Cedar Rapids locals will soon have a renewed Cedar Lake Park to visit.
Close to the downtown area and visible from the well-trafficked I-380, the park has long been a fixture of Cedar Rapids, boasting a 1.6-mile trail loop and ample bluegill, bass, carpie and catfish catching opportunities — but it has suffered from old age. In 2018, Friends of Cedar Lake, a grassroots community dedicated to cleaning up and rejuvenating the area, teamed up with members of the Southside Investment Board, who hoped to build an urban biking trail across the Cedar River, forming the entity ConnectCR.
Their combined project is estimated to cost about $20 million, with $5.9 million from the City of Cedar Rapids, a $5 million grant from the Hall-Perrine Foundation and an ongoing capital campaign. Construction on Cedar Lake began in 2024 and is expected to finish later this year. Plans call for new walking trails, ADA-accessible docks for fishing and launching canoes and kayaks, floating islands, a playground and challenge course, and new park entrances.
Part of the revitalization includes preserving the wetlands on the north shore. Signs with information about the local wildlife (including deer, fox, mink, pelicans and turtles, according to ConnectCR) and plant species on the lake will be placed along walking trails. A bird-viewing platform will be built along the nature boardwalk…