City of Waukee Trail Head - Public Art Initiative

Jim Miller
Posted Apr 4, 2013
11,993

Be a part of the community initiative to create "Iconic" public art works /outdoor art environments along the Raccoon River Valley Trail Corridor.

What is this Public Art Initiative ?

A community based initiative to create and install significant public art works /outdoor art environments along the Raccoon River Valley Trail Corridor, to enhance the cultural and economic benefits associated with this unique public resource. Art themes may draw from the history and culture of the various communities along the trail, providing local and regional relevance to specific art installations.

The city of Waukee is the first community to move forward with the planning and design of a significant (“iconic”) public art installation at their trail head located at the intersection of Highway 6/Hickman Road and 10th Street/Co Hwy R22. This site is significant to both the City and the Raccoon River Valley Trail in that it serves as a key gateway to both the western and northern routes of the trail’s 89 mile corridor.

Attend Public Input Meeting on April 24th at 6:30pm in Waukee

Who is in charge of this initiative ?

Waukee’s Public Art Initiative is being directed by a community based ad hoc “Public Arts Committee”, supported by the Waukee Area Arts Council (see the list of committee members). Waukee’s Public Art will be installed on City property and will be owned and maintained by the City after its completion.

Who will design and manage the construction of the Art installation ?

The city of Waukee has retained the services of RDG a nationally recognized planning, public art & engineering firm, to develop the public art concept and to design and manage the construction of the resulting art installation. The project will be led by David Dahlquist, a principal of the RDG firm, who has significant experience in working with Iowa communities in the design and implementation of large scale and significant public art installations. Most noteworthy of Dahlquist’s work is the national award winning High Trestle Bridge & Trail project near Woodward, Iowa.

RDG will work in conjunction with and be supported by the ad hoc Waukee Public Arts Committee. The design process will additionally include the holding of public meetings/forums for the purpose of gaining the inputs and direct involvement of the broader community. The Waukee project will also serve as a model that can be drawn upon by the other communities located along the Raccoon River Valley Trail.

How is the Art project funded ?

Funding for specific art work installations is provided through the fund raising efforts of the local community. This may include funds received through public and private donations, grant applications and the direct funding by the city or county. Waukee’s contract with RDG includes development of fund raising strategies and support with grant applications. The Waukee Public Arts Committee is providing support for the fund raising efforts, including contacting potential donors and helping with grant and other funding requests.

Near Term Funding Needs: (current request for donations)

Phase One - Design $ 35,000 – RDG concept development for Raccoon River Valley Trail, Public Art and design of the specific Waukee Public Art installation & related funding strategies. $1,000-$10,000 contributions are being sought at this time to fully fund Phase One.
Phase Two - Construction $ TBD (actual cost based on RDG’s final design as approved by the City of Waukee).

Upon completion of the project design phase, larger capital contributions will be sought to fully fund phase two construction of the Waukee Public Art Installation. Donor commitments toward the construction phase are being sought now with actual funding taking place once Phase Two is initiated.

Longer Range Funding Needs: (future donations)

In the future, additional capital contributions will be sought to fund the implementation of additional art installations along the RRVT as communities bring those projects forward.

Administration of Donations (who receives & administers the donated funds):

For this specific Waukee project, donations will be received by and administered through the Dallas County Conservation Foundation (tax exempt ID # 42-1360989) for the explicit purpose of funding the Waukee Trail head Art Installation.

Dallas County Conservation Foundation
Attn: Mike Wallace
14581 K. Avenue
Perry, Iowa 50220

Note: The Raccoon River Valley Trail System is owned and operated by each of the Counties (County Conservation Boards) and Cities where the trail corridor is located. Waukee’s Public Art will be installed at the Waukee Trail Head on City property and will be maintained by the city of Waukee upon its completion.

Raccoon River Valley Trail - RRVT Background:

Construction of the RRVT trail system began in 1989 and will be complete as of this June, 2013. The trail is built on abandoned rail lines, and passes through 14 communities [Waukee, Adel, Redfield, Linden, Panora, Yale, Herndon, Cooper, Jefferson, Jamaica, Dawson, Perry, Minburn & Dallas Center] located in Dallas, Guthrie & Greene Counties. The trail connects these communities in a unique way, similar to that of the original passenger trains that operated on the rail line.

The RRVT links directly into the greater Des Moines metro trail systems (at Waukee & Clive) offering Iowa’s largest metro area direct access to this unique rural corridor system.

The trail is a multi-use outdoor recreation resource, supporting… biking, hiking, cross country skiing, snowmobiling and seasonal hunting (in select areas). The corridor is also used for many local and regional educational, cultural and athletic events.

The RRVT has gained national recognition as one of the longest continuous surfaced off-road trail systems in the U.S., offering a total of 89 miles of trail, which includes a 72 mile interior loop (the longest such loop in the U.S.). Its connection to the extensive Des Moines metro trail system also adds to its regional and state-wide significance.

As both a regional and state-wide facility, the RRVT is recognized as an important public recreation resource in supporting Governor Branstad’s initiative to make Iowa the “Healthiest State in the Nation”.

Visit the RRVT web site for maps and more complete information www.raccoonrivervalleytrail.org

Key Benefits / Opportunities of RRVT Corridor (“in a nutshell”)

Local & Regional Economic Development
Physical Fitness & Health
Community Culture & Quality of Life

Waukee Ad Hoc Public Art Committee

Jim Miller – Morgan Stanley, Committee Chair

Cindy DePond – Waukee Area Arts Council

Matt Jermier – City of Waukee Director of Parks & Recreation

Ron Stallman – CPA, Partner at Short & Company CPA, PLC

Dave Wilkerson – PHD, Superintendent, Waukee Schools

Eric Crowell – President & CEO, Iowa Health Systems, Des Moines

Chris McLinden – Owner, Axis Human Capital

Rick Johnson – Owner, MulchMart

Peg Armstrong-Gustafson – Owner, Amson Technology

Dan Dutcher – Terrus Real Estate Group

Cindy Jensen – RRVT Association Board Member

Randy Jensen – RRVT Association