Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - October 2025 Monthly Project Highlights Contact the City Manager's Office at 515-239-5101 515 Clark Avenue, Ames, IA 50010 Report compiled by Jeramy Neefus, Principal Clerk City Manager's Office OCTOBER 2025 MONTHLY PROJECTHIGHLIGHTS FIRE Fire Station No. 2 Relocation: The City of Ames is moving forward with plans to relocate Fire Station No. 2 from its current location on Welch Avenue to a new site along State Avenue. The project is designed to enhance community safety with a modern, efficient facility, improve emergency response times, and support redevelopment in Campustown. The new station will be built on Iowa State University property, south of Baker Subdivision and College Creek. This ongoing collaboration between the City of Ames and Iowa State University shares project costs, strengthens fire protection for both the university and the city, and reinforces a long-standing public safety partnership. 2 Funding for the new fire station will require a bond referendum and voter approval. The bond referendum will appear on the ballot on Tuesday, November 4. Learn more about the project at https://www.cityofames.org/FireStation. 3 LIBRARY Book Sale: The Ames Public Library Friends Foundation’s fall Book Sale is coming up November 13-16. Find great deals on thousands of used items—including books, movies, music, and more—with proceeds benefitting Ames Public Library. • Thursday, November 13 – 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. o Admission $2; Free admission and early entry starting at 5:00 p.m. for donors to the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation at the $20 level and above • Friday, November 14 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. o Free admission • Saturday, November 15 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. o Free admission • Sunday, November 16 – 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. o Last day! Admission $1; Everything in the Auditorium is free! Brains and Brews: The Ames Public Library Friends Foundation had another great Brains and Brews Trivia Night at Alluvial in October! About 95 participants enjoyed an evening of trivia, prizes, and Alluvial’s own Library Lager. Over $2,500 was raised, which will be used to enhance the Library’s programs, collections, and services. Thanks to everyone who participated! Elections and the Library: Ames Public Library will serve as a satellite voting location Saturday, November 1, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Grab a book before getting in line to 4 pass the time! The Library is also a regular polling place for Ames Precinct 3 on Election Day, November 4. Find links to voting resources on the Library’s website at https://www.AmesPL.org/learn-explore/civics-center/voting. Don’t Miss Anything: Sign up for Ames Public Library’s e-mail newsletter to stay up- to-date on what is happening at the Library: https://www.AmesPL.org/page-one- newsletter. Library Staff Day: The Library will be closed Tuesday, November 11 (Veterans Day), for its fall staff training day. Staff members will take the opportunity to gather as a group for information sharing, learning, and large group meetings. 5 PARKS & RECREATION Ada Hayden Heritage Park Path Replacement Project: Caliber Concrete of Adair, Iowa, is in the final stages of the Ada Hayden Heritage Park Path Project. Concrete installation is complete for the path, signs, and bench locations. A majority of the paths have been backfilled and graded in preparation for final seeding. The project is expected to be completed by the first part of November. Ash Tree Replacement Plantings: The City contracted with Finco Tree Service, Kelley, Iowa, to plant approximately 90 trees in various neighborhoods throughout Ames. The trees that were planted are replacing the ash trees that were removed last winter. FY 2025/26 marks year 12 of the 20-year Emerald Ash Borer Response Plan. Auditorium Sound System Replacement: All the speakers for the Auditorium sound system replacement have arrived and are currently being wired in place by staff. New main speakers and subwoofers are being installed in temporary locations, and once that process is complete, the rear-fill speakers will be installed. After the entire new system is installed, staff will begin removing the old speakers. Work on the permanent cable runs and AV panels will then begin. The project is expected to be completed in early 2026. Baker Subdivision Park: Staff completed installing the engineered wood fibers and concrete playground border at the Baker Subdivision Park, 3205 Tripp St reet, in late October. Staff also completed the installation of the shelter and concrete shelter pad at 