On several occasions, we coordinated with partners to incorporate programs focused on flood plain education, river habitat issues and wildlife preservation.
For example, Loessfest, originally created to celebrate the opening of Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park, quickly became the Riverfront most popular activity. Visitors came, not only from the Metro area but from across the region. In its first five year, over 175,000 attend Loessfest.
In 2013, we partnered with the University of Iowa to bring their “Living with Floods” program to Council Bluffs and Loessfest. For this program, the University selected seven Iowa communities, trained their teachers in environmental learning teaching techniques and sponsored flood related community forums and learning events for K-12 students. For the concert portion of their program, the University booked the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Loessfest.
In 2018, we brought Jeff & Page to Loessfest. Jeff and Paige’s family oriented concert carried the message of a love of the outdoors and their interest in ecology, wildlife and habitat conservation.
Also that year, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic River Act, we brought Alex Wiles’s Flood Plain – A clear view of life in the Big Muddy exhibit to Loessfest.
Project Partners: City of Council Bluffs, IWF, SWIF, Broadmoor, Cox, HGM, Noddle Development, Kiewit Foundation, Am. Nat. Bank, Broadmoor, HDR, others. Living with Floods partners: the Iowa College of Engineering, College of Education, the Center for Global & Regional Environmental Research, and the Iowa Flood Center, others.
Estimated Financial Support: Back to the River $60,000
Estimated Total Project Cost: $870,000
Years: 2013, 2018