DES MOINES, Iowa — Even with more than 70 public spaces under his direction, Des Moines Parks and Rec chief, Ben Page, brought us up to date with six high-profile projects in a matter of minutes, Thursday.

Let’s start in the southeast corner of the city, where the tunnel under Army Post Road is complete, and the Karris-Kaul Trail bike trail is open for business.

“You can be in the heart of Des Moines, down by Principal Park,” Page says, “and you could right all the way to Carlisle and then Indianola without getting off of this trail.”

Moving toward downtown, the excitement builds. Stone Park is nearly finished, and its new amenities are already shining.

Page rattles them off at a dizzying clip.

“Basketball, pickle ball, community gardