American Planning Association Designates Gray’s Lake Park

Recognized for features, amenities, ability to spur investment and interaction

Des Moines, IA – The American Planning Association (APA) today announced the designation of Gray’s Lake Park as one of 10 Great Public Spaces for 2011 under the organization’s Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners play in creating communities of lasting value.

APA singled out Gray’s Lake Park for its thoughtful transformation, spanning nearly five decades, from quarry to park. The 167-acre park’s unique physical features, connections with city, region and national trail networks, amenities and community support have made it one of the most frequented places in Iowa.

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie says “Facilities like Gray’s Lake Park, the crown jewel of the city park system and other great public spaces are among the key reasons the entire Des Moines metro area has gained a reputation as one of the best cities in America. As our city continues to grow, we will continue to maintain and expand our urban green spaces from the downtown core to neighborhood areas. Des Moines is fortunate to have a “Great Place” like Gray’s Lake where residents can walk, bike, boat or fish - right in the very heart of downtown.”

Through Great Places in America, APA recognizes unique and exemplary streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces – three essential components of all communities. These authentic places have been shaped by forward thinking planning that showcases diverse architectural styles, promotes community involvement and accessibility, and fosters economic opportunity.

APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live every day. Since APA began Great Places in America in 2007, 50 neighborhoods, 50 streets and 40 public spaces have been designated in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“The evolution of Gray’s Lake Park from sand and gravel quarry to community treasure is the result of a thoughtful and deliberative planning process," said APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP. "This is a deeply treasured park that is not only used every day by residents year-round, but also was the inspiration for more than $2 billion in Des Moines investment during the past decade," he added.

“The Gray’s Lake project has far exceeded everyone’s expectations. This project has been by far one of the most impressive public private partnerships in the history of the City, said Councilperson Christine Hensley. “The biggest surprise to me personally has been the level of diversity. On any given day when walking the trail, you can’t help but hear a number of different languages. What a positive impact on our community!”

The city's best-known and most-visited recreation area, the park has unique qualities and features that prove to be popular regardless of the time of day or season of the year. The iconic, 1,400-foot-long Kruidenier Trail pedestrian bridge over the lake is the park's most distinguishing feature. Built in 2000, the bridge completes the lake’s circumferential trail and provides the park’s best views of the downtown skyline. Even more dramatic at night, the bridge comes to life as a rainbow of colors lights up its16-foot-wide pathway and reflects off the dichroic glass panel railings.

The 1.9 mile walk around Gray's Lake is known as "doing the loop;" for some residents it is a daily ritual that even prairie grass burns, trail repairs and flooding won't interrupt.

Once a small lake at the oxbow in the Raccoon River, it has expanded over four decades as a result of sand and gravel quarrying. By the 1950s, it was100 acres. Residents, hoping to develop a recreational venue on the site, were dismayed when a hotel was erected in 1959. By 1970, funds were secured to purchase land and dedicate a park. A devastating flood in 1993 provided an opportunity to redevelop the lake as a more robust park.

In 1998, David and Elizabeth Kruidenier came forward with a vision and pledge of $1.5 million for a trail around the lake. The Weitz Company, which owned about one-third of the lake, donated the final portion of the lake to the City. That fall, the city accepted additional financial gifts from Polk County, area businesses and private citizens to help develop the area for public recreation.

“Ten years ago Grays Lake was an eyesore and a haven for criminal activity. A person could not even hike around it without sloshing through water and mud, “said Joseph M. Galloway, Chairman, Park and Recreation Board. “Today, it is the scenic gateway to Des Moines, the hub of a spectacular recreational trail network, and the catalyst for our downtown renaissance. The Grays Lake transformation taught us that all things are possible.”

The park’s renaissance began in 2000 with groundbreaking on the pedestrian bridge and trail, taking a major step towards its prophetic billing in the city’s 2020 Community Character Plan as a “showpiece as part of an exciting gateway into downtown Des Moines.”

Just two miles from downtown Des Moines, Gray’s Lake Park trails connect to 42 miles of city trails and more than 500 miles of the Central Iowa Trail System. Planned trails will eventually connect the Gray's Lake loop trail with the national American Discovery Trail via the Neal Smith and John Pat Dorrian Trails. Bike rentals are available on site as well as access to public transit via the Meredith Trail.

The nine other APA 2011 Great Public Spaces are: Fairmount Park, Riverside, CA; Garden of the Gods Park, Colorado Springs, CO; Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN; Rice Park, St. Paul, MN; Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, Nashville, TN; Fair Park, Dallas, TX; Maymont, Richmond, VA; Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, WA; and Milwaukee RiverWalk, Milwaukee, WI.

For more information about these public spaces, as well as lists of the 2011 APA 10 Great Neighborhoods and 10 Great Streets, and designations between 2007 and 20010, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces. This year's Great Places in America will be celebrated as part of APA's National Community Planning Month in October 2011; for more about the special month, visit www.planning.org/ncpm.

The American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the art, science and profession of good planning -- physical, economic and social -- so as to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and live. Members of APA help create communities of lasting value and encourage civic leaders, business interests and citizens to play a meaningful role in creating communities that enrich people's lives. APA has offices in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, Ill. For more information, visit www.planning.org.