Renderings of the foreseeable future Uptown Central Plaza in Marion. (Courtesy of RDG Getting ready and Model and design)
MARION — The metropolis is making an attempt to get above $3.5 million in federal American Rescue Method Act money allotted by the situation to fund two main jobs that may contribute to town’s objective of manufacturing Marion a regional location.
Marion is making an attempt to get funding for the Uptown Central Plaza activity as properly because the closing part of the very long-awaited CeMar Path by the Vacation spot Iowa Grant course of. The whole expense of the 2 assignments is nearly $9 million.
The Central Plaza at Metropolis Sq. Park within the coronary heart of Uptown Marion has been within the features contemplating the truth that town ImagiNext Visioning technique was carried out in 2018. The problem is anticipated to start out out instantly after the Uptown Marion Seventh Avenue Streetscape job and North Plaza on eleventh Street, which is anticipated to be concluded this calendar 12 months.
The park’s redesign incorporates a hoop area of the plaza that may be reworked into an ice-skating rink all through the wintertime, a creative “Peace Tree,” versatile outdoor seating, water options, play construction, perform stage and space for pageant and present market tents.
Renderings of the potential Uptown Central Plaza in Marion. (Courtesy of RDG Scheduling and Design and elegance)
The park’s educate depot additionally could presumably see some updates, together with a chance warming house by the winter, restrooms and mechanical rooms for the assorted consuming water traits.
The expense of the park upgrades is approximated to be in extra of $5 million.
Earlier than this yr, Gov. Kim Reynolds introduced the Location Iowa Grant technique, which is making use of $100 million in federal COVID-19 discount funds to make investments in “transformational, shovel-prepared factors of curiosity.” Place Iowa candidates need to show they’ve secured at minimal 60 % of the funding towards their duties, which must be end by 2026.
“The Central Plaza affords the wow difficulty within the software program, however the path relationship is what is going to genuinely present the general metro area with one another,” Marion Neighborhood Progress Director Tom Treharne stated. “A path connecting Uptown Marion to downtown Cedar Rapids has been a goal for not simply yrs, however a long time.”
The final 1.3 miles of the path is what’s proposed on this job. It should be a part of the Cedar Rapids and Marion path parts south of Freeway 100. The connection will provide path clients accessibility to Uptown Marion and its upcoming Central Plaza from across the space, with connections to the bigger Cedar Valley Mom nature Path as effectively.
All-around $18 million has presently been invested within the CeMar Path activity, which included new pedestrian bridges in Marion. The ultimate piece of the enterprise is predicted to be carried out in fall 2025.
Folks stroll alongside the path at a grand opening ceremony previous July for a former railroad bridge that has been reconstructed as portion of the CeMar Path activity in Marion. (The Gazette)
“We see good prospects to affiliate with Cedar Rapids Downtown District and the Czech Village/New Bohemia Main Avenue on conditions all around the 12 months,” Treharne extra. “Connecting Uptown Marion to downtown Cedar Rapids is what is going to really entice web site guests from throughout the Midwest.”
In Might effectively, Cedar Rapids utilized for $27 million via the Place Iowa technique to assist spend for the $119 million “Greenway Recreation and Revitalization” enterprise. It’s portion of a prolonged-term imaginative and prescient to rework the greenway all around the Cedar River within the New Bohemia and Czech Village neighborhoods with a venture to assist flood command, recreation and housing in an work to draw holidaymakers and improve choices for inhabitants and corporations.
Marion City Supervisor Ryan Waller defined he and Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly have began out acquiring typical breakfasts with Cedar Rapids Metropolis Supervisor Jeff Pomeranz and Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell as an individual solution to create a strong functioning romantic relationship between the 2 metropolitan areas.
“We talked in regards to the risk to take a look at a partnership with our grant utility assignments, and we each single have these unbelievable sights and we’re heading to be promoting and advertising that regionalism,” Waller talked about. “The CeMar Path will probably be connecting the areas which can be in every our functions.”
“It is a regional problem and the funding is nice for Marion, but it surely genuinely does ship us a powerful marriage with Cedar Rapids, and with bike tourism turning out to be a fair greater deal as a result of the pandemic, we might achieve this loads of extra actions which can be bicycle-driven throughout the placement,” Treharne added.
There isn’t a deadline or envisioned timeframe of when Marion finds out whether it is been awarded the funding, however Treharne and Waller really really feel nice about Marion’s software program.
“We took our time and manufactured sure all of our geese had been being in a row,” Treharne said. “It’s been thoughtful organising within the utility.”
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