Letters to the editor: Why won't the City Council pay for an indoor walking track?

Letters to the editors
·3 min read
This image of the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center shows the proposed location at 122 North Oak Avenue looking north. The roadway in the foreground is Lincoln Way. The project is expected to go to bid in December with construction starting in April, 2024. It will be open to the public late in 2025.

Tight-fisted City Council?

Why is the Ames City Council seemingly so tight-fisted about including the indoor walking track in the aquatic center?

I mean, the council has all sorts of our money to give to "economic development" projects. But the council doesn't seem nearly so generous about spending our money on projects for us residents.

Why, at this very moment the council is proposing to give a $42 million tax subsidy (paid for by us taxpayers) to the Linc, and another $2.9 million tax subsidy for the small lot industrial development on north Dayton Avenue (also paid for by us taxpayers).

And we are spending about $9 million to get the city's infrastructure to Verbio's plant for industrial and business expansion along east Lincoln Way. That infrastructure includes more than $4 million in general obligation bonds (paid for by, guess who — us taxpayers) and $3 million in federal pandemic relief monies.

So I don't understand why the council seems hesitant to have us also pay for an indoor walking track for the aquatic center, for us residents. Council member Timothy Gartin even wanted to locate the aquatic center at O'Neil Park so that the walking track could be included without going over the amount council has approved so far.

Why doesn't the council just approve funding for the walking track at this point? That makes a lot more sense than building the aquatic center with the idea of adding the walking track later.

Merlin Pfannkuch, Ames

Thank you for supporting fundraiser

On Sunday, Oct. 23, Ames Area Running Club and Iowa State's Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority hosted the 36th Annual Run For The Roses 5K Run/Health Walk, 10K Run and Kids Fun Run. This Ames fall tradition is held to raise funds for Arthritis Research. A total of $345,000 has been raised since 1987. Better than 500 participants and the great support of our sponsors will enable us to add significantly to this total. On behalf of AARC and AOPII, we want to thank all who made this event possible.

ROSE: Wallaby's & Dublin Bay; Anonymous.

PLATINUM: Ames Ford Lincoln; Campfire Marshmallows; Discover Ames; Fitness Sports.

GOLD: Fareway Stores; Heuss Printing; Hiland Dairy Foods; JAX Outdoor Gear; Salama Greenhouse & Floral; Sigler; Sparboe Farms; Wolfe Eye Clinic.

SILVER: Burke Marketing; Cabin Coffee; Tim Gartin; HyVee; Tom Randall Realty; Jonathan & Kathleen Wendel.

BRONZE: Ames Silversmithing; Bike World; Culligan Water Systems; Happy Harmony Mittens; Roman & Lynn Lynch; O'Donnell Ace Hardware.

In addition, many local businesses graciously donated food and door prizes. Special thanks to the organizations and individuals whose support was invaluable: Mel in the Morning KASI/KCCQ; Ames City Clerk/Mayor Haila/City Council/Assistant City Manager/Police Department/City Recreation Center Manager & Staff/Public Works/Traffic Operations; Ames Tribune; Downtown Ames Chamber of Commerce; Cal Murdock Timing & Results.

Of most importance, we thank all who participated in this year's Run For The Roses. We are looking forward to seeing you again at the 37th Run For The Roses in October 2023.

Zoe Zelnio, Kaitlin Cocayne, Roman Lynch and Don Muff, 2022 Run For The Roses co-chairs

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Letters to the editor: Ames City Council seems tight-fisted