Waterloo and Cedar Falls will get a 16-million-dollar grant from the Vision Iowa fund for the area’s “Riverfront Renaissance” project. Governor Vilsack made the announcement Wednesday. Close to 200-million’s already been committed, and people have worked together to expand the natural resource. Waterloo Mayor John Rooff says the Vision Iowa money’s conditional on voters approving a ten-year extension of a local-option sales taxHe says it’s the tough part, to make sure everyone understands the plan and gets behind it. Mayor Rooff says other Iowa towns including Ottumwa this week, approved local referendums to get the Vision Iowa funding.He’s confident citizens of Waterloo will support it, too. The money would go for eight community projects including a pedestrian art mall, wellness center, and walking trail. A vote is expected to be set for sometime late August.
