Playground, splash pad in the works at Des Moines' Gray's Lake Park

Virginia Barreda, Des Moines Register
·3 min read

A playground and sprayground could soon sit on the shores of Des Moines' busiest and most high-profile park, Gray's Lake.

City Council members on Monday approved a $2.4 million design and funding agreement with the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, which connects donors with charitable causes through charitable giving funds. The updates are part of a larger master plan that seeks to improve several areas of Gray's Lake.

Also during the meeting, council members approved a donation from Broadlawns Medical Center for the second phase of the Central Place Levee Trail, an effort to provide outdoor recreational opportunities for underserved communities, as well as a 4.5% raise for Des Moines firefighters' union employees.

More: After string of absences, Des Moines City Council member Indira Sheumaker hospitalized

Playground, sprayground on the horizon for Gray's Lake

A playground and splash pad could soon sit on the shores of Des Moines' busiest and most high-profile park, Gray's Lake.
A playground and splash pad could soon sit on the shores of Des Moines' busiest and most high-profile park, Gray's Lake.

The proposed beachfront playground and splash pad would be located on the north side of the park near the Chris and Marcie Coleman Bridge, which serves as a connection from the park to downtown Des Moines, according to a council communications memo.

Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines will work with Confluence, Inc., a landscape and engineering firm, and their sub-consultants to develop a conceptual plan and design, according to the memo. The city will have the final say in design and installation.

The city's Parks and Recreation Board and the City Council also will host meetings to encourage residents to share input on the projects.

The cost is estimated at $2 million plus a 10% contingency and a 10% payment to cover city costs incurred during design and construction, the memo says.

The new amenities are the first phase of the city's plan for improvements in that area of Gray's Lake, which include prairie lands, a vegetated terrace system, shade structures, fishing docks and a butterfly garden.

Broadlawns donates $150,000 toward Central Place Levee Trail

The Central Place Levee Trail will run from the Rotary Riverwalk Park in downtown Des Moines north to Euclid Avenue.
The Central Place Levee Trail will run from the Rotary Riverwalk Park in downtown Des Moines north to Euclid Avenue.

Broadlawns Medical Center donated $150,000 to the Central Place Levee Trail "for the health benefits of the residents of Des Moines," the council memo says.

The $2.5 million phase of the project calls for 2.1 miles of a multi-use trail section along the west bank of the Des Moines River between the intersection of Second and Franklin avenues and the Trestle to Trestle Trail near Euclid Avenue.

City Council in January approved $500,000 in grant funding for the project, which kicked off the first phase of the project, a path that will go from the downtown Rotary Riverwalk Park, 821 W. River Drive, near the Women of Achievement Bridge, north to the Second Avenue Bridge, 1901 Second Ave. There, users could cross the bridge to connect with the Neal Smith Trail at Birdland Park.

Des Moines Parks and Recreation Director Ben Page previously told the Des Moines Register the city's trail system is popular for both recreation and transportation, with users taking more than one million trips a year. The Central Place Levee Trail, which will wind through neighborhoods like River Bend, King Irving, Prospect Park and Cheatham Park, will cater to residents that lack easy access to outdoor recreation.

He said the trail is another move toward the city's goal to ensure every resident is within a 10-minute walking distance of a park or trail.

Unionized Des Moines firefighters get a 4.5% increase

Firefighters in the Des Moines Association of Professional Firefighters Local No. 4 are slated to get a 4.5% raise starting July 1 and then another 0.5% starting next January, according to a council communications memo.

According to the city's website, the starting salary for a firefighter is nearly $70,000.

The union represents about 300 employees including all sworn ranks, from firefighters to captains and five civilian fire equipment mechanics. According to the city's memo, the year-long collective bargaining agreement includes:

  • Wage and supplemental pay adjustments for clothing and safety boots, hazardous material pay, specialty team pay, and more pay for bilingual employees.

  • An increase in employee health insurance premium contributions.

  • An increase in life insurance benefits to two times the annual salary.

  • Amendments to practices.

Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Gray's Lake could get a new splash pad under Des Moines proposal