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Rain Forest Park to Be in Red Rock-Pella Area
Pella Says Earthpark Will Benefit Community
KCCI-TV8, Des Moines
September 27/28, 2006
[Note: This material is copyright by KCCI-TV8, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of KCCI-TV8.]
The Red Rock-Pella area is the winner.
Pella, a town that is proud of its Dutch heritage and the large numbers of tourists who visit, is hoping for an another huge boost.
"I think Pella is very excited for the possibility of having Earthpark. It will be something that fits in with everything we already have," said Karen Eischen with the Pella Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.
Earthpark would feature an indoor rainforest, freshwater aquarium, museum and prairie and wetland exhibits.
The project will be built at Red Rock Lake right outside Pella.
"It's a resort town. They're always looking for things for people to come and see," said Lena Van Zee, who supports the project.
Board members who chose the Red Rock site said it is a beautiful site. They said Iowans from border to border love the unique community of Pella.
The architect said the building will be built in such a way as to encompass much of the park. It will also use a lot of green-friendly technologies.
Those technologies are meant to set an example and to teach visitors how to live in a more environmentally friendly way.
Sixteen communities were offered a chance to compete for the project. Pella and Riverside submitted packages that included the required $25 million in local funding.
The Department of Energy has promised a $50 million grant, and the state is expected to allocate $15 to $20 million. The rest will come from debt financing.
Construction is slated to start next year.
It's been a rocky road for the indoor rainforest project. In January 2004, the federal government granted $50 million to the Coralville Rainforest project. But in December 2005, organizers announced problems in securing land for the Coralville site, saying they'll look at other locations.
In March, organizers announced four possible towns: Grinnell, Pella, Tiffin and Riverside.
The project got the new name Earthpark in May.
In July, the finalist cities were narrowed to Riverside and Pella.