Our CR - August 2023

FROM THE C I TY MANAGER

We are proud to share this special “Youth Edition” of the Our CR magazine, made especially for you — the future leaders of our city. It brings me joy to see how Cedar Rapids embraces and welcomes its youngest community members. We believe that everyone, no matter how young or old, can help make our city better.

In this magazine, you’ll find fun facts and activities that will show you how our city works. While you read this magazine, think about how you can help Cedar Rapids today and when you grow up. In Cedar Rapids, we like to say “Welcome is Our Language.” We welcome everybody to be a part of making a big difference in our community.

Your ideas are important, and we want to hear from you. When you learn more about how the city works, you might have ideas that can bring big changes. Let’s work together to make Cedar Rapids an even more awesome place to live, learn, and play!

With lots of pride and celebration for our incredible youth,

Jeffrey Pomeranz Cedar Rapids City Manager

In this issue...

PAGE 4

How City Government Works

PAGE 6

Your Water System

PAGE 8

Superhero Trees

PAGE 10

Bicycle

Safety Tips

PAGE 11

Getting Around a Roundabout

PAGE 12

A Closer Look at a Ladder Truck

PAGE 14

What Bin Does it Go In?

PAGE 18

Cedar Rapids’ New Super Dogs

PAGE 19

Emergency

Preparedness PAGE 20

Box of Big Ideas

PAGE 23

News You Need to Know

How City Government Works

Agovernment is a group of people who provide the services needed in the community. These services keep you safe, ensure you have clean water, pick up your garbage and recycling, clear snow from your streets, and provide you with places to play.

Our City Council makes decisions for the people in Cedar Rapids. They are elected by adults in your neighborhood. The City Council holds meetings twice a month. People can attend to share ideas about things that will make Cedar Rapids a better place to live.

Community Development Department

Plans how the city will grow, ensures there is enough housing for everyone to live in, and attracts businesses and people to move here.

Parks and Recreation Department

Provides recreation programs like swimming lessons and facilities like parks, playgrounds, and a recreation center.

Building Services Department

Ensures that businesses and homes built in Cedar Rapids are safe to visit and live in.

Public Works Department Designs, builds, and maintains streets, bridges, traffic signals, the Flood Control System, and more.

Fire Department

Prevents and fights fires. Responds to emergencies and provides medical services.

Leading the City

The City of Cedar Rapids is like a big team. People who live and work here are the team’s star players! Our community members elect the Mayor and City Council to make important decisions for our city, like how to spend money, what rules and policies to create, and the taxes we need to pay.

Police Department

Works to prevent crime and keep your neighborhood safe.

Utilities Department

Provides clean drinking water and treats water from the sewer to keep our environment clean. Also collects your garbage and recycling.

Transit Department

Operates buses so people can get around the city.

The City Council appoints a City Manager. The City Manager acts like the team’s coach and makes sure the Mayor and City Council’s decisions are put into action. The City Manager works with all of the departments shown on this page — and more — to ensure our city is working well and the Council’s policies are implemented.

The City Council also chooses people for special roles, like the City Attorney, City Clerk, and community members for different groups called boards and commissions. It’s like they’re all on a big adventure to make our community a fantastic place to live! Together, they represent the voice of the people, ensuring everyone is taken care of.

MAYOR’S

Youth Conference

This fall, high school students will spend a day with their peers learning about opportunities to grow and thrive in Cedar Rapids at the first-ever Mayor’s Youth Conference event! Learn more and register on page 23.

YourWater System

We use water for so many things every day: brushing our teeth, washing our hair, drinking cold water on a hot day, keeping fresh water for our pets, and cooking our food. We also use water to flush the toilet, clean our streets, fight fires, run schools and businesses, grow plants, and so much more. Our water system is huge, and it runs through the whole city of Cedar Rapids!

This map shows how water from the Cedar River makes its way through our water treatment plants to homes, schools and businesses, down the drain, through pipes, to our Water Pollution Control Facility for more treatment and cleaning, and back to the Cedar River.

