Des Moines, Iowa — The Doon Community Center project has received nearly half a million dollars as a grant from the state of Iowa.
This week, the Enhance Iowa Board awarded $1,775,000 in Community Attraction and Tourism — or “CAT” — grants to that project, as well as a splash pad in Huxley, a trail project in Okoboji and a recreation center in Denison. Additionally, the board awarded a $4,000 Sports Tourism grant to promote the Kewash Trail Half Marathon.
The former Doon Community Center started life as a Works Progress Administration project about 80 years ago. But at the time it was built, it was to be a new high school for Doon and the surrounding area. It served as that, and then as the “south center” for Central Lyon Schools for a number of years. After that, it served as a community center, community gym, and library. The building was torn down this past summer in anticipation of the new community center project.
The new building, which is projected to cost $3.18 million was awarded a CAT grant of $475,000. The project includes the construction of the new community center which will contain a gym, fitness room, library, meeting room, kitchen and an open area that could be used for smaller meetings. A $1.5 million bond issue passed for the project in November. The project has also received funding from the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation.
Not too far away from our area, the Tatanka Ska Trace Project, Phase IV(b) received $200,000 toward the estimated $1.1 million project, which includes the construction of 2.5 miles of trail that will provide Lake Park and Montgomery with direct access to the Spine Trail and West Okoboji Trail.
The Enhance Iowa Program provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. To date, 136 CAT grants have been awarded by the board, totaling over $46 million.
