THE LIONS ROAR REINCARNATED

Edited by Mark Ripplinger

Photos by Don Wood & Mark Ripplinger

October 27, 2008

Lions President Mark Miller

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE (October 27th)

Fellow Lions, We Serve!!! That is our motto and we do a good job of fulfilling that! Lets make sure we invite back our guests (or new guests) from a few weeks ago. If they want to join a service club, I think we have the best one on the block. And we are the best because our members are the best!

We Serve ……… Mark Miller

TODAY’S MEETING (October 27th)

Dan Conrad, “No Child Left Behind” law and its impact on Cedar Falls Schools.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

November 3rd … Frank Darrah, Creating a Bike-Friendly Community.

November 10th … Dave Deaver, First National Bank, Local Impact of National Financial Crisis.

November 17th … Troy Dannon, UNI Athletic Director, Highlights of UNI Athletics.

BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES

Jon Crews – Oct. 30th Craig & Holly Schwerdtfeger – Oct. 30th

ANNOUNCEMENTS

None

LAST MEETING (October 20th)

Dick McAlister, Director of Administrative Services, spoke to the club about the UNI Wetland Demonstration area located along Hudson Road and north of the Wellness Center parking area. The area was originally purchased by the City to serve as a detention feature to control storm water runoff from development that will occur north and west of the site. As the project was developing, the City recognized that the resulting detention feature could meet numerous needs identified by not only the City, but also UNI and the Cedar Falls School System. All the digging that has occurred this summer will result in a wetland demonstration park, a feature smaller, but similar, to what has been done at two other locations in Cedar Falls. Prairie Lakes Park and Big Woods Lake both serve as recreational draws. The real purpose behind each, to serve as detention ponds for runoff of heavy rains, is hidden by the beauty and activities at each. The Wetland Demonstration project grew as the city teamed up with the University of Northern Iowa to plan it. Dirt from the project is being moved west of the UNI-Dome to construct additional athletic fields for both university and community use. The partnership also resulted in improvements to the Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex. Modifications to the existing softball field allowed the UNI Women’s Softball Team to hold games at the facility. An artificial turf ball diamond was also constructed in an area where a little used soccer field was located. The four-acre pond at the wetland demonstration area will include fishing jetties and will be surrounded by native plants. A mowed grass recreation trail will surround the area and provide access to the site from the south. The area will be open to the public and used for a number of academic classes dealing with trail design, hydrology and biology. In addition, leisure programs may make use of the pond to teach canoe and kayaking skills. The university has already been doing bank stabilization and cleanup efforts along Dry Run Creek on the other side of Hudson Road. The pond will hold water back during heavy rains, lessening flooding problems as the university branch of Dry Run Creek flows east toward the Cedar River. Some rock riffles added to the creek will help deter erosion. UNI will be responsible for managing the park and UNI’s Tallgrass Prairie Center will install the native plantings.