The playground areas in Fourth Street Park and in Weed Park will be temporarily closed this week for general maintenance and repairs. The Fourth Street Park playground will be closed today (March 20) through Wednesday with the Weed Park playground closed Wednesday through Friday.
The City of Muscatine and the Parks and Recreation Department apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The restrooms located near the playground inside Riverside Park are temporarily closed. An inspection of the restrooms Wednesday morning discovered that the restrooms were severely damaged by vandalism during the overnight hours. Parks and Recreation Department officials stated that the restroom facility will be closed until repairs can be made.
The City of Muscatine apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the vandalism and will work as quickly as possible to repair the facility.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Police Department responded to Discovery Park, located in the 3200 block of Cedar Street in Muscatine, at around 10:45 a.m. Friday (March 3) for reports of a possibly deceased person found within the boundaries of the park.
Muscatine Police Department personnel responded and located the deceased body of a male subject at that location. Investigators from the Muscatine Police Department, Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, and Muscatine County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene to assist in the investigation.
The identity of the male individual located is being withheld pending further verified identification and notifications to family.
If any person has information pertaining to the investigation, please contact Sergeant Jeff DeVrieze at (563) 263 – 9922, ext. 629.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Muscatine’s historic Weed Park will be shining brightly again this holiday season with stunning displays of Christmas wonder from December 12 through December 26. Viewers may drive through the park and witness the spectacle from 5:30-7:30 p.m. daily beginning at the Washington Street entrance and proceeding to the Colorado Street exit.
The elves in the Muscatine Parks and Recreation office have been busy since early fall working with local community organizations and businesses to help spread heart-warming joyfulness this holiday season. These volunteer groups have made Weed Park come to life with beautiful light displays that will help make Muscatine’s spirits bright.
This is the second year for the Festival of Lights in Weed Park with almost twice as many displays this year to delight park visitors.
Everyone will have the opportunity to get into the spirit of giving by donating a non-perishable goodwill food item that may be dropped into containers at the Washington Street entrance. All donations will be used to benefit local food pantries.
If you want to share your holiday spirit but just haven’t found a way to do that, it is not too late to adopt a display site. Volunteers may design their own light display near any available Weed Park shelter, gardens, and structures for the enjoyment of all this December. Interested organizations or businesses may submit their application by contacting the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563) 263-0241 or by emailing parksoffice@muscatineiowa.gov.
For additional information, contact the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563) 263-0241.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Dredging of the downriver boat launch area in Riverside Park began Thursday (Sept. 22) and the launch area is now closed for public use. The upriver boat launch is available for public use, however.
Braun Excavating has begun removing mud and debris from the launch area with the piles of mud being placed on the ramp surface to dewater.
The piles of mud is scheduled to be hauled away next week depending on the length of time the dewatering process takes. Once the dredging operation has been completed and the piles of mud and debris are hauled away, the Muscatine Fire Department will clean the boat launch area by washing the remaining mud back into the Mississippi River.
Boaters should anticipate the downriver boat launch being closed through September 30, weather permitting. The newer, upriver boat launch is available for boaters to use in launching and recovering their boats.
Dredging operations in the Muscatine Boat Harbor and Marina will begin next week, weather permitting. The dredged material will be piped to the old Hawkeye Lumber site where the material will flow into one of several long and large bags where they will be allowed to settle and dewater.
Dredging of the Muscatine Boat Harbor and Marina will take at least two weeks to complet
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The boat launch in the downriver portion of Riverside Park will be closed to the public starting Monday, September 19, for dredging operations to clean mud and debris from the area of the old launch. The entire boat launch area will be taped off during the operation.
Individuals wanting to launch and/or recover their boats during this operation are asked to use the newer boat launch area in the upriver end of Riverside Park.
Dredged material will be placed on the ramp to dewater before being removed from the site. The public is urged to stay off the old boat launch area and to avoid the piles of dredged material.
Some parking restrictions may occur.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Park Avenue will remain closed to traffic through Thursday (Sept. 1) following a water main break in the 1500 block of Park Avenue, between Washington and Jefferson streets, last Wednesday (August 24). Muscatine Power & Water (MPW) were able to repair the break Wednesday.
The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and the City of Muscatine requested the block remain closed to traffic as damage to the pavement underlayment is repaired. A detour remains in effect using Grant Street on the east and University Avenue on the west to navigate around the closure.
LUCAS AND MAIN INTERSECTION CLOSED
Underground sewer installation as part of the West Hill Sanitary & Storm Sewer Separation Project Phase 5 has moved through the Lucas and Main streets intersection. Hagerty Earthworks, Inc., the prime contractor for Phase 5, has closed the intersection to traffic and established a detour for traffic coming up Main Street using George Street to Green Street and back to Lucas.
