Support the renovation of the playground and shelter in Seerley Park, making them ADA compliant and more inclusive, attractive, and enjoyable.

Background: The City has started work on major renovations to Seerley Park. Located in the College Hill district, the park is a quintessential neighborhood park, with a playground, shelter, and lots of open space. It’s a great place to enjoy the sunshine, read a book, or catch up with neighbors and friends. But, with dated facilities, there is room for improvement.

Seerley Park is one of the oldest parks in Cedar Falls, acquired in 1893. It is named for Homer Seerley, President from 1886 to 1928 of Iowa State Teachers College, now the University of Northern Iowa. The diagonal sidewalk has been a feature of the park from the beginning. The last major renovation to the park was completed in the 1970s. 

In 2022 funding was approved by City Council, and planning with local landscape design firm Ritland+Kuiper began. This project features several improvements, including a new shelter and a fully ADA accessible playground. The City, along with the College Hill Partnership and the Cedar Falls Community Foundation, has collaborated to bring College Hill the best possible neighborhood park.

What's Planned: Currently an outdated metal shelter sits on the east side of the park, which will be removed during renovations. The entire southeast corner of the park has a steep slope which makes mowing difficult for City staff, and is not accessibility friendly. To accommodate our new shelter, this corner will be graded, a small berm will be built, and new trees will be planted. This will make for the perfect background to the new shelter.

The inspiration for the shelter design comes from the surrounding homes which were mostly built in the early 1900s. The gazebo-style shelter will have both lighting and accessible electricity to accommodate both private and public events. The College Hill Partnership is planning major fundraising efforts for this structure as a new shelter was one of the most requested updates by their membership.

What's Next: Currently the city’s Capital Improvements Plan, or CIP, has budgeted this renovation to begin in fiscal year 2025, with construction beginning in July 2024. As a major partner in the renovation, the College Hill Partnership will be funding 15% of the renovation costs. Donations can be made to their fund at the Cedar Falls Community Foundation, found under the fund group  “College Hill Partnership.” 

How You Can Help: As we apply for additional grant and private support, we ask College Hill residents and supporters across Cedar Falls to sign this petition to express their support!