The 6th Annual MacRae Park Clean Up Day was a huge success once again this year!

Over 200 volunteers from the Des Moines area, including groups from Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines came out to clean the park. Several of these groups were on a mission trip to see how people in the United States promote community involvement so they could take ideas back to their respective countries.

Lincoln High School had a large presence once again with representatives from various athletic and activity groups. Local neighbors, business groups, and city council members all pitched in to help remove over 30 tires and 10 dump truck loads of trash.

Thank you to the folks at Cash Saver for providing free food and drinks for all our volunteers once again this year. Also, thank you to the City of Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department for providing us with all the gloves, trash bags, and trucks to carry all the trash away.

We are looking forward o the many new improvements coming this year in the park, including the multi-million dollar overlook project slated to be started this summer. Future improvements also include; dredging the pond and reconstructing the park street.

Thank you everyone for the fun day of beautifying one of our great parks on the south side!

Revitalization efforts along the SW 9^th Corridor are underway!  On March 23, 2015, the SW 9^th Street Corridor Plan was formally adopted by the Des Moines City Council.  Created in partnership with the City’s Neighborhood Development Division, the ISU Community Design Lab, and Friends of SW 9^th, the revitalization plan sets the stage for phased improvements to enhance the visual appearance of the four-mile corridor stretching from the Raccoon River bridge to Army Post Road.  Redevelopment of vacant and run down property, housing improvements, and building organizational capacity are also key strategies of the plan. Significant progress is already visible, thanks to dedicated project partners.

Spearheading the efforts is Friends of SW 9^th, a coalition of area residents, businesses, and stakeholders working to coordinate improvements.  Friends of SW 9^th recently administered a Façade Improvement Program in which fifteen local businesses received financial assistance to spruce up their storefronts with new paint, awnings, landscaping, and signage.  The program was made possible with a $150,000 grant from Polk County. Proceeds from the sale of City-owned property on SW 9th will help fund continuation of the façade grant program in 2016.

Demolition of several blighted structures is paving the way for additional commercial and residential redevelopment along SW 9^th Street. The Neighborhood Development Corporation is nearing completion of two residential developments south of downtown. Rebuilding Together, Neighborhood Finance Corporation, and Iowa State Bank have also made three-year commitments to help rehabilitate existing owner-occupied housing.

MacRae Park, one of the City’s oldest and most scenic parks, will be enhanced as well.  Renovation of the historic park shelter will take place this summer.  Planning efforts for more significant improvements are underway, aiming to re-establish the park as a south side destination.

To keep this momentum moving forward, the Friends of SW 9^th is reaching out to property owners along SW 9^th to establish a Self-Supported Municipal Improvement (SSMID) District.  If the SSMID petition is successful, funds will be used towards business development and recruitment, façade grants, landscaping and beautification efforts, administrative services, and neighborhood activities such as the popular SW 9^th Open Streets event.

There is much to look forward to on SW 9^th! To get involved and stay updated on the latest news along the corridor, please “like” the Friends of SW 9th Facebook page!