Manchester Riverfront Park & Pavilion

The focus of this project in Manchester, Iowa, was to revitalize a rural community's downtown through the creation of public space that reengaged the Maquoketa River and addressed recurrent and increased flooding as a result of climate change. This project enhanced a previous project where a low-head roller dam was removed and the differing river elevations were mitigated through a series of tiered flow-through white water features that became a popular recreational attraction. However, this feature was not visible from Main Street, no wayfinding signage existed, and there were no public restrooms, picnicking areas, or gathering spaces for people to rinse off or change clothes to then visit adjacent local businesses. This project created a dynamic public space that connects Main Street and Main Street businesses to the river and white water recreational feature while providing those missing amenities. The design team worked collaboratively on a site design that was based on input from public charrettes. The central feature of the project is a flood-resistant park/restroom pavilion that features artist-created perforated sheet metal panels commemorating the local history of the railroad that once operated on that site. This project has served as a catalyst for revitalization and reinvestment in the community of Manchester.