Hawkeye Reporter

DES MOINES, IOWA — Thursday, March 23, 2023 — The Reichardt Community Recreation Center project is closing in on its fundraising targets thanks to a second round of major donations.

On Monday, the Des Moines City Council will receive and consider $1.65 million in donations including two additional naming agreements for the Community Recreation Center project that will be located at the current site of the Grubb Family YMCA. With the new round of donations, the project has reached 87% of its $6 million fundraising goal.

"We are thrilled to announce these donations that are so critical to providing the amenities that this neighborhood requested and deserves,” Des Moines Parks and Recreation Director Ben Page said. “This is a major signal that our community is stepping up and helping turn the vision of the Reichardt Community Recreation Center into a reality. Fundraising is nearly across the finish line thanks to the support and generosity of these community members."

The project plan for the Reichardt Community Recreation Center was developed over the course of six public meetings and more than 200 community conversations that helped shape the plan constructing a new community recreation center and park on the site located in the vicinity of 1611 11th Street and 1600 9th Street.

“This project has been engaging the residents and neighborhood since the very beginning,” Page said. “The feedback we received at our public meetings has driven every step of this project, determining which amenities they neighborhood values the most and how to bring those to the community. This project will transform the neighborhood for generations.”

The City has committed $12 million over four years to the estimated $18 million project which is anticipated to open in 2026. Fundraising for the project now totals $5.22 million of its $6 million goal including the four new donations below (additions to the donation list designated in bold).

• $1,000,000 – Mid American Energy
  • A community space shall be designated the “MidAmerican Energy Idea Lab”
• $500,000 – Polk County
  • The fitness room shall be designated the “Polk County Fitness Room”
• $50,000 – Knapp Properties
• $100,000 – The Gartner Family
• $1,200,000 – The Reichardt Family
  • The building’s exterior façade shall be designated the “Reichardt Community Recreation Center”
• $1,000,000 – Patty and Jim Cownie
  • The basketball court and gymnasium shall be designated the “Patty and Jim Cownie Family Courts and Gymnasium”
• $500,000 – Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Catalyst Circle Grant
• $250,000 – Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
  • The largest community room area shall be designated as the “Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Community Room”
• $500,000 – The Ruan Foundation
  • The elevated walking track shall be designated as “The Ruan Foundation Track”
• $100,000 – W.T. and Edna M Dahl Trust
• $20,000 – Lohse Family Foundation

If you want to make a contribution to the project, and help meet the Parks and Recreation Department’s $6 million dollar fundraising goal, please visit the project donation website, through the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation.

Original source can be found here.