A born-and-raised Cedar Rapidan, I spent the majority of my childhood in the Wellington Heights Neighborhood on the southeast side of town. Wellington Heights sits on 1st Avenue, opposite from the historic Mound View neighborhood, where you’ll find Coe College.
As a result, I’ve had a lifelong front-row seat to the dilemma faced by young folks living in the area. Two things are true at once: Cedar Rapids has some great opportunities for higher education — Coe College, Kirkwood Community College and Mount Mercy University — and the “college town experience” couldn’t be more removed from the one found just down the road in Iowa City.
The fact the University of Iowa is a large, public school in the Big 10 certainly accounts for some of this cultural difference. But the separation between campus and walkable local community in south Cedar Rapids also poses plenty of challenges. Getting from building to building is simple enough — at least in the traditional ways we think about accessibility — but getting to and from campus isn’t so pedestrian-friendly.
Because Coe College is situated on 1st Avenue, traffic in the area is non-stop and often treacherous to traverse on foot or bike, even with crosswalks. Students get free access to the Cedar Rapids city bus with their student IDs, but it’s not as robust as a dedicated campus transit system. As a result, many students feel compelled to take a car to class, adding to their financial burden and creating a deeper divide between campus and college town. In cars, folks may also encounter fewer “third spaces” — spots outside of work, class and home to relax, eat and socialize…