COUNCIL BLUFFS — Belles’ Play Garden is now open at Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park.
The 2,000-square-foot space near River’s Edge Pavilion, on the east side of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, features a children’s play area with Missouri River-inspired play and educational elements, interpretive seating and rich native plantings.
Belles’ focal point is a 15-foot-tall pelican play element with climbing structures, a slide and a lookout perch with sweeping views of the Omaha skyline and Missouri River banks.
Made possible by the Go Play initiative — co-founded by Rick Knudtson and Heather Tomasek, and Marlina and Dusty Davidson — Belles’ is named after both couple’s daughters: Ella “El Belle” Knudtson and Annabelle Davidson.
Marlina and Dusty Davidson were born and raised in Council Bluffs. Heather Tomasek formerly worked for the City of Council Bluffs Parks and Recreation Department, managing the landscape architecture for Phase II of River’s Edge Park.
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Together with their families, they committed $200,000 to the project.
“This Go Play initiative was founded with the hopes of returning the idea of play back to the park and the neighborhoods in the former Playland Park area,” Tomasek said. “Both our families have young daughters who love to spend time outside at various parks around the metro, so this is named in their honor. We believe Belles’ will reintroduce a new play space that enhances one’s sense of discovery and adds to the growing momentum at the riverfront.”
Back to the River Inc. also contributed $100,000 to the project, and the Iowa West Foundation matched both donations.
“All these projects that enhance our city have one common thing, and that’s the Iowa West Foundation,” Mayor Matt Walsh said, thanking the foundation for its involvement in the community.
Belles’ Play Garden is part of River’s Edge Phase IV, which includes woodland restoration of an area damaged by flooding in 2019. Along with the play garden, the project will include a Treetop Walk, Observation Tower, Climbing Adventure Course and The Pier.
Southwest Iowa Nonprofit for Collective Impact is conducting the fundraising and management for River’s Edge Phase IV in partnership with the City of Council Bluffs. Phase IV is funded entirely by private donations, which Southwest Iowa Nonprofit for Collective Impact has raised. Tax increases are not part of the River’s Edge funding plan.
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