Comment on Cedar Rapids wants to buy Cedar Lake for $1

CEDAR RAPIDS — Saying Cedar Lake is environmentally sound for kayaking, fishing and other uses envisioned in a master plan to convert the lake into a recreational hub, Cedar Rapids officials are recommending the purchase of the lake for $1 when the City Council meets today. This would mark a key procedural step in a yearslong effort to revitalize the longtime cooling pond for an Alliant Energy coal-fired power plant just north of downtown, as well as providing access for the city’s flood control system.Documentation from the Department of Natural Resources “shows all of the activities in the ConnectCR project are safe and good to go,” said Jennifer Pratt, Cedar Rapids community development director.Long term, improvements to address water quality, including mitigating stormwater runoff into the lake via the Kenwood ditch and McLoud Run, and potentially dredging the lake are anticipated.