Author Archives: bethany

The remarkable changes that have occurred in downtown Des Moines over the past two decades have thrust Des Moines into the spotlight and onto the top of a number of high profile “best of” lists. The recent renewal of downtown … Continue reading →

In Des Moines, mentioning painting a home’s brick exterior or shunning Hosta plants is like saying you too have thought about vandalizing the butter cow. Expect double takes, sideways glances, and dead end conversations. Threaten to paint a “Beaverdale Brick,” … Continue reading →

There’s no doubt Des Moines is getting a lot of attention lately and seeing physical improvements on almost every street downtown. Alongside several different initiatives taken by groups in the community like The Tomorrow Plan, our company is eager to … Continue reading →

On a beautiful day in May, Alayna Schutte starts out teaching Pick a Better Snack lessons featuring local asparagus to third-graders at Carver and Moulton Elementary Schools. Next, she engages Moulton students at recess in watering the baby seedlings of … Continue reading →

Why do you live where you do? Did you fall in love with the neighborhood? Do you want your kids to attend the local schools? Is it close to your job, your friends, or your favorite restaurant? Is it the … Continue reading →

Market Day – Des Moines’ best craft show – begins its 6th season on Memorial Day weekend. Market Day brings 50 vendors to downtown Des Moines to sell their crafts, art, and vintage wares. We celebrate local handmade goods and … Continue reading →

Hear from local leaders as they champion change through the Capital Crossroads Vision Plan. Join us to get the inside scoop on a different capital each quarter. In May, our panel will focus on the Physical Capital, specifically transportation issues. … Continue reading →

Sometimes people will surprise you. Engagement in civic matters, planning committees and visioning sessions can be hot and cold, depending on the topic, on residents’ level of passion about the subject and, let’s face it, sometimes on weather. Residents of … Continue reading →

Join us for the 9th Annual Earth Day in the Junction Celebration on Sunday, April 6th from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This celebration of Earth Day includes a diverse group of exhibitors, children’s activities, live music, 5K Run/Walk, and … Continue reading →

“Sustainability is about making connections.” Of many lessons learned over three days of workshops at the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy in Salt Lake City, this one resonated with me the most. This is a crucial moment for The Tomorrow Plan … Continue reading →

A new hands-on workshop series titled Grow Your Green helps homeowners experience simple ways to live more sustainably. The upcoming session addresses the timely subject of weatherization techniques homeowners can do themselves to eliminate cold drafts and lower energy bills. … Continue reading →

Trout Unlimited was founded in July 1959 on the banks of the Au Sable River near Grayling, Michigan. Its mission: To conserve, protect, and restore North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. From the beginning, TU was guided by the … Continue reading →

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) – the organization that spearheads The Tomorrow Plan effort – is working with the Greater Des Moines Partnership to establish a local District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). ULI, with … Continue reading →

Today, the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) formally approved The Tomorrow Plan, the Greater Des Moines region’s plan for a more sustainable future. The planning process started three and a half years ago with regional leaders seeking to … Continue reading →

A US Department of Housing and Urban Development press release from November 12th announced the launch of the agency’s Location Affordability Portal (LAP). The release is as follows: WASHINGTON – U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. … Continue reading →

Johnston’s Merle Hay Road Gateway Area is on its way to becoming unlike any other area in the Des Moines metro.  The Johnston City Council has voted to approve a redevelopment plan that will set the stage for a dramatic … Continue reading →

On November 6th from 3:00 to 4:30 pm, the Ankeny Planning Department is hosting an APA audio/web conference for 1.5 CM credits. The audio and web presentation will be streamed in the City Council Chambers at the Ankeny City Hall … Continue reading →

On October 17, 2013, The Tomorrow Plan – Partnering for a Greener Greater Des Moines – received the Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan, which recognizes a comprehensive plan that advances the science and art of planning. The award … Continue reading →

The Polk County Housing Trust Fund (PCHTF) will host its annual Fall Bus Tour this Friday, October 18th. The tour will run from 9:00 to 11:30 am and will begin at the Urbandale Public Library. Because affordable housing is not … Continue reading →

Residents will have a chance to practice yoga, play soccer, and even dance down a portion of University Avenue this Sunday as Des Moines hosts its first Open Streets event on Sunday, Sept. 29th from noon to 4 p.m. The … Continue reading →

On the first of September, I began participating in the 30 Day Rewild Your Life challenge sponsored by We Are Wildness, a website dedicated to the awareness of human wildness and our important connection to Nature. The challenge is to … Continue reading →

Des Moines Water Works, in collaboration with Sasaki Associates and RDG Planning & Design, invites the public to see the exciting changes in the works for one of the largest urban parks in the nation. A public open house for … Continue reading →

A public forum featuring two of Iowa’s foremost tree experts will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 28, in the Waveland Hall at Plymouth Congregational Church, 4126 Ingersoll Ave. The forum—entitled The Tree Doctors Are In— … Continue reading →

