For the Good of the Order
Marion Fire Department Responds to a Fire at Marion YMCA
At 7:18 p.m. on March 17, 2022, the Marion Fire Department was called to the Marion YMCA, 3740 Irish Drive, for smoke coming from a laundry area. Upon investigation, a fire was located in a mechanical room that was immediately extinguished by the arriving companies. The fire itself was contained to the room of origin. Crews remained on scene to assist YMCA staff in removing smoke and odors from the building. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Marion YMCA and Community Rec Center will be closed through the weekend and hopes to reopen early next week.
Library Construction Update
Progress continues on the Marion Public Library. Bush Construction has indicated that the new turnkey date for the Library/City to take ownership of the building will most likely be in late April 2022. This is still subject to change due to the availability of materials, delivery delays and subcontractor staffing levels. If things continue as planned, we anticipate the facility opening to the public this summer.
Central Plaza Update
The newly appointed Central Plaza Steering Committee had its kick-off meeting with RDG Planning + Design last week. Committee members were briefed on the conceptual design, asked to provide input on the amenities shown and received an overview of the next steps in the final design process. Feedback from the Steering Committee is presented to the Technical Committee who takes the input and looks deeper into the technical aspects and feasibility of the amenities. Throughout the final design process, City Council will provide direction to staff related to the amenities and how the plaza will take shape. Learn more by visiting www.cityofmarion.org/7thAveStreetscape. There’s a tab dedicated to the Central Plaza.
Tower Terrace Road Project Receives $5 Million Award
The Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization (CMPO) was notified of its award of $5 million for the Tower Terrace Road project through the recent passage of the Omnibus Appropriations bill by both houses of Congress. The CMPO is still waiting on guidance regarding how exactly the money can be used but hopes to have more information soon. This award comes from the application for Community Project Funding and impacts Marion, Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, Robins and Linn County. “This funding would support the construction of an east-to-west arterial connector roadway that is a longtime regional transportation priority. The Tower Terrace Road Corridor would increase accessibility and economic vitality in Hiawatha, Robins, Marion and Cedar Rapids by connecting outer communities with local schools and businesses while reducing congestion and increasing resident safety.”
CeMar Trail Bridge Deck Pour
As temperatures have improved, we’ve started to see construction projects resume. On March 17, the bridge deck was poured as part of the fourth phase of the CeMar Trail project. The new pedestrian bridge over Marion Boulevard is a key connection that will eventually connect Uptown Marion with Downtown Cedar Rapids. For additional Engineering Department project updates, subscribe to their weekly newsletter.
7th Avenue Reconstruction and Streetscape Project
At the end of this month, March 28, Rathje Construction will begin Phase 2 of the 7th Avenue Reconstruction and Streetscape Project. During Phase 2, 10th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues will be closed to traffic. The work is expected to last several months. Beginning on Thursday, March 31, weather permitting, the contractor will close eastbound 8th Avenue at 10th Street to make a sanitary sewer connection. This closure is expected to last 7-10 days. A signed detour will be in place using 7th Street, 6th Avenue and 12th Street. Sign up to receive future updates for this project and others at www.cityofmarion.org/enotify.
Public Services Demolition Bid Package
On March 17, 2022, City Council awarded the demolition package for the new Public Services Maintenance Facility to Schrader Excavating and Grading of Walford, Iowa. The demolition of the steel building will begin on April 1, 2022, and will be completed by the end of May 2022. The demolition and removal of the steel structure will be the first step in the reconstruction process of the new Public Services Facility, located at 4127 3rd Avenue. During the August 10, 2020 derecho, the steel structure and foundation systems were severely damaged due to excessive wind loads. Preliminary engineering and architectural analysis have since been completed that will allow for the steel structure to be removed.
COVID-19 Update
According to the Linn County Health Department, COVID-19 numbers have moved from medium to a low ranking in Linn County. There are a couple of new variants or subvariants in the news that are being monitored including BA.2 (Stealth Omicron) and a BA.2 which has mutated with the Delta variant called Deltacron. We will continue to monitor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Linn County Public Health information regarding COVID-19.
Avian Flu Found in Iowa
The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has recently confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Iowa. HPAI is a highly contagious viral disease affecting bird populations. It can travel in birds that do not appear to be sick but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. All bird owners, whether commercial producers or backyard flock owners, should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual deaths to state/federal officials. The Linn County Emergency Management Agency is monitoring the situation. Learn more at iowaagriculture.gov/biosecurity.
2021 Community Survey Results Coming Soon
The City has received preliminary results from the 2021 National Community Survey which was administered to Marion residents by Polco and the National Research Center at the end of last year. As Mayor AbouAssaly highlighted in his State of the City presentation last week, more than 9 out of 10 residents said Marion is either good or excellent as a place to live; more than 9 out of 10 residents said Marion is a good or excellent place to raise children and more than 9 out of 10 residents said they’d recommend living in Marion to a friend. A full report of the survey results will be shared with Council and members of the community during the April 5 City Council work session.
Future Project Updates
Several items will be coming before City Council in the weeks ahead. Here’s a look at the tentative agenda.
On the Docket
The following are a few major activities on my calendar for the coming week:
- Board/Commission check-ins with chair and department head/staff liaison of the Water Board, Library Board, Park Board and Public Services Board
- Meeting with Jack Roeder and Tim Strellner regarding Prospect Meadows
- Chamber Board Meeting
- Meeting with Alejandro Pino of Young Parents Network (YPN)
- Meeting with Chris Shires of Confluence
Original source can be found here.
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