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Council discusses trail design, ditch options and community events; University of Iowa students to assist
Summary
Council members reviewed early trail design ideas and a committee consensus not to completely fill a ditch near Gear Avenue for stormwater and safety reasons; they discussed prairie plantings, potential reuse of contractor-excavated dirt, and upcoming student design assistance. The meeting also reviewed Fourth of July wrap-up and National Night Out plans.
Council members spent part of the meeting reviewing preliminary trail-planning options for a site adjacent to Gear Avenue and debated whether to fill an existing ditch north of the trail. The trail committee—s current consensus is to avoid fully filling the ditch in order to preserve stormwater drainage and reduce safety risks; prairie planting or alternative low-maintenance surfacing were discussed as options.
Council members explored the possibility of reusing black dirt from nearby senior-housing excavation to partially level the area rather than paying for imported material. Staff recommended checking with site managers about the amount of dirt available and suggested storing material at the sewer plant if reuse proved feasible. "I would love one load of good black dirt down here in Tennessee on our Son's Lawn because they just don't have that stuff," Melanie said while noting timing should coordinate with final site designs by University of Iowa engineering students.
The council also reviewed community events: members praised the Fourth of July parade (roughly 56 units) and named local businesses that contributed. They noted National Night Out will take place Aug. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the auditorium parking lot with police and fire participation. The trail committee will meet again and expects University of Iowa students to help formalize options and layouts before any site work occurs.
Next steps include checking availability of contractor-excavated dirt, continuing design work with student involvement, and further committee meetings to narrow options before committing to construction or filling.