THE THREE P s

To help keep our water flowing smoothly, don’t flush anything down the toilet that isn’t supposed to be there! Flushing things like wipes (even if they’re marked “flushable”), medication, or other household and hygiene products creates blocks in the system. Only flush the “Three Ps”: poo, pee, and paper! Toilet paper, that is.

CEDAR RIVER

WATER STORAGE TANKS

ELLIS RD. NW WATER TREATMENT PLANT

HORIZONTAL

SPRINKLES

MINIATURE MARSHMALLOWS SOIL UNCONFINED AQUIFER CONFINING LAYER CONFINED AQUIFER

PUFFED CEREAL WHIPPED CREAM OR ICE CREAM

DIY: Edible Aquifer

The City of Cedar Rapids gets its drinking water from something called an aquifer. An aquifer is an underground layer of water, sand, rock, clay, and gravel. Our aquifer is found underneath the Cedar River. City wells pump the water up from the aquifer, and the water travels through the gravel, sand, and wells, ending up in our treatment plants. At the treatment plants, we make the water clean and safe to drink. Follow the recipe below to make your own edible aquifer.

YOU WILL NEED:

• Assorted dessert ingredients such as sprinkles, cereal, ice cream or whipped cream, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and more

• Some ice cubes (crushed ice works best!)

• Soda or sparkling water

• A clear cup and a straw

DIRECTIONS:

Using your clear cup, layer each item, starting with ice on the bottom, and a little soda or sparkling water on the ice. Put anything small or crushed on the next layer, and put the ice cream or whipped cream in the middle. Next, add your larger-sized pieces. Finally, top with the sprinkles.

Add a little more soda/sparkling water on top.

Finally, drill your well into the aquifer by pushing your straw down through the middle, and take a drink!

Look at your “aquifer” — the layers represent different types of material, including soil, gravel, clay, rock, and, of course, water! The water travels through lots of layers and up through the well, helping us provide our community with clean and safe drinking water every day of the year.

Enjoy your edible aquifer, and your great-tasting Cedar Rapids water the next time you turn on the faucet!

CEDAR LAKE

5-IN-1 DAM

Superhero Trees

Trees are important in Cedar Rapids, especially after many were damaged or fell during the 2020 Derecho. We have been a Tree City USA community for 45 years, and our City logo is a tree! Watch as we plant 42,000 trees in the next nine years.

Growing for the Future

All trees provide shade and clean our air and water, but native tree species are good at providing needed food for insects, birds, squirrels, and other animals in our community. When a tree is “native,” it means that its ancestors were growing in that location for many thousands of years. In Cedar Rapids, we plant as many native trees as possible to make a nice place to live for wildlife — and for us!

Planting many kinds of native tree species is important. Some tree species can be attacked by bugs or get sick. If we plant too many trees of one kind, we might be at risk of losing a lot of trees when a new bug or sickness appears. Luckily, there are many different tree species that grow well in Cedar Rapids. You can find a list of those tree species at CityofCR.com/ReLeaf.

Become a Tree Detective and examine the leaves of trees in your neighborhood. Some trees have simple leaves (like an oak leaf). Other trees have leaves that are singly compound (like a hickory leaf), palmately compound (like a buckeye leaf), or double compound (like a Kentucky coffeetree leaf). Some leaves are arranged opposite each other, and others alternate. Hunt for all kinds of leaves with our Tree Detective worksheet, available at CityofCR.com/ReLeaf !

Trees are Like Superheroes

Trees are like superheroes, doing so many great things at once without you even noticing.

Trees are super cleaners, cleaning our water and air.

Trees protect us from floods caused by storms.

Trees reduce crime and help us drive more safely.

Trees fight heat, making our homes and neighborhoods cooler.

Trees are beautiful and encourage us to be outside, making us healthier.

Trees help each other stand tall by linking their tree roots. They also share food and can even send messages to other trees through their roots and a special network of fungus that grows on their roots. This amazing network of root communication is sometimes called the “wood-wide web.”

YOUTH EDITION

Bicycle Safety Tips

Riding your bicycle is a great way to get around Cedar Rapids — you can even load your bike on a City bus to easily extend your trip. Follow these tips to have a fun and safe ride!

