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In 1992, a small group of neighbors
requested assistance to form a neighborhood group. Initially 25 persons met with
several resource people. At a later meeting, a five-member steering committee
was formed to draft by-laws, which were approved in June. In July,
1992, the new neighborhood, Capitol Park, elected Board members.
The Association has a diverse board and membership, with members from non-profits, the schools, landlords, homeowners and renters. There is a low membership fee, which may be waived on request.
We are a Designated Neighborhood, chosen by the city to receive revitalization attention. We have a written plan, crafted by a team of neighbors, which lays out goals for the future of our neighborhood. We are also participants in a new program, Neighborhood-Based Service Delivery (NBSD), developed by the City Manager to assist in solving some of the problems which face our area and the community at large. This program allows us to work with a team of city staff from Health/Safety/Housing and Zoning, the Police Department, Parks Department, Fire Department, Water Department and Public Works to better conditions in Capitol Park. In 1999 we designed and presented a landlord workshop, which brought information on landlord problems and solutions to those who own rental property in the area. We plan to present this workshop again in 2000, including the three other NBSD neighborhoods.
Capitol Park has excellent support from several of its churches, schools and business partners. Meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at Wesley United Methodist Church, E. 12th and Walker, from 7-8:30 p.m. The Iowa Homeless Youth Center, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Visitation Catholic Church, Asian Church of the Open Bible, Wallace and Longfellow Elementary Schools, and others, actively participate and occasionally serve on the Association Board. Capitol Park worked successfully with city staff, Board and Commission members, to improve facilities at Wallace and Longfellow Elementary Schools. We take a proactive approach to neighborhood-wide problems.
SCRUB (a yearly city clean-up event) is held at East High School and Williams Stadium.
The Neighborhood clean-up in the form of the city's SCRUB activity, has been a successful project for the Association since the early 90's. We routinely fill about 25 dumpsters with refuse and yard waste in a five-hour period one Saturday per year. The neighbors volunteer to manage two clean-up sites, and also to pick up materials from our elderly and/or disabled neighbors.
When structures appear to be abandoned, we make contact to encourage sale or rehabilitation, and have had some success in this area. In cooperation with the County, which allowed Capitol Park to "hold" and distribute County-owned lots in our boundaries, we encouraged non-profit organizations to build eight new homes, and gave them the property. In cooperation with Neighborhood Housing Services, the city, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, and Mid-American Energy, Capitol Park was able to move a home from the hospital campus to a vacant lot at 1008 E. 9th Street.
We actively pursue a school/park initiative with Longfellow School and Burke Park, which are physically connected. In 1999, numerous park improvements were completed. The park has a restored shelter, new volleyball court, additional picnic tables and trees. The wading pool, which had been closed, has been renovated and re-opened; the Parks Department also made available numerous youth activities at the Park in 1999.
Due to the efforts of Public Works, we have new curbs and drive approaches, and newly-paved streets on several main thoroughfares. The city and DOT significantly improved two university intersections at Pennsylvania and at E. 9th Streets. A new Quik Trip was built in 2001 on E. University Ave between E. 9th St and E. 12th St.
Capitol Park holds a yearly picnic in July and a potluck social during December. We ask participants at the potluck to bring gifts, money and/or food for a non-profit or the Police effort. We've designed t-shirts, stationery and a flyer format. We mail newsletters to members in October and January. Newsletters are sent to all residents twice a year, just prior to the SCRUB event in April and the neighborhood-wide picnic in July. Neighbors plant flowers in several public areas throughout the area each spring.
In order to benefit from their experience and expertise to improve our neighborhood, Association members maintain active contacts with all city departments and the Council, the Neighborhood Revitalization Board, Iowa Homeless Youth Center, and many other neighborhood associations. Capitol Park participates in Des Moines Neighbors, Citizens for Community Improvement, National Night Out, School-Based Council, town meetings, and other similar activities.
We have successfully requested change of zoning along East 14th, which has resulted in some resident-friendly business. We currently have a request to re-zone the neighborhood from R-3 to R-16O. The request has the approval of the Plan and Zoning Commission and will go to Council for final approval. Our focus is toward working and building on opportunities present in the area. There is a good mix of business and housing, and the potential for significant growth and improvement. Housing stock is both exceptional and deteriorating -- often right next door to each other. However, because of several efforts, and the availability of funds with a forgivable grant from the Neighborhood Finance Company, and the efforts of several in the banking community, there has been a significant number of housing rehabilitation successes.
Our neighborhood continues to improve. The neighborhood association is strong. There is a tremendous opportunity to continue this forward direction. We want to do that. We believe it can happen. We encourage your membership and participation.
Contact:
Marylyn Bruce, 266-4992
Last revised: December 09, 2006
Webmaster David Hunsley
© 2006 Capitol Park Neighborhood Association
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