Decorah is submitting three proposals for state Great Place program funding

The Decorah Park-Rec Board has given the Iowa Great Places program three ideas for state funding of a Decorah project.  One of the three proposals will be selected because of Decorah's nomination as one of Iowa's Great Places. 

The first proposal being sent to Des Moines would use state and local funding to pay for restoring, rehabbing or replacing stonework in Decorah parks.  The City of Decorah would use money from proceeds of the Parks and Recreation Endowment, the Parks and Recreation Memorial Fund and Hotel/Motel proceeds to pay for its half of the project cost.  The work would include the steps at Ice Cave, the rock wall in Phelps Park, the rock work along the Phelps Trail, Larsen Fountain and the trail leading up to Pulpit Rock.  

The second proposal would use Great Places funding for bridge work on the proposed Dry Run Trail that will connect the Trout Run Trail to the Prairie Farmer Trail.

The final proposal would use Great Places funding to improve the Upper Iowa River stream bank in areas where it has been severely damaged.

The Iowa Great Places program had set a deadline of November 1st for receiving the funding proposals.