(Estherville)– The Estherville City Council Monday voted to go ahead with a grant application through the Destination Iowa Program for the River Recreation Enhancement Project. City Administrator Penny Clayton says no taxpayer money will be used in that project, which has an estimated cost of $3.8 million…
“We have been awarded already a $650,000 grant from the Federal Recreational Trails; we’ve been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund; we’ve been awarded $100,000 REAP Grant; we’ve been awarded $200,000 from the Water Trails Program; an additional $200,000 from the Water Trails Program and an additional $310,000 from the Water Trails Program for various components of the project.”
Clayton says the process for applying for the Destination Iowa funding is somewhat elaborate…
“This is the pre-application stage so we have to do a pre-app then we have to get invited to submit a full application. The full application I think is due by June 15th and we’ll hear about that in August or September, depending on when their meeting falls. And so we’ll know a little bit more late summer. We can then proceed with final design plans and try to get the dam work done over the winter and start the rest of the construction in the spring.”
The city of Estherville is applying for $950,000 through Destination Iowa. Clayton says if they’re fortunate enough to be awarded that, those funds, combined with the other grants already awarded, would leave about $211,000 that would still have to be raised for the project. She says none of the work will proceed until the funds are in place.
