frequency of mowing from every 10
to support facilities and days to 15 days: saves $34,560 annually
programming in the Alandale, Apache, Cedar Hills, Delaney, Fox Trail, Hayes,
Greenway along the Huntington Ridge, Jacolyn, Jackson, Shaver, Shawnee, Van
Vechten, Wilderness Estates.
riverfront.
Evaluation of the Centralized System Option
Community Minimizes
Minimizing Increase in Long- Meet Community Economic Impact Improvement of
Impact Environmental Notes
Short-Term Costs Term Affordability Need on City Quality of Life
(# Users) Impact

Parks & Open High High Low Low Low High Low Shifts resources to
Space Greenway

Low Low High High High Medium High Creates Regional

Riverfront
Destination

Low Low High High High High High Network brings people
Trails
to Riverfront

Low Medium High High High High High Centralized at

Indoor Recreation
Riverfront

Low Medium High

Capital Cost: $388 million
New Operational Cost: $300,900
Advantages Disadvantages
• The riverfront becomes a signature destination for the City of Cedar Rapids • Diverts neighborhood resources from current parks and recreation system to
and the region, attracting residents, workers and visitors. support an intensely programmed greenway.
• Programming appeals to a wide range of users and provides residents with • Does not maximize the connectivity to the neighborhoods.
greater access to the river.
• Requires travel to indoor recreation services.
• Connects the neighborhoods to the downtown core through walking and
biking trails.
• Indoor recreation is consolidated into one efficient, multi-generational center.
 Hybrid
System
Option
(Please fill out the
Option 3 comment card while
viewing this set of boards and drop it
in the nearby kiosk.)
The Hybrid System Option
The Hybrid System creates focused activity centers along the Greenway
and throughout the City. This option distributes new programming to meet
community needs within a series of existing activity nodes, balancing new
developed park amenities with naturalized spaces throughout the park
system.
Noelridge
Park
Riverfront
Focus new programming and activities in a few key activity centers along
Seminole
Valley
the riverfront: downtown, Seminole Valley, Ellis Park and the Urban
Ellis
Park Fishery.
Bever
Park

Trails
Downtown

Focus on developing trails that connect selected clustered parks where

Cherry Hill
Park
recreational opportunities are focused within the City limits.

Urban
Fishery
Indoor Recreation
Jones
Park
One midsize and two neighborhood indoor recreation facilities occur in
Future
selected cluster parks to serve recreation needs.
(based on growth)

EXISTING PARK
Parks and Open Space
NEIGHBORHOOD PARK Focus on consolidating recreational opportunities into parks that could
RIVERFRONT ACTIVITY NODE
serve multiple neighborhoods, including Ellis, Cherry Hill, Jones,
INDOOR RECREATION
Noelridge, and Bever Parks.
NATURALIZED GREENWAY

PRIORITY TRAIL
Hybrid System: What does this mean for the Riverfront?
This option consolidates recreational Downtown Facilities
amenities into a series of parks to serve as • 5000 person grass
multi-neighborhood centers. These "cluster" amphitheater
parks would be Ellis, Cherry Hill, Jones, Bever, • City promenade with
and Noelridge with a potential future cluster near outdoor dining and cafés
Kirkwood to serve the growing south side. • Farmer's Market
Flexible City

• Event Space Plaza Promenade

Naturalized
Greenway
Ushers
Ferry
Ellis Boat Docks
Park Grass
Amphitheater

Downtown

Boating and Fishing Active recreation

• Installs a rubber, inflatable • Creates new soccer complex,
Urban
Fishery dam near 8th Avenue to camping facilities and a public boat
create a new recreational pool launch at Seminole Valley.
downtown.
• Creates temporary beaches for
• Expands Urban Fishery facility volleyball and boat launch.
to include boat rental and fish
stocking program.
Capital Cost: $175,200,000

Total Operational Cost: $500,190

Naturalized Areas
New Operational Cost: $219,940 • 50% Naturalized Greenway.

• Prairie plantings, river's edge

Advantages Disadvantages naturalization and the creation

• Does not fully take advantage of of wetlands at Time Check

• Provides a mix of
programmed and naturalized opportunities to develop community- Greenway and between Ushers Ferry
spaces along the riverfront. wide amenities in the Greenway. downtown and the Landfill. • Increases revenue-generation with a rental facility for events and weddings.
Hybrid System: What does this mean for Trails?
This option focuses on developing trails that
connect selected clustered parks where
recreational opportunities are focused within the
City limits.

