CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC The yet-to-be built Water Plaza at Mega-10 Park in the Linn Creek District recently won a Central States ASLA Merit Award — Category II: Design (unbuilt).

While construction won’t begin until 2025, the future Water Plaza at Mega-10 Park in the Linn Creek District has already garnered regional attention.

Recently, representatives from the City of Marshalltown, Arts & Culture Alliance and artist Hilde DeBruyne accepted a Central States ASLA Merit Award — Category II: Design (unbuilt).

Plans for the project got underway in 2022 when stakeholders and partners organized a steering committee to lead the design process alongside the City. Bolton & Menk, Debruyne and Waters Edge Aquatic Design were hired. Community engagement meetings took place to learn what features were most desired for the space.

“The Water Plaza kind of evolved from a splash pad to more of a gathering space,” Parks and Rec Director Geoff Hubbard said. “Most splash pads are probably turned on around Memorial Day and turned off on Labor Day. We wanted the space to be activated and used for more than just that timeframe. In Hispanic languages, ‘plaza’ is a gathering place — the City decided it would be a good amenity, quality of life thing to have in town.”

Chamber President/CEO John Hall added that bringing in an artist ensured creativity was at the forefront so the result would be a “uniquely Marshalltown feature for our community.”

Landscape Architects Casey Byers and Nate Weitl with Bolton & Menk are in the process of helping that vision take shape: the site and sculpture being designed to create a series of “ripples” in a rhythmic pattern with timed fountains strategically placed.

The northeast corner of the splash pad will be left open as a green space for entertainment for setting up a stage and/or movie screen. Seating is also a priority.

“The award is a nice nod to all of the energy, hard work and commitment that the City has put into it, as well as the supporting organizations. It’s great recognition for the entire team and the community,” Byers said.

Building a splash pad in Marshalltown became an ongoing conversation following the tragic deaths of four children in the Iowa River in 2012. Hubbard noted the Water Plaza will cost approximately $2.4 million and about half of the funding has already been secured.

Hall said the Water Plaza is one of four projects part of the City of Marshalltown’s award of the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Destination Iowa’s Creative Placemaking Grant in the amount of two million dollars for the Linn Creek District.

“The other projects include the Linn Creek Trail Bridge, Ann C. Keyser Trailhead and the Martha-Ellen Tye Playhouse. With the Destination Iowa funding, all of these projects must begin construction in 2025 and be completed by the end of 2026,” Hall said. “These four projects total over $7 million and funding is a combination of dollars raised from public-private partnerships, including grants, like Destination Iowa, support from the City of Marshalltown, along with donations from businesses and individuals. The Arts+Culture Alliance and Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City, are leading the fundraising efforts.”

Arts+Culture Alliance Executive Director Amber Danielson said the organization is proud to be part of the efforts.

“Marshalltown is extremely fortunate to have integrated an Iowa artist, Hilde DeBruyne, at the very beginning of the design process. The Water Plaza fully embodies creative placemaking and the Arts & Culture Master Plan at work,” she said.

Bolton & Menk had a hand in several other design projects in Marshalltown: West End Park, the Riverview Park Master Plan and are the consultant team on State Street and currently working with the City on design for reconstruction of Main Street.

“We’ve been fortunate to be a partner with the City on a lot of projects and it’s fun to see the work being implemented and being able to be a part of making a pretty positive impact on the community through these public projects,” Byers said.

The Water Plaza, says Hall, is just another element of recruiting and retaining residents.

“No longer are people moving where jobs exist. Now, people are choosing their community, then finding an employer. If Marshalltown wants to compete, be successful, and win at attracting the workers that our businesses need, we have to invest in projects like this that are unique, distinct, and authentic to Marshalltown,” he said.