The raw food diet has really gotten a lot of attention lately. With celebrities like Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone and Natalie Portman “going raw,” the lifestyle is becoming more mainstream. Raw food enthusiasts eat mostly unprocessed, unrefined foods from three … Continue reading →

The final draft of The Tomorrow Plan is now available; you can access it here. This is your plan. The MPO team has had the privilege of facilitating the process over the last three years, but it was developed by … Continue reading →

What role does walkability play in the vibrancy of a community? Join us as Jeff Speck, author and planner, reveals the invisible workings of the city, how simple decisions can have cascading effects, and how streets may actually matter more … Continue reading →

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) is developing “Iowa by Trail,” an all-Iowa multiuse trail App and website. Once completed, the App will promote Iowa Trails and help America discover the beauty of Iowa’s greenways. The App will feature an … Continue reading →

Imagine your first visit to a personal workout trainer. You probably are going to say things like “I’d like to burn more calories,” or “I’d like to fit into the jeans I wore two years ago.” By contrast, most people … Continue reading →

Your community needs you as much as you need your community. What is the paint without the painter, the painter without the paint? We are all artists on the community’s canvas. “You can’t be what you don’t see.” Marian Wright … Continue reading →

No health insurance? No money? No problem! This probably is a foreign concept to most, but this is the reality in which Community Health Centers (CHCs) operate. Every year, 22 million Americans, insured and uninsured alike, seek care at CHCs. … Continue reading →

Can the simple act of smiling influence your health outcomes? This is the question that organizers of the Don’t Smile Movement (DSM) are looking to answer. A part of Healthy Polk 2020, the Don’t Smile Movement was developed to help … Continue reading →

“How do you know when you’ve arrived in Des Moines?” This was the question posed to David Kruidenier by world-renowned architect I.M. Pei during a drive through downtown Des Moines in the late 1960s. It would stay with Kruidenier through … Continue reading →

Can trees and green space be good for our health? Turns out, the answer is yes. Most people enjoy a walk along a tree-lined street or through a wooded area. Most employees would rather have a window seat than a … Continue reading →

Trees play a vital role in the multifaceted realm of sustainability. Trees contribute an abundant list of benefits to our communities, including: Trees purify the air we breathe by absorbing carbon dioxide and other pollutants. The role trees play in … Continue reading →

I remember attending my first Big Hair Ball in 2009. I had just moved back from New York City, hoping to catch some wind that would float me out of state again. At that time, I knew the Big Hair … Continue reading →

According to the 2012 Census of Governments, there are 1046 general purpose local governments in the State of Iowa; those General Purpose governments are made of 99 counties and 947 municipalities. In addition, there are 366 independent school districts and … Continue reading →

Yoga in the Park is back for another great summer program. Every Saturday, May 25 through September 28, you will have the opportunity for free outdoor yoga classes at Gray’s Lake from 9 – 10 am on the southeast lawn. … Continue reading →

To celebrate Bike Month, the Des Moines Bicycle Collective and the Bike Month committee have planned an entire month of activities. Whether you ride for recreation or for your commute, be sure to check out these events! Tuesday Morning Coffee … Continue reading →

As a young girl, I could not understand my mother’s excitement to plan the vegetable beds, experiment with snap peas, or photograph the zucchini harvest. I enjoyed planting seeds and gobbling up zucchini bread, but I thought gardening was simply … Continue reading →

Blogger’s Note: Today’s entry is a cross-posting from Sasaski Design. Our world is changing in ways we could never have predicted. As I fly to Chicago from Boston, I am leaving behind the tragic events of the Boston Marathon. Being … Continue reading →

A series of messages promoting gardening throughout Iowa will be released in April. Cultivate Iowa, a social marketing campaign, will promote gardening as a way to increase food security, save money, and share fresh food with others. Gardening is key … Continue reading →

As a member of The Tomorrow Plan Steering Committee, and as a mayor of a metropolitan area community that is addressing the issues required to move a community forward, I hope to add a perspective from an “on the ground” … Continue reading →

As The Tommorrow Plan (TTP) is being developed, many of us working on the goals and strategies in the TTP notice how connected the goals are to each other. Today, I would like to focus on Goal #1: Create a … Continue reading →

Think what could be achieved if private business and government worked together in a partnership to re-define a community.  In October 2012, I spent three weeks as a John J. McCloy Fellow in Urban Affairs over in Germany.  A striking … Continue reading →

What comes to mind when you think about rail?  You probably think of those annoying things that block the road when you have somewhere important to get to.  What if I told you rail is one of the greenest methods … Continue reading →

Ever since I became the mobility manager for Polk County, my perspective on the physical world around me has changed. It has changed because of the people that I work with every day. For those that are not acquainted with … Continue reading →

Urban Ambassadors, a Des Moines area nonprofit, helps you personalize your own path to sustainability and connects you to a community that promotes and grows local sustainability. On Wednesday, February 27th, the group will host its Seed Project Launch Party … Continue reading →