By John Speer Tama County’s bid to be named one of Iowa’s Great Places turned out successful as it joined five other locales seeking the designation late last week. The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs made the announcement following a whirlwind bus tour of Tama County and the other areas by the Iowa Great Places Citizen Advisory Board. Five venues in Tama County joined together with all 12 towns in the county in making the application. The panel met with representatives for each of the five Tama County groups last Wednesday morning at the Meskwaki High School. Spokespeople for the five - the Wieting Theatre, Otter Creek Lake and Park, the Meskwaki Settlement Clutural Affairs Center, the Shaker Museum, Traer, and Agricultrual Musuem, Dysart, pitched their projects and emphasized the cooperative effort being coordinated by Tama County Economic Development. •James Roan, building chair, told of the $1.2 million renovation project planned for the historic Wieting Theatre Opera house in Toledo. Roan said new seating, a restroom addition and restoration of the grandeur of the original interior are pieces of the project. •Robert Etzell, executive director of the Tama County Conservation Commission, outlined plans for expansion of the Otter Creek Lake and Park, located northeast of Toledo, to include much more native plantings including woodlands and wetlands and the addition of cabins to the park. He also explained the exhibit project at the Nature Center. •Johnathan Buffalo, Meskwaki director of Historic Preservation, and Christina Blackcloud-Garcia, Historic Preservation assistant, told of the long-sought Meskwaki Cultural Center. They said Settlement residents and visitors alike could share in the rich history of the Sac and Fox Tribe with the construction of such a museum and research facility. •Ellen Young told of the “Shaker Museum” currently being put together in Traer. Built upon the foundation of a private collection of salt and pepper shakers assembled over the years by Traer resident Ruth Rasmussen. Young said the collection is “at the least” the largest in the midwest and numbers over 14,000. She said a building donated by Pioneer Seed Corn is in the process of being renovated to house the collection which has been purchased from Rasmussen. •Dysart H.A.T. Team members told of Agriculture Museum plans at the site of the existing School House Museum there. The agricultural museum will reflect the rich farming heritage of all of Tama County as well as the Dysart area. Here is the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs news release: The Iowa Great Places Citizen Advisory Board reviewed proposals in August, conducted the site visits and determined the six communities are ready to move into the program. “The Iowa Great Places program asks Iowans to work together to develop a vision for the future of their communities,” DCA Director Cyndi Pederson said. “In the next few months, our staff will be working with each of these communities to finalize work plans and draft memorandums of understanding that will make them full partners with the state.” Now in its fifth year, Iowa Great Places combines state resources with local assets to build capacity in communities, regions, neighborhoods or districts that cultivate their unique and authentic qualities. In developing their proposals, Iowans are 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 a diverse and inclusive cultural mosaic. The program calls for the state to work in partnership with each Great Place to identify existing grant programs and technical assistance that may be applicable to projects contained in their work plans. The six communities announced today will be formally identified as Iowa’s newest Great Places Oct. 16, at the State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust Street in Des Moines. More information about the program and Iowa’s other Great Places is available at //www.iowagreatplaces.gov/ www.iowagreatplaces.gov Following are summaries of each community’s proposal: Tama County Tama County and its 12 towns submitted a proposal that focuses on its Native American heritage with the theme “Feeding the Spirit.” This culturally diverse county proposes expansion of Otter Creek Lake and Park; restoration of historical museums and the Wieting Opera House; and the development of the Meskwaki Cultural Center & Museum to enhance the cultural, economic and workforce environment of the county. Greater Cedar Valley Alliance The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance consists of Cedar Falls, Evansdale and Waterloo. Its proposal focuses on strengthening the Cedar Valley community’s relationship with the Cedar River; increasing the public’s use and enjoyment of the Cedar River and its watershed; and enhancing its environmental health, cultural heritage, recreational features and economic opportunities. Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty incorporates three communities with a vision focusing on literature. Iowa City became part of the Creative Cities Network when it was named a City of Literature in November 2008 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Iowa City is the third city in the world to receive this recognition, joining Edinburgh, Scotland, and Melbourne, Australia. Its proposal develops and supports the “UNESCO City of Literature” brand for Iowa City and surrounding communities. The proposal also envisions a development called the Stories Project, a substantial physical interpretative center on 25 former Brownfield acres near the Iowa River that will be dedicated to language, literature and literacy. Marion The City of Marion has developed a community-wide visioning process called Imagine 8. This process solicited more than 1,800 responses from area residents to develop a clear picture of the community’s direction. Eight ideas were selected from the 1,800 ideas submitted by respondents. “All Trails Lead to Marion” focuses on Marion Square Park as the center of community and recreational trails, parks, amphitheatre and public art, connecting many of the Great 8 ideas to a seamless destination point for residents and visitors alike. Turkey River Corridor The Turkey River Corridor is a unique application for Great Places. Three towns “Clermont, Elgin and Elkader” and two counties “Clayton and Fayette” have joined together to submit a regional application. All three towns are connected by 114 miles of the Turkey River. Their vision is to collaborate, develop and enhance the existing natural resources flowing from the Turkey River through the creation of land and water trails that will serve as a catalyst for economic growth and development in Northeast Iowa. Villages of Van Buren County The Villages of Van Buren County is a place that encourages visitors to slow down, relax and embrace a more leisurely pace. The proposal calls for developing a Villages Folk School to offer learning experiences in traditional arts, such as pottery, fine arts, spinning, weaving and sculpting within the unique surroundings of each village. The county would be the “campus,” with more than 42 classes offered to adults, parents, children and their families. The goal is to connect the “inner child” often lost in the hustle and bustle of modern-day life.
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