6 the park. Staff recently graded and seeded the soil in the park. A ribbon cutting will be held next spring for the park. Homewood Golf Course: As of October 26, 2025, Homewood Golf Course has had 25,255 rounds played. By that date last year, Homewood had 25,381 rounds played. Homewood opened on March 11 in 2024 and on March 28 in 2025. The table below shows the current clubhouse rental hours and revenue amounts compared to the same time frame last fiscal year. July 1, 2024 – October 26, 2024 July 1, 2025 – October 26, 2025 Paid Event Hours 36.25 34.5 Revenue from Paid Events $3,806.25 $3,622.50 Non-Paid Event Hours 51 37.5 The Homewood Golf Course Hole 9 Improvements include removing the current walking bridge at Homewood Golf Course and replacing it with a crossing that includes a 48” culvert and ten-foot-wide path concrete path that will allow walkers and golf carts to cross the ravine. Also included as part of the project is bank stabilization along the banks of the ravine that has been degrading over the last 10 years. Bid letting is scheduled for November 12 and a report of bids is November 18. The project is expected to be completed over the winter months in time for the 2026 golf season. Moore Memorial Park Fishing Dock Renovation: Adam Jacobsen, Eagle Scout Candidate, completed the renovation of the fishing dock at Moore Memorial Park in mid - October. The renovation included removing the old deck boards and railings and installing new synthetic deck boards and pressure treated lumber railings. Adam completed the necessary paperwork and presented it to Park staff for approval. Adam Jacobsen is the son of former Parks and Facilities Supervisor Kyle Jacobsen, who unfortunately passed away in November of 2023 from cancer. Paul Wiegand, former Public Works Director and 7 Adam’s grandfather, assisted with completing the project along with many of Adam’s troop members and family and friends. Park Maintenance Shop Expansion Project: King Construction of Iowa Falls, Iowa, is continuing to make progress on the Park Maintenance Shop Expansion Project. The bulk water station has been relocated and the concrete pad for the cold storage building has been poured. Demolition of the breakroom of the Park Maintenance Shop has been completed and the reconstruction and expansion is starting. King is planning to have all the concrete poured for the project by early November with the construction of the cold 8 storage building to follow. The project is expected to be completed by the end of January 2026. Playground Installations: The playground structures at Christofferson Park and Patio Homes West Park were installed the week of October 13. Staff has been busy installing the subgrade drainage material and the engineered wood fibers at both parks. Staff is planning to install the four-foot concrete border around the Patio Homes West playground in late October and the border at Christofferson Park in early November. Restroom and Drinking Fountain Winterization: Staff started preparing restrooms and water fountains for the winter months in late October by shutting off water. Staff will deep clean the restrooms and ensure they are ready for the 2026 season. Splash Pad at Daley Park: Staff met with representatives from TK Concrete and Snyder and Associates to discuss a timeline for construction for the splash pad in Daley Park. There has been a delay with the project, but TK assured the City that it will be installing the underground utilities (sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water, and electrical) this fall. TK also plans to complete the concrete footings for the mechanical building so staff can construct the building over the winter months. The water feature piping, concrete splash pad surfacing, and the splash pad equipment will be installed in the spring of 2026, with completion by June 1, 2026. Tree Planting: Staff planted 28 trees along Todd Drive with Chevron REG staff members. Trees Forever and Chevron REG sponsored this tree planting. Staff also conducted a tree planting at Greenbriar Park with assistance from members of the Scouts of America Troop 140 in early October. The Scouts earned their Forestry and Mammal Study merit badges by planting eight trees. This planting was funded by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Trees for Kids Program. Troop 140 members are shown in the picture below planting in the park. 9 Wellness: October classes and onboarding had the following registrations: Program Registrations Community Center Group Fitness 452 60 Forward Group Fitness 166 Virtual Fitness 29 60 Forward Center Onboarding 41 Yoga Basics 5 Tae Kwon Do 113 10 A special free Yoga Glow class was offered Friday, October 24, with 12 participants.