Noelridge
Park

Seminole
Valley
Ellis
Park Bever
Park

Downtown

Cherry Hill
Park

Urban
Fishery

Jones
Park
Future
(based on growth)

TRAIL STRATEGY
EXISTING TRAILS

FUNDED TRAILS

PRIORITY TRAIL CONNECTIONS

Capital Cost: $8,300,000
TRAIL SYSTEM
Total Operational Cost: $120,350

Advantages Disadvantages
Implement funded trails Lincoln Trail (Mt.Vernon to CEMAR) Morgan Creek Trail
• Increases connectivity • Does not maximize CEMAR, Ellis Trail • Connect CEMAR Trail to Sac and Fox and Squaw • Connects to Ellis Trail to the Hwy. 100
between cluster parks. regional trail connectivity Creek Trails Trails
• Connects SE Linn County: Bertram, Mt. Vernon, • Provides access to: Morgan Creek and
Kirkwood Trail Extension (new priority) helps create a connection to Cherry Hill
• Creates several trail loops in and Lisbon to the Cedar River Trail
• Connects to existing Bowling Street Trail to
different parts of the city. Cedar River Trail
• Provides access to: Sac and Fox, Bever, Cottage
Grove Parkway, and Northview, and Franklin and
• Provides access to Jones Park Washington Schools
Hybrid System: What does this mean for Indoor Recreation?
Indoor recreation needs are met through the One Mid-Size Recreation Center
creation of a midsize (150,000 sq. ft.) indoor
recreational facility at Noelridge Park, along Active Recreation:
• 3 Gymnasiums
with neighborhood facilities within cluster parks
• Indoor track
at Jones and Cherry Hill. Existing indoor
• 8-lane indoor lap pool
recreation facilities are repurposed.
• Indoor family activity pool
Noelridge • Fitness
Park
• Aerobics
• Rock climbing

Passive Recreation:
Cherry Hill • Dance
Park
• Arts and crafts
• 3 Social and cultural
programming rooms
Jones
Park • Multi-use room and stage
• Kitchen
• Party rental room
• Creative play and child
Capital Cost: $61,400,000 care

Total Operational Cost: $720,000 Two Cluster Neighborhood Park Facilities Partnership Opportunities
New Operational Cost: $654,639 • Gymnasium • Older adults
partner
Advantages • Classrooms
Disadvantages • Wellness
• Provides increased • Duplication of staff, spaces and partner
programming opportunities. utilities at multiple facilities increases • Community
• Meets indoor recreation ongoing operational costs. safety partner
needs of multiple • Size limits community partners and
neighborhoods. revenue generation.
Hybrid System: What does this mean for Parks and Open Space?
Consolidates recreational amenities into a Streamlines Park System
series of parks to serve as multi-neighborhood • Converts areas of little-
centers. These "cluster" parks would be Ellis, to-no recreational value Budget Reductions:
Cherry Hill, Jones, Bever, and Noelridge, with to low-mow and prairie
plantings to minimize Same as Option 1 and / or 2:
a potential future cluster near Kirkwood to serve
maintenance costs. • Operational Savings: saves $320,587
the growing south side.
annually
Noelridge
Park • New Funding Strategies $100,000
• Give property to adjacent school for
Cluster Parks Accommodate Multiple Amenities maintaining: saves $34,047 annually
Bever
Park Coolidge ballfields, Monroe playground, Pierce playground,
• Cluster parks are located Reed trail and soccer fields, Van Buren playground and trail,
at existing favorite parks Viola Gibson ballfield.
of residents, according to • Turn over property with no recreational
Cherry Hill
survey results and open value to another department (i.e. traffic
Park house feedback. islands, boulevards): saves $3467 annually
• Multiple neighborhoods
share high-quality clustered • Change frequency of mowing from every 10
Jones days to 15 days: saves $34,560 annually
Park amenities, such as pools,
Future Alandale, Apache, Cedar Hills, Delaney, Fox Trail, Hayes,
(based on growth) playgrounds, sports fields, Huntington Ridge, Jacolyn, Jackson, Shaver, Shawnee, Van
and community gardens. Vechten, Wilderness Estates.