Lucas Street remains closed from west of the West 8th Street intersection through the Bush Street intersection. Underground work in that section has been completed and the roadway prepped for paving. The contractor anticipates paving to being on Wednesday depending on the weather. That section of the project could be reopened to traffic the first week of September if the weather cooperates.
Lucas Street also remains closed east of the West 8th Street intersection as underground sewer replacement continues toward Green Street. Limited access is allowed east and south of the Main Street intersection with limited parking.
The 700 block of Climer Street will be closed to all traffic beginning Monday as pavement restoration begins from the alley at 700 Climer to just past the High Street intersection. No parking signs were put out Friday morning ahead of the reconstruction work.
Logan Street is closed from Lucas to the alley in the mid-1100 block with limited access from the alley to Climer Street. Sewer work is proceeding on Logan from Lucas toward Climer. Once completed the block will be prepped for pavement replacement and underground work in the 800 and 900 blocks of Climer will begin.
Pavement replacement is wrapping up in the 700 block of Climer and the High Street intersection. Both will be opened to local traffic only once all driveways and sidewalks are completed.
GRANDVIEW WORK CONTINUES
The Houser Street leg of the Grandview Avenue intersection has been reopened to traffic but the intersection will be a three-way stop through the remainder of the Grandview Avenue project. Work on prepping the Sampson leg of the intersection is currently underway.
Heuer Construction plans to continue work on sidewalks and driveways from Franklin Street south toward Houser in addition to completing the Sampson leg of the Grandview Avenue intersection.
Grandview Avenue is now open to two-way traffic. Drivers are reminded that Grandview from Main Street through the Houser intersection remains active construction zone with some lane restrictions as work continues. Please proceed with caution, slow down, and watch for construction workers. Speed limit is 25-mph and fines are doubled in construction zones.
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The City of Muscatine and the Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, wear seat belts, and be aware of construction workers. Use an alternate route if possible.
Click on CONSTRUCTION to visit the Department of Public Works Construction Projects page where more information can be found on City of Muscatine construction projects. An interactive map is available showing current street closures and street work.
If you have a comment or concern, please email feedback@muscatineiowa.gov or pwrequest@muscatineiowa.gov. A staff member will respond within 24 hours.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Musser Skate Park has been closed to the public until further notice following the discovery of vandalism inside the park by Muscatine Parks and Recreation staff Friday morning.
Cinder blocks were concreted to the interior of the Skate Park, and a parking block from the Skate Park parking lot was placed on top.
Due to liability concerns, the Skate Park was closed and the gates locked until the site can be cleaned and determined to be safe to reopen.
A police report and a vandalism report have been completed. Please contact the Muscatine Police Department at 563-263-9922 if you have any information about this incident. Callers may remain anonymous.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Musser Park playground reopened for public use today (July 13) following the completion of a trail extension from the levee to Oregon Street as part of the Southend Improvement Project. The playground area was closed June 9 as construction began on the trail extension.
A sidewalk between the trail and the playground area was also added during the trail construction. Additional Musser Park improvements include erecting a new shelter located close to the right field fence of the ball diamond. The new shelter should be completed by July 22, weather permitting.
New playground equipment is planned for Musser Park, but the equipment may not arrive until next spring due to supply chain issues.
Public use of Musser Park and the playground area are at the user’s own risk. Children should be supervised at all times. Please be aware of surroundings when walking in or around construction areas, and avoid these areas if at all possible.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Musser Park playground will continue to be closed to the public through June 20 due to construction work as part of the Southend Improvement Project.
Current activity includes the construction of a trail extension from the levee to Oregon Street.
The contractor and City of Muscatine staff determined that, for the safety of the public and the workers, the playground area would need to be closed due to its proximity to the work area and the potential hazards in the work area for children and adults.
Work on the trail extension and ancillary sidewalks is tentatively scheduled to be completed late next week. However, the current schedule is weather dependent and the temporary reopening of the playground area may be delayed until later in June.
Additional work at Musser Park includes the removal of the old shelter Tuesday (June 7) with the area cleared for a new concrete pad and the installation of a new shelter structure later this summer. Also part of the Southend Improvement Project is the removal and replacement of the playground equipment at Musser Park. The new playground is anticipated to be installed this fall. However, that timeline depends on the delivery of the new playground equipment that is currently delayed due to supply chain issues.
While the playground area at Musser Park and at Taylor Park are currently closed for public use, the playground area at Franklin School is available. Parents and children are reminded that use of these facilities is at your own risk as the areas are unsupervised. The other playground area currently available in the southend is at Sunset Park.
