Decorah re-designated an "Iowa Great Place"

Decorah has been re-designated an "Iowa Great Place" by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

The re-designation means Decorah can apply for funding this fall for projects that are tied to their community's vision plan. Currently, Iowa has 45 Great Places with 13 projects in progress. The average Iowa Great Places grant award from 2014 to 2018 was $204,000.

The Decorah Parks & Recreation Board Thursday night will discuss its application for an Iowa Great Places grant.

In announcing the re-designation, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs called Decorah "a unique Great Place on the Upper Iowa River surrounded by forested bluffs."  It added, "Decorah's commitment to outdoor activity, physical fitness, environmental stewardship, historical resources, and food production provides the foundation of Decorah's identity and spurs local advocates and nonprofit groups."