City Council schedules public hearing for South District Plan

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 - 5:14pm
Contact: 
Sarah Walz
Neighborhood and Development Services

The City Council has scheduled a public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 20 to discuss the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommended draft of the South District Plan, which will be used by City of Iowa City planners to guide future development and investment in the area. The hearing will be scheduled as part of the City Council meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. in Emma Harvat Hall in City Hall, 410 E. Washington Street. Iowa City residents are invited to participate to comment or ask questions about the proposed plan.

The South District is defined as all property within the Iowa City growth...

Open house scheduled for Lower City Park master plan

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 - 3:49pm
Parks and Recreation

The increased frequency of flood events, combined with aging park amenities, has led the City’s Parks and Recreation leaders to look at what the future landscape of Lower City Park, located at 200 E. Park Road, might include.

A few concepts have been generated by a landscape architecture firm, but the City also wants to hear what the public has to say about the future of their park: the park elements they want maintained, the uses or amenities they’d like to see added, reactions to the initial architectural concepts, as well as brand new ideas.

The City will host an open...

Yahoo Drummers Join Music is the Word Series

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 - 10:55am
Contact: 
Meredith Hines-Dochterman
Iowa City Public Library

The Iowa City Public Library and the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department want families to get with the beat.

From 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month through April 5, 2016, families can participate in a drumming session with the Yahoo Drummers at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center Gymnastics Room as part of the Library’s Music is the Word series. Participants will learn how to play percussion instruments from all over the world, creating a unique musical experience with each session.

For 20 years, the Yahoo Drummers have led drum circles with groups of...

Volunteers needed for Riverwalk Clean-Up on Saturday

Tuesday, October 13, 2015 - 1:32pm
Contact: 
Carol Sweeting
Engineering

The City of Iowa City and the University of Iowa are partnering on a Riverwalk Clean-Up on Saturday, Oct. 17, during which volunteers will help remove trash from the banks of the Iowa River and spruce up adjacent sidewalk areas. This event replaces the Ralston Creek clean-up that the City of Iowa City had originally scheduled on Sunday, Oct. 18.

Volunteers should register online at www.iihr.uiowa.edu/igs/iowa-river-clean-up-2015 and then meet near the University of Iowa Water Plant, on the northeast side of the...

Learn how to live more sustainably at EcoChallenge open house

Monday, October 12, 2015 - 5:03pm
Contact: 
Jennifer Jordan

Area residents who want to learn to live more sustainably and reduce their impact on the environment are invited to an open house during which information will be shared about the Northwest Earth Institute’s EcoChallenge program. The open house, organized by the City of Iowa City ECO Iowa City program, is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. this Thursday, Oct. 15, at the East Side Recycling Center, 2401 Scott Blvd. SE.

Northwest Earth Institute’s EcoChallenge is an annual national event that challenges people in a fun way to reduce their environmental footprint. Individuals and teams pick a...

Employers: Still time to register for upcoming Job and Resource Fair

Monday, October 12, 2015 - 4:43pm
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

Local employers are reminded that there's still time to sign up to participate in the annual Job and Resource Fair, sponsored by the City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission, Iowa City Housing Authority, Goodwill of the Heartland, Iowa Workforce Development, Shelter House, and Successful Living. Employers with permanent or temporary / seasonal entry level positions are encouraged to participate. The deadline to register is this Thursday, Oct. 15.

Registration forms are available at www.icgov.org/humanrights in the "Forms, brochures...

Author Jane Smiley at ICPL on Oct. 26

Monday, October 12, 2015 - 1:44pm
Contact: 
Meredith Hines-Dochterman
Iowa City Public Library

The Iowa City Public Library and Prairie Lights are pleased to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley to the Library on Monday, Oct. 26.

Smiley will read from her latest novel, Golden Age ; the much-anticipated final volume in her Last Hundred Years trilogy, at 7 p.m. in Meeting Room A. Following Some Luck and Early Warning , Golden Age follows the next generation of Langdons in the 1980s as they face economic, social, political and personal challenges.

Smiley was born in California, but grew up in a suburb of St. Louis....

Construction begins on Willow Creek and Kiwanis Parks projects

Monday, October 12, 2015 - 11:29am
Contact: 
Zac Hall
Parks and Forestry

Construction is expected to get underway this week for improvements to Willow Creek Park and Kiwanis Park on the City’s southwest side. Plans call for trail-paving and installation of new backstops, restrooms, and subdrain. The two parks adjoin one another off Benton Street: Willow Creek at 1117 Teg Drive, and Kiwanis Park at the intersection of Aber Avenue and Teg Drive. Residents and other drivers in the area should expect construction traffic in the park areas, as well as on Abbey Lane.

The paving project is expected to be completed this fall, while restroom construction will...

It's time for leased garden plots to be cleared

Friday, October 9, 2015 - 4:16pm
Contact: 
Tammy Neumann
Parks and Recreation

The lease period for garden plots that are offered through the City of Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department ends Friday, Oct. 9. Gardeners are reminded to remove all non-plant material, including wire, stakes, plastic, etc. so that the parcels can be tilled under by the Parks Division.

Excess produce can be donated to Table to Table, a local nonprofit organization that distributes food donations to other area nonprofits for use in meal programs. Call 319-337-3400 to make arrangements for a donation.

For more information, contact the Parks Office at 319-356-5210.

Ribbon-cutting for completed Iowa River Trail and pedestrian overpass set for Oct. 17

Friday, October 9, 2015 - 3:43pm
Contact: 
Sarah Walz
Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County

A ribbon-cutting will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the North Dubuque Street Pedestrian / Bike Bridge to mark the completion of a 1.1-mile section of the Iowa River Trail, which includes the 540-ft. pedestrian bridge that traverses I-80. The new concrete trail, which connects Foster Road, the Butler Bridge, and the Waterworks Prairie Park Trail, completes the 12-mile Iowa River Trail and provides a direct route for bike commuters and recreational users from north of I-80 to Downtown Iowa City and the University of Iowa. The new trail section was expected to open for use on...

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