The renovations at Taylor Park, which will include a pickleball court, a splash pad, and a restroom facility, are on schedule with paving of the parking area slated for next week, weather permitting. Once the parking area is completed, work will begin on the splash pad area, pickleball courts, pad for the restroom building, and pad for the new shelter structure. New playground equipment will also be installed as part of the project.
New playground equipment is also expected to be installed at Sunset Park later this year or early next year.
Please be aware of surroundings when walking in or around construction areas, and avoid these areas if at all possible.
MUSCATINE, Iowa –The Musser Park Skate Park will be closed for two days next week as the Parks and Recreation Department completes maintenance repairs. The Skate Park will be closed Wednesday (June 8) and Thursday (June (9), and will reopen for use on Friday (June 10), weather permitting.
For more information, please contact the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563) 263-0241.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Swimming at Weed Park has been a summer’s tradition in Muscatine for decades. Generations of youth and adults alike have learned the lifelong skill of swimming at the Muscatine Aquatic Center and in years past at the original Weed Park Pool.
That is where Lucille Friedan taught children to swim in the 1940s and 1950s. To honor her life and legacy, her family has kindly donated funds to the Muscatine Aquatic Center to support swimming for our local youth today.
Information detailing American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim classes will be prominently displayed in the entryway kiosk purchased with the funds donated. Alongside class offerings will be information on programs for free and reduced Family Swim Passes, reduced entry passes for Muscatine children and support for swim lessons.
Muscatine Parks and Recreation staff would like to extend their gratitude to the family of Lucille Friedan for supporting safe swimming at the Muscatine Aquatic Center for decades to come.
For more information on Aquatic programs, please contact the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563) 263-0241.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Taylor Park will be closed to the public starting Monday, April 18, as the Taylor Park Improvement Project begins. The Park will remain closed to the public throughout the summer.
Taylor Park is part of the South End Improvement Project and will see the addition of pickleball courts, a parking lot, a splash pad, new playground, new lighting, and the installation of a modular restroom similar to the one installed near the lagoon in Weed Park.
Please contact the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563) 263-0241 for more information.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The 2022 Tee-Ball program will be held at Kent Stein Park this summer and the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department is inviting all five- and six-year-olds to register for the program. Tee-Ball is designed to teach the fundamentals of baseball and softball through coached practices and non-competitive games that are incorporated into the program. Players all hit from an adjustable batting tee.
Participants must be age five (5) or six (6) during the 2022 calendar year. All participants will receive a Tee-Ball t-shirt with practices and games conducted at Kent Stein Park.
Registration is available online through the City of Muscatine website, in person at the Parks and Recreation office in the lower level of City Hall, or by phone at (563) 263-0241.
Do not miss out on the fun this summer if you are an adult as you can help bring America’s Pastime to Muscatine by volunteering to be a head or assistant coach for a Tee-Ball team. Each team will need at least two volunteer coaches. Any adult wishing to volunteer should contact the Parks and Recreation Department by phone at (563) 263-0241 or by email at parksoffice@muscatineiowa.gov.
Participants can register for the Monday/Wednesday session (June 13 – July 11) or the Tuesday/Thursday session (June 14 – July 7). No practices or games will be scheduled for Monday, July 4.
Do not wait to sign your all-star up for this program as space is limited for each session. Registration is open through June 2, 2022. There is a $30.00 fee for residents and a $35.00 fee for non-residents.
For more information, please contact the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563) 263-0241.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The green grass of Weed Park will be filled with colorful eggs on Saturday (April 9) as the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department hosts the 2022 Easter Egg Hunt.
Children are invited to bring their baskets, and their parents, to the Hunt that will be held on from 10:00-11:00 a.m. in the upper loop of Weed Park. The Easter Bunny has promised a beautiful but, perhaps, a little cool spring day Saturday so come early and stay late to enjoy the Hunt and Weed Park amenities.
Families and interested spectators attending the event may gather near the Rose Garden playground in the Upper Loop of Weed Park prior to the official start time. Children will be split into three age groups to hunt for their prize-filled eggs in specific locations including three years and under (10:00 a.m. start time), four years through kindergarten (10:05 a.m. start time), and first through third grade (10:10 a.m. start time).
Participants will be asked to closely follow age categories. Children are encouraged to bring their own Easter basket.
Celebrate the holiday, enjoy the start of spring weather, and gather with both family and friends in the Weed Park Upper Loop. This is a FREE event that is sure to be fun for the whole family.
