Gray's Lake in Des Moines.
Two outdoor spaces in Iowa have been designated as some of the “Great Places in America.”
The American Planning Association ranks Gray’s Lake Park in Des Moines as one of ten “Great Public Spaces.”
The 167-acre park sits on the south side of downtown Des Moines, along the main artery that connects to the Des Moines airport.
The American Planning Association praises the decades-long process of transforming a sand and gravel quarry to a city park, with popular trails for walking, biking or running and a pedestrian bridge over the lake.
The American Planning Association has also designated the Gold Coast-Hamburg Historic District in Davenport as one of the country’s top ten “Great Neighborhoods.” The group notes the “spectacular vistas, superb architecture and active residents” in the neighborhood. The houses in the historic district were built between 1840 and 1910 and sit on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River.
Learn more about the Great Places here: www.planning.org/greatplaces.
Photo courtesy of the City of Des Moines.