A groundbreaking ceremony to mark the next phase of reinvestment in Uptown Marion, known as the Central Plaza, will be held on Thursday, March 28, at 4 p.m. in City Square Park.
The park’s eastern area and vacated section of 11th Street will be reconstructed to include a refrigerated ice-skating loop, installing year-round accessible public restrooms, creating space for live performances, adding fun water features, an interactive play sculpture, public art, seating, enclosing the Depot Pavilion, and other improvements. Additionally, the project includes planting perennial flowers and native trees, laying commemorative bricks, and putting up decorative lighting to enhance the area.
The Central Plaza will activate the park year-round by providing flexible space for daily outdoor use and special events throughout the year. The idea for the project grew out of the ImagiNEXT community visioning process and is a continuation of the North
Plaza that was constructed as part of the 7th Avenue Reconstruction and Streetscape project in 2021 and 2022.
The project, valued at $8.35 million, has gained widespread support from both the public and private sectors. This includes a $3 million grant from Destination Iowa. The Marion Park Foundation is spearheading a private fundraising effort, aiming to raise $1.3 million. The rest of the expenses will be met through local option sales tax funds and general obligation bonds.
The project started in March and is projected to be mostly finished by December 2024. However, certain features, such as the chiller for the ice loop, require more time to obtain, so it’s doubtful the ice loop will be ready for use next winter, a news release stated.
The City is partnering with RDG Planning and Design as the design firm and Rinderknecht Associates as the construction manager. A steering committee, technical committee and small group of event planners have helped inform the design process and an art committee will guide the art selection process.
Learn more and stay updated at www.cityofmarion.org/CentralPlaza.