For more information, please contact the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563)263-0241.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The green grass of Weed Park will be filled with colorful eggs on April 9 as the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department hosts the 2022 Easter Egg Hunt. Children are invited to bring their baskets, and their parents, to the Hunt that will be held on from 10-11:00 a.m. in the upper loop of Weed Park.
Families attending the event may gather near the Rose Garden playground in the Upper Loop of Weed Park prior to the official start time. Children will be split into three age groups to hunt for their prize-filled eggs in specific locations including three years and under, four years through kindergarten, and first through third grade.
Participants will be asked to closely follow age categories. Children are encouraged to bring their own Easter basket.
Celebrate the holiday, enjoy the start of spring weather, and gather with both family and friends in the Weed Park Upper Loop. This is a FREE event that is sure to be fun for the whole family.
For more information please contact the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563)263-0241.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Numerous reports of geese grazing outside the confines of Weed Park in Muscatine have been received by Animal Control and the Muscatine Police Department, but the number of geese is much more manageable now than four years ago according to the Parks and Recreation Department.
Still, geese have been spotted wondering around the Muscatine urban area in recent weeks, and that is causing concern from residents about the safety of the birds. Many people have wondered why the aerators are not working in the Weed Park lagoon and if this is driving the geese out of the park in their search for good and water.
The public is urged to be cautious around these birds and to avoid feeding them, especially during the winter months.
The aerators were removed from the Weed Park lagoon in 2018 as part of a Goose Management Program developed by the City of Muscatine in cooperation with Muscatine County Conservation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
“We were given several options for maintaining the population of the geese by the Iowa DNR,” Nick Gow, Superintendent of Parks, said. “We considered all of the options and determined that removing the aerators was what we wanted to try first. Staff is open to further discussion on how to best manage the geese population at the lagoon with the overall goal of providing safety for all in Weed Park.”
Management of Canada geese populations in Iowa is under the direction of the Iowa DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
In 2018, the City of Muscatine consulted with Muscatine County Conservation and the DNR to implement a geese management program at the lagoon in Weed Park. In the years leading up to the winter of 2018, numerous comments and concerns that were made about the high geese population occurring in Weed Park and the surrounding areas, and the mess that was being left on the trail and surrounding areas of the park.
Several options were given to the City of Muscatine including stopping all recreational feeding of the geese, modifying habitats to make them less attractive to geese, harass geese pairs prior to nesting, eliminate or minimize attractive nesting sites, allow urban wetlands to freeze over during the winter, encourage hunting within city limits, and discourage goose use of specific areas by hazing or installing barriers.
City staff determined that the best option would be to allow urban wetlands to freeze over during the winter months. Geese need a source of water during the winter for drinking and feather maintenance, and will concentrate on even small ponds that maintain open water areas with aeration systems or fountains. These concentrations of geese can pose a threat to human health or safety.
The aerators were removed from the lagoon during the winter of 2017/2018, and have not been used since. Parks and Recreation staff believe that the goose management program implemented by the City has been a success with a reduction of the mess left on the trail and surrounding areas of the park.
According to the Management Guidelines for Controlling Canada Geese published by the DNR, Giant Canada geese find urban environments particularly attractive because these areas have all the habitat elements important to these birds: wetlands surrounded by short grass, harvested crop fields during the fall, winter and spring, low predator populations, and safe, secure loafing sites.
As urbanization increases, the DNR said, Canada goose migration decreases.
“Expansive, manicured lawns and mand-made ponds have become new favorite hangouts for these birds,” the DNR said. “Natural predators aren’t very common in these spots, and constructed water areas are often heated and don’t freeze during the winter. Geese love the large grass spaces because they can digest grass and have wide, unobstructed views to keep an eye out for anything coming toward their young. With food, water, and safe places, these geese no longer need to leave during the winter.”
In a story published by RadioIowa, Iowa DNR waterfowl biologist Orrin Jones said that when we toss bread and other treats to these birds it is teaching them to be depending on humans.
“We want to encourage them to find food on their own,” Jones said in the article. “These birds are migratory in nature and it’s very important that they go and distribute, and finding food is part of that migratory process.”
The article was written by Matt Kelley who noted that “as we’ve all learned during the past pandemic year, sometimes being in close proximity to one another is a bad thing, and the same goes for birds, which will cluster around when there’s free food.”
And feeding them can be a critical mistake for the health of the birds.
“They really need to find natural foods to get a wide range of items in their diet to satisfy their nutritional needs,” Jones said in the article. “Human food is oftentimes detrimental and can even be dangerous to these birds so you might actually be harming them by feeding them.”
8 cool things you should know about Canada geese – Iowa DNR
Waterfowl biologist says don’t feed the geese – RadioIowa