After years of turmoil over a dismantled artwork and a missing bridge, Des Moines is asking residents to help shape Greenwood Park’s next chapter through a yearlong planning process.
Why it matters: The plan gives residents a chance to weigh in on the future of Des Moines’ oldest park after years of contentious changes.
Catch up quick: Greenwood was dedicated in 1894 and covers about 80 acres south of Grand Avenue, near the Des Moines Art Center.
- It has weathered setbacks in recent years, including a controversy that ended in a $900,000 settlement with an artist who opposed demolishing the aging boardwalk and pavilion she designed about 30 years ago.
- That removal also eliminated a pedestrian bridge, breaking the pond’s loop trail. An anonymous donor is now paying $77,400 to replace it
The intrigue: The planning process announced Thursdaymirrors the long-range planning that has shaped Gray’s Lake Park in recent decades…