Wear a helmet — and make sure it’s the right size.

Check your bike before taking off to make sure the brakes work and there are no loose items.

Use a light and/or reflectors when riding at night.

Wear brightcolored clothing to be more visible to motorists.

Ride with traffic, not against it, and obey all traffic laws and signals.

Use hand signals to communicate with traffic:

Ride the Bus for Free!

Did you know Cedar Rapids Community School District students can ride the Cedar Rapids Transit city buses for free? It’s true! Students from these schools, along with Coe College and Kirkwood Community College, can ride at no cost on all fixed-route buses all year long, even in the summer. If you are in elementary or middle school, you can ride free without showing an ID. Cedar Rapids Transit gets you where you need to go all around town — safely and for free.

 Learn more at CityofCR.com/Transit

CR | AUGUST 2023

Lock your bike when leaving it unattended.

Getting Around a Roundabout

The City has 12 roundabouts. We plan to build nine more in the next two years! But why the change? Roundabouts are known to help reduce the need for cars to stop — which is great for air quality! Studies also show roundabouts have been known to reduce speed, traffic buildup, and crashes. Check out this guide to learn how to navigate a roundabout!

HOW IT WORKS

1 | Slowly approach, and be sure to yield to pedestrians because they have the right of way.

2 | As you approach, yield to other vehicles from the left, and wait for a gap in traffic before merging into traffic in a counter-clockwise direction.

3 | Continue around the circle to the desired exit, avoiding stopping.

4 | After putting on your right turn signal, exit to the right, while yielding to pedestrians.

Traffic moves counter-clockwise around the circle

PARTS OF A ROUNDABOUT

A | Truck Apron Accommodates the rear wheels of long vehicles.

B | Crosswalk Designated area where pedestrians and cyclists can safely cross.

C | Entry Lane One-way lane where cars can safely enter.

D | Exit Lane One-way lane where cars can safely exit.

E | Yield Sign Warns drivers to slow down for other drivers and people.

F | Splitter Island Narrow curbed segment controls the entry and exit speeds and discourages wrong-way movements.

A Closer look at a Ladder Truck

The Cedar Rapids Fire Department uses several different types of trucks to transport firefighters and their gear to emergency scenes all over the city, including engines, rescues, and ladders. Let’s tour the biggest vehicle they use — a ladder truck. This is LADDER 1, housed at Central Fire Station on 1st Avenue SE.

The ladder has extra air so firefighters in the bucket can fight fires in the smoke and haze without breathing it into their lungs.

The bucket at the end of the ladder can carry 1,000 pounds of firefighters and gear to put out the flames.

Communications equipment helps firefighters stay connected to each other and with other teams on the scene. The captain can use the mobile computer to get emergency plans on the way to a fire.

Explore a firetruck up close at City Week Open House!

Did you know you can climb in a firetruck and other cool vehicles at City Week Open House? Come to our event in October for a close-up view of the equipment that different departments use to to keep the City safely running. Learn more on page 23

LADDER 1 has six seats for firefighters and is typically sent on calls with 3 crew members aboard.

A long, extendable ladder reaches 100 feet up. When firefighters connect water, it can pump 2,000 gallons per minute. Imagine filling a backyard pool in two minutes!

LADDER 1 carries many tools to help firefighters reach people who are trapped or in need of medical care. There are saws, grinders, axes, and extra supplies in the truck’s cabinets.

What BinDoes it Go In?

The City of Cedar Rapids offers garbage, recycling, and compost pickup services through our Solid Waste & Recycling division. You can do your part by sending less to the landfill — recycle or compost as much as you can! But when in doubt, throw it out. Some items cannot be recycled or composted and should be thrown away in the garbage.

Recyclable items include soda cans and bottles, clean and dry cardboard boxes, plastic milk jugs, and newspapers. Compostable items include grass clippings and sticks from the yard, as well as fruit and veggie peelings, eggshells, and coffee grounds.

ACTIVITY

These common household waste items can all be composted, recycled, or thrown away in the garbage. Draw a line from the waste item to the cart where it belongs. Answers are on the bottom of this page.

