10th anniversary post: Thinking Big in Cedar Rapids

Dale Todd speaks at Cedar Rapids Public Library, May 2016 "Waterfronts are the rock stars of city infrastructure."--MATTHEW LISTER, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR GEHL AMERICAS, AT CNU34(5/23/2026) When Dale Todd spoke at a special edition of 1 Million Cups Cedar Rapids at the Cedar Rapids Public Library ten years ago, on behalf of the package of projects known as Destination Cedar Rapids, he was between stints on the Cedar Rapids City Council. Ten years later, those projects are well enough along to show they connect the city in important ways, while the jury's still out on the other big idea pitched that week, MedQuarter.CONNECT CRConceptual picture of the Alliant Energy Lightlinebridge over the Cedar River(swiped from cedar-rapids.org)Destination Cedar Rapids is now known as Connect CR, and has been supported by $5 million from the City of Cedar Rapids, an equivalent amount from the Hall-Perrine Foundation, and donation of Cedar Lake by Alliant Energy. The hope is to activate the Cedar…