Capital Cost: $5,179,160 Special Facilities Signage and Wayfinding Additional Strategies:

New Operational Cost: New operational costs are offset • Conversion of manicured park land to prairie
by operational efficiencies. or switch grass: saves $228,061 annually
Bowman Woods (100%), Cherokee, extended (93%), Cherry

Advantages
• Provides for some development
of riverfront recreational
amenities in the Greenway.
• Provides a high level of
recreational amenities in
one location. Maintains
neighborhood service level.
Disadvantages Hill (4%), Cheyenne (100%), Delaney (10%), Ellis Park (8%),
Interstate Ramp Areas (75%), Lincoln Way (38%), Navajo
• Does not take full advantage (72%), Nixon (9%), Osborne (100%), Seminole Valley / Ushers
of opportunities to develop
Ferry (3%), Shawnee (24%), Stejskal (100%), Sun Valley
(100%), Tait Cummins (30%).
community-wide amenities
along the riverfront in the • Repurposing, selling, or transferring
Greenway.
• Relocate amenities from less used maintenance: saves $32,422 annually
parks to cluster parks.
Central Park, Garnett, Iroquois, Lincoln Heights, Glass Road,
• Reduces park amenities in mini
• New dog facilities at Bever and Long Bluff Road, Sinclair, Wellington, Whittam.
Cherry Hill.
parks and neighborhood parks. Increases awareness of parks and recreation facilities by
• New skate park at Jones and Bever.
enhancing park wayfinding signage.
Evaluation of the Hybrid System Option

Community Minimizes
Minimizing Increase in Long- Meet Community Economic Impact Improvement of
Impact Environmental Notes
Short-Term Costs Term Affordability Need on City Quality of Life
(# Users) Impact

Parks and Open Medium Medium Medium Medium Low Medium Medium Creates neighborhood
Space centers

Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Focused program

Riverfront
areas at River

Low Low High High High High High Trail system connects
Trails
nodes

Indoor Recreation Low Low High High Medium Low High Several new facilities

Low Medium High

Total Capital Cost: $250 million
Total New Operational Cost: $341,785
Advantages Disadvantages
• Resources are distributed more evenly between the riverfront in the Greenway and
• Does not take full advantage of the riverfront and Greenway to develop the major
neighborhood parks that serve each area of the city.
community-wide amenities.
• Provides a combination of programmed spaces and naturalized areas along the
• Partial dispersal of parks and facilities causes some duplication in staff, maintenance
riverfront.
and facilities, increasing operating costs.
• Trails encourage connections between neighborhoods.
• Does not attract residents or visitors to Cedar Rapids and has minimal revenue
• Indoor Recreation Facilities are well-distributed to service multiple neighborhoods. generation potential.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Options
Noelridge Noelridge Noelridge
Park Park Park

Squaw Ellis
Ushers Shaver Creek
Ferry Park Daniels Seminole Harbor Seminole
Seminole Valley Daniels Valley Ellis
Valley Park Park
Ellis Ellis Bever Park Bever
Bever Park Park
Park Park Park
Time
Check Time Check
Shawnee Downtown Greenway
Park Ambroz Downtown Downtown
Bender
Van Vechten
Apache Park Apache Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill Park Cherry Hill Park Park
Park Park
Landfill
Cedar Valley Park Urban
Urban Fishery Urban
Fishery Fishery
Jones Jones
Park Park Jones
Park
Beverly Beverly Future
Park Park (based on growth)

Option 1: Decentralized Option 2: Centralized Option 3: Hybrid

Advantages: Advantages: Advantages:

• Evenly distributed neighborhood parks throughout • Creates a regional destination riverfront with • Resources are distributed more evenly between the
the City. waterfront activities for a variety of users. new Greenway and neighborhood parks that serve
each area of the city.
• A naturalized Greenway contributes to passive • Puts the greatest amount of park amenity and
recreation and regional ecological systems. indoor recreation in the heart of the City, accessible • Indoor Recreation Facilities are well-distributed to
to all residents by an improved trail system. service multiple neighborhoods.
Disadvantages:
Disadvantages: • Trails encourage connections between cluster
• Does not draw people and resources to the parks.
riverfront, downtown and city center. • Investment in the riverfront and new Greenway
requires less investment in neighborhood parks. Disadvantages:
• Dispersal of parks and facilities causes duplication
in staff, maintenance and facilities, increasing • Higher capital cost from increased new • Partial dispersal of parks and facilities causes some
operating costs. programmed parks on the riverfront. duplication in staff, maintenance and facilities,
increasing operating costs.
• Focuses more on quantity and distribution than
quality of experience.
Comparison of the Programming in the Options
Parks and Open Space Riverfront Indoor Recreation
Option 1: Option 2: Option 3: Option 1: Option 2: Option 3: Option 1: Option 2: Option 3:
Features Features Features
Decentralized Centralized Hybrid Decentralized Centralized Hybrid Decentralized Centralized Hybrid
Remove parcels that have no 7500- person 5000- person 245,000 square
X X X 150,000 square
recreational value amphitheater with amphitheater with Improve / replace foot
Amphitheater foot Community
formal and lawn grass terraced Bender, Ambroz, Multigenerational
Maintain existing ballfields and Recreation Center
X seating seating Facilities Time Check Community Life
sports complexes at Noelridge;
(74,000 sq. ft. Center at Ellis;
City promenade with dining and existing facilities
Add baseball and softball X X X total) existing facilities
X cafés repurposed
tournament facilities to Tuma repurposed
Spray fountain in Neighborhood
Maintain one dog facility at Flexible lawn Flexible plaza
X Activity on May's Island summer/ skate rink Additional Facilities Facilities at Cherry
Squaw Creek space space
in winter Hill and Jones
Improve existing skate park at Destination play space at Programming partnerships at
X X Gymnasium Space Program Rooms
Riverside riverfront schools or neighborhood centers
Convert areas that have little or Gymnasiums 2 8 5
Boating X X X
no recreational value to low-mow X X X
and prairie plantings Indoor track X X
Fishing X X X
Adopt-a-park program for 10,000 - 12,000 5,000 - 7,000 sq.
Health and fitness
maintenance in new residential X X X Rental facility for events/ sq. ft. ft.
development At Ushers Ferry At Ushers Ferry
weddings Indoor lap pool 6 lanes x 25 yd 3 lanes x 25 yd 8 lanes x 25 yd
New active recreation at Active recreation at Seminole Competition pool 50m x 25 yd
X X X
Seminole Valley Valley
Multi-purpose fields at Time Indoor family activity pool X X
Potential repurpose or landbank X
X X Check Greenway
of Tuma Party rental room (by pool) 1 (sub-dividable) 1 (sub-dividable) 1 (sub-dividable)
Temporary beaches and boat
Move dispersed or defunct X Aerobics 1 1
X launch
facilities to Greenway
stand-alone
Enhanced signage and Dog Park on riverfront X Rock climbing in gymnasium
X feature
wayfinding system
Skate Park/ BMX at riverfront X Dance 1 1 1
Neighborhood Cluster parks at
Ellis, Cherry Hill, Jones, Bever, X Arts and Crafts 1 (sub-dividable) 2 (sub-dividable) 1 (sub-dividable)
Noelridge Vegetate landfill X X X
General program rooms and
Explore possibility of new Social and cultural 4 (sub-dividable) 6-8 6
X Privatize Ushers Ferry X
southern cluster park for future programming rooms
High quality tournament facilities
Percentage Naturalized Area 80% 30% 50% Multi-use room and stage with 1 (sub-dividable) 1 (sub-dividable)
at Seminole Valley, Noelridge, X
catering kitchen w/ stage w/ stage
Ellis
New dog park at Bever and Creative play w/
Cherry Hill, skate park at Jones X Creative play and child care indoor playground Childcare only
and Bever and childcare

Lower mowing schedule for Older adults partner Leased space Shared space
X X
neighborhood Parks
Wellness partner Leased space Shared space

Community safety partner Leased space Leased space

Community early learning partner Leased space

Central café Leased space

 QUESTIONS
• What do you like and dislike about each
of the options?

• What other advantages and disadvantages

do you see to each of the options?

• What programs in the options are important

to you?

• Which features do you believe are important

to make the Parks and Recreation System
more affordable and sustainable?
 Next Steps
Open House No. 2
Master Plan System Options
Tuesday, August 18, 4-7 p.m.
Wednesday, August 19, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel

August/September
City staff and consultants analyze
feedback and do further study
to produce Draft Master Plan.

Open House No. 3

Draft Master Plan Presentation
Tuesday, October 6, 4-7 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel
THANK YOU
for providing your feedback
at this open house.

Comments/Questions?
Please provide your feedback
on the following topics:

• Strategies to reduce costs and

increase revenue
• The Decentralized System Option
• The Centralized System Option
• The Hybrid Option
• The public participation process
• General comments/questions