The Birdland Park and Marina Master Plan calls for $54.4 million in construction improvements spread across 5 major project phases to implement the inclusive and visionary plan that was developed through the master planning process, then adopted by the Parks and Recreation Board on February 23, 2021, and City Council on March 22, 2021.  The development of the proposed master plan was a community and stakeholder-driven effort which leveraged input from an estimated 200+ attendees across three public meetings and 350+ follow-up survey responses. The project Advisory Committee which provided additional direction to the consulting team led by SmithGroup included 23 individuals representing 18 unique interest groups, thus representing a broad cross-section of the community.

Please use the links below to access the Phase 1 design imagery and the full Birdland Park and Marina Master Plan.

• Phase 1 Design Imagery in English
• Imágenes de Diseño de la Fase 1 en Español
• ICON Water Trails Project at Birdland Park
• Full Birdland Park and Marina Master Plan
• Master Plan Appendix A - Plant Community Assessment
• Master Plan Appendix B - Program, Operational, and Business Plan
   

Spring 2024 Project Update:
Design of the Phase 1 master plan improvements has been underway since early 2023 and we are now approaching the 60% completion milestone for the design work. A 60% Design Open House for the Phase 1 Improvements was held on March 13^th at the Ding Darling Shelterhouse in Birdland Park (2100 Saylor Road). Those that attended were able to rotate through a series of stations with 60% design boards at their own pace and engage city staff and the consulting team to discuss the project. Each station provided high-quality rendered imagery so it was easy to interpret and understand the proposed design. Below are selected images from the open house, but the full set is available in English or Spanish using the links above. 











Winter 2022/2023 Project Update:
To initiate project design, a request for proposals was posted in the summer of 2022. The proposal from SmithGroup Inc. was selected to lead this multidisciplinary design project. The SmithGroup team also includes Veenstra & Kimm (civil engineering), ASK Studios (architecture), Earthscape (playground design), Allender Butzke (geotechnical engineering), and EOR (environmental survey).

Engineering design for all of Phase 1 is expected to be complete by the summer of 2024. Presently, there is sufficient capital funding to implement the western portion of Phase 1 (boat ramp, shelters, etc). Pending City Council approval, the western portion of the Phase 1 project is expected to commence construction in the Fall of 2024 and be substantially complete by the Fall of 2025. If the Destination Iowa grant funding cited above is awarded, we expect the entirety of the Phase 1 project as shown below would be implemented. 

• We are currently seeking external grant support funding to initiate the Phase 1 project from the master plan.
  
  
• In March of 2024, the Parks and Recreation Department will applied for a ~$5.3 million dollar grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program. If awarded, the grant funding would support the implementation of Phase 1 of the Birdland Master Plan and ICON Water Trail improvements near the Guzman Building. Grant funding determinations are anticipated late 2024 or early 2025.   
  
  
• Phase 1 has a total estimated project cost of $12.4 million dollars.