Inwood, Iowa — The City of Inwood is planning to break ground on a new community center and city hall facility later this spring, as officials continue to work through funding and final planning for the project.
The effort follows the collapse of the Inwood Community Center gym roof in January of 2023, when heavy snow and ice buildup caused the structure to fail. No one was inside the building at the time, and no injuries were reported, but the gym portion of the facility was demolished shortly afterward. Since then, the city has been without a full community recreation and gathering space.
City officials say the remaining portion of the structure will also be demolished, with a new, one-level facility planned on the same site near the city swimming pool and park. The new 19,500-square-foot building is expected to house the city hall, the public library, a full-size gym, a fitness center, and a meeting room available for community use, along with a commercial-style kitchen.
The City of Inwood has just officially been awarded a $1,000,000 Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) Grant through the Iowa Economic Development Authority to support construction of the new community center.
With a total project cost of nearly $5.8 million, city officials say the grant helps close the budget gap almost entirely. They call it a “huge step forward and a powerful vote of confidence in Inwood and in rural Iowa communities…”
Funds previously committed include insurance proceeds related to the roof collapse, combined with city funds, along with grants and donations from multiple partners.
Major contributors include the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation, the Canton Inwood Area Health Foundation, the Community Foundation of Lyon County, matching funds from the Lyon County Board of Supervisors, and more than $260,000 raised locally through donations and fundraising efforts.
City officials say they are hopeful to break ground later this spring, with demolition potentially beginning as early as April.
KIWA Staff Photo
