Project Updates

Note: This post was originally published on the Greater Des Moines Partnership's blog on May 13, 2024.  Since the beginning of time, art has been used to teach and spark conversations about the world around us. Visually representing sometimes complex concepts through illustration, performance or sculpture can help people better understand an environmental issue and [...]

On April 27, 2023, ICON Water Trails and its partners broke ground on the future Scott Avenue site, Principal Point. The event was the culmination of a significant milestone in the lifeline of the project and allowed ICON and its stakeholders to celebrate the commencement of its future downtown run. Take a trip down memory [...]

Earlier this year, ICON Water Trails announced the completion of its regional economic impact study, a collection of findings capturing user behavior during a six-month recreational season in 2022. The highlights of the study tell a promising narrative, demonstrating the proven efficacy of ICON Water Trails in regard to economic development, tourism attraction, and workforce [...]

On February 1, the Great Outdoors Foundation announced that the City of West Des Moines was selected as its newest grantee of the MidAmerican Energy Company Regional Fund, a $5 million endowment invested in ICON Water Trails. The funding will be used to establish access to Raccoon River within the Raccoon River Greenway, a recommendation [...]

As we close out another year of ICON Water Trails, we are incredibly grateful to you for your continued support. Together, with our partners, volunteers, and donors, we've met several tremendous milestones, and we're just getting started! Take a look below at some of this year's highlights. ORGANIZATION HIGHLIGHTS Project Manager Hired In March, ICON [...]

As 2023 comes to a close, many individuals and families are considering what organizations to support with their year-end giving. There are hundreds of fantastic causes that you can invest in, and of course, one of those is ICON Water Trails. Whether you’re passionate about safeguarding our natural resources or improving safety for outdoor recreators, there [...]

As ICON Water Trails prepares to close out another productive year connecting water, communities, and people, we wanted to provide an update on the much-anticipated downtown portion of the project. Earlier this year, we broke ground on Principal Point at the Scott Avenue dam, marking the official start of downtown construction for ICON. See below [...]

As ICON Water Trails prepares to close out another productive year connecting water, communities, and people, we wanted to provide an update on the much-anticipated downtown portion of the project. Earlier this year, we broke ground on Principal Point at the Scott Avenue dam, marking the official start of downtown construction for ICON. See below [...]

For the first time ever, ICON Water Trails partnered with our friends at the Great Outdoors Foundation for the annual Wild Prairie Showdown. This dynamic fundraising event features four esteemed individuals competing individually — and collectively — in fundraising, fashion show, and interview categories. Team ICON, comprised of Phoukham "Has Too Many Hobbies" Baccam and [...]

Over the next month, these esteemed individuals will be using their outdoor prowess to raise awareness, support, and capital for the Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails. The competitors’ fundraising efforts will conclude at the 2023 Wild Prairie Showdown — Presented by Bolton & Menk — on Thursday, October 12 at Toast in Ankeny. [...]