ANSWERS: 1-A, 2-C, 3-B, 4-A, 5-C, 6-B

Spotthe Difference

Can you find the five differences between these two pictures? Find the answer key on page 23.

Take the City Manager’s 1-Bag Challenge!

Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz challenges every resident to collect at least one bag of litter each year to help CleanUpCR ! Ask a grownup to pick up a litter kit with you and gather litter together around your neighborhood or anywhere you see litter.

If everyone in Cedar Rapids picked up one bag of litter per year, it would make a huge difference! Our kits are ready for pickup at certain Hy-Vee stores, NewBo City Market, the Cedar Rapids Public Library, and City buildings around town. Thank you for helping keep our community clean.

 Learn more at CleanUpCR.com

CR Word Search

Can you find all the City words in the grid below? Words are hidden straight across, up and down, and diagonal. Find the answer key on page 23.

WORD BANK

Cedar Rapids Five Seasons Government

City Manager Mayor City Council Community Welcome Recycle

Yardy Curby Garby Recreation Ladder Truck Roundabout

Utilities Green Playground Vote Transit

Meet Wally + Ranger Cedar Rapids’

New Super Dogs

Cedar Rapids’ newest crimefighting duo doesn’t have capes or drive cool cars. Instead, they use their super sense of smelling to help seek out crime!

Meet Cedar Rapids Fire Department canine, Wally, and Cedar Rapids Police Department canine, Ranger.

is a purebred bloodhound and is trained specifically to track scents over long distances. Ranger’s handler, Sergeant Nate Trimble, tells us Ranger adds a much-needed canine capability to the CRPD Canine Unit. Ranger is singularly focused and able to discern scents on items, in the air, and on the move. At just over nine months old, Ranger is still in training and isn’t ready for “show time” yet. We’re all excited to watch him work when the time comes!

Wally is a black lab. His super strength helps Cedar Rapids Fire Investigators determine if fires were set on purpose. Wally sniffs around fire scenes and indicates to Investigator Matt Humphrey where he finds something that might have caused a fire. Wally is a great addition to the K9 team. The Fire Department is grateful to State Farm Insurance for supporting Wally’s training and arrival in Cedar Rapids.

Basic Emergency Supply Kit

Emergency supply kits should have things like:

 Food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated

 Bottled water

 First aid kit

 Extra batteries

 Weather radios

 Flashlights

 A whistle to signal for help

 Local maps

 Ask a grownup for help putting together your emergency-supply kit. A full list of recommended items and additional resources can be found at CityofCR.com/PACT.

Do you know how to prepare for a natural or man-made disaster? Our Neighborhood P.A.C.T. program provides information about different types of emergencies and how to respond. To get you started, here’s a checklist of basic emergency supplies, and an example of the Emergency Action Plan worksheet that you can complete with your family.

Emergency Action Plan

HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION: Address:

Landline phone:

HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS: Name:

Cell: Email: Important medical or other info:

Name: Cell: Email: Important medical or other info:

FAMILY MEETING PLACES:

In the neighborhood (such as a neighbor’s house or big tree):

Outside of the neighborhood (such as the library or a church):

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, CALL:  Friend  Relative  Neighbor

Name: Phone:  Friend  Relative

Name: Phone:

FREQUENT LOCATIONS:

Workplaces, schools, daycare providers, and apartment buildings should all have site-specific emergency plans you and your family need to know about.

Location 1:

Address: Phone:

Evacuation location: Location 2: Address: Phone: Evacuation location:

Earlier this summer, the City hosted its annual Resident Appreciation Day at the Downtown Farmers’ Market in Greene Square. The “Box of Big Ideas” activity gave kids a chance to flex their creativity and share responses to a variety of prompts. Here are just a few of the many great submissions! View the full collection at CityofCR.com/Magazine.

Draw your favorite thing in Cedar Rapids:

Design a mascot for Cedar Rapids:

Name: Lenyx Age: 8

Name: Ruby Age: 10

Design a sculpture or piece of art for Cedar Rapids:

Name: Izabella Age: 10

Name: Bradyn Age: 11

Name: Julianna Age: 8

isCaring our specialty

Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa Pediatricians are board-certified and have extensive training and experience in caring for children of all ages, from newborns to adolescents.

We prioritize compassionate, patient-centered care that focuses on your child’s unique needs and concerns. We take the time to listen to your child and address any questions or concerns you may have as a parent.

PCI offers a wide range of pediatric services, including routine check-ups, immunizations, well child visits and management of chronic conditions. Our pediatricians work closely with other specialists and healthcare professionals to ensure that your child receives the best possible care.

We are accepting new patients and appointments are available! (319) 247-3820.

Save the Date!

City Week Open House

The City of Cedar Rapids is planning an open house event for Wednesday, October 11 from 5–7 p.m. at the City Services Center, 500 15th Avenue SW. The public is invited to come see behind the scenes of the building, learn about different vehicles and equipment used by departments, visit with City staff, and enjoy fun games and activities for the entire family. Children can climb in City vehicles for a close-up view of equipment different departments use to keep the City running safe.

 Check the City’s website for updates and schedule changes: CityofCR.com/Calendar.

Register now!

Mayor’s Youth Conference

Monday, October 9 | Downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library

Do you know a current high school student? This fall, Cedar Rapids-area students are invited to attend the first-ever Mayor’s Youth Conference at the Downtown Library on Monday, October 9!

Participants will spend a day with their peers exploring educational and career opportunities in the area, networking with the next generation of young professionals, and discovering how they can grow and thrive in Cedar Rapids after graduation.

 To learn more and register, visit CityofCR.com/MYC .

1) airplane and birds in sky; 2) tree without and with fruit; 3) Yardy’s teeth without and with braces; 4) tire swing and pair of swings; 5) banana peel and traffic cone

CITY SERVICES DIRECTORY

Maintenance Recreation Programs Northwest Recreation Center, 319-286-5566

Sewer Backup or Problems City Services Center, 500 15th Avenue SW 319-286-5815

Traffic Signals, Signs and City Services Center, 500 15th Avenue SW 319-286-5176

Markings

Utility Billing City Hall, 101 1st Street SE 319-286-5900

Sewer@Cedar-Rapids.org

Traffic@Cedar-Rapids.org

WaterMail@Cedar-Rapids.org

For more information about the City of Cedar Rapids and its services, call 319-286-5080 or visit CityofCR.com

CITY COUNCIL

MAYOR

To leave a message for a City Council member, call 319-286-5051. Find your district at LinnCountyElections.org

Tiffany O’Donnell t.odonnell@cedar-rapids.org

DISTRICT 3

Dale Todd dalet@cedar-rapids.org

AT LARGE

Patrick Loeffler p.loeffler@cedar-rapids.org

DISTRICT 1

Martin Hoeger m.hoeger@cedar-rapids.org

DISTRICT 4

Scott Olson scott.olson@cedar-rapids.org

AT LARGE

Tyler Olson t.olson@cedar-rapids.org

DISTRICT 2

Scott Overland s.overland@cedar-rapids.org

DISTRICT 5

Ashley Vanorny a.vanorny@cedar-rapids.org

AT LARGE Ann Poe ann.poe@cedar-rapids.org

FALL

LOOSE LEAF COLLECTION

All homes will have their loose leaves collected bi-weekly (one time every other week). Please keep and refer to this schedule to determine your collection period. If you have questions, please call the Solid Waste & Recycling Division at (319) 286-5897 or visit CityofCR.com/Leaf

REMINDER: YARDY carts are collected year round.

OCTOBER 16 – DECEMBER 8, 2023

Get service interruption notices sent straight to your phone!

GARBAGE, RECYCLING & YARD WASTE

SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS

Labor Day (Sept. 4, 2023)

Leaves must be ready by 7 a.m. on the first collection day in your quadrant. Collection may occur on either day marked.

2024

There are NO DELAYS on the following holidays:

• Veterans Day

•

Luther King Jr. Day

• Presidents' Day

• Good Friday

• 4th of July (Independence Day)

Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 23, 2023)