MAQUOKETA, Iowa – A major improvement project at the Prairie Recreation Area here has received a financial boost from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA).
The project is led by the City of Maquoketa and Jackson County. It was awarded a $400,000 Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant, IEDA announced in a news release.
The nearly $2 million project will include several large-scale improvements. They include streambank restoration for fishing, viewing and camping; construction of shelters, restrooms, trailheads and bridges; a trail connection to extend to the city limits; and an 18-hole championship-caliber disc golf course.
The funding was among six grants approved earlier this month by the IEDA Board. The board awarded two companies with grants through its High Quality Jobs (HQJ) program. They will result in 223 jobs created and $20 million in new capital investment.
Who received grants?
Those awards included:
- Kooima Company will expand its footprint by leasing a larger facility in Rock Valley. The company specializes in tube laser cutting, flat laser cutting, machining, welding, robotic forming and tube bending. The board awarded $11.6 million capital investment project tax benefits through HQJ. The expansion will create 11 jobs at a qualifying wage of $25.97 per hour.
- HMA Group Holdings LLC, the incorporated entity for Holmes Murphy, will expand beyond its Waukee building by leasing and building out space in West Des Moines. The project represents an $8.4 million capital investment. It is expected to create 212 jobs at a qualifying wage of $36.80.
In addition to the Prairie Recreation Area in Maquoketa, IEDA awarded CAT grants in Cedar Rapids, Grundy County and Pella. Projects and awards were:
- National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library, Cedar Rapids, $42,500 to renovate and improve its Orloj Clocktower. The total project is $685,000.
- Grundy County Conservation Board, $214,000 to pave the remaining 1.3 miles of a seven-mile Pioneer Trail between Reinbeck and Grundy Center. The 12-mile trail will interlink four communities. The total project cost is nearly $1.1 million.
- The City of Pella, $500,000 for the Pella Recreation Center in the Pella Sports Park. The $33 million project includes a two-story building that will house sports amenities include a competition swimming pool, indoor turf field, track and more. It is expected to attract 18,000 people a year.
Iowa’s CAT program provides financial assistance to communities for construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance Iowa’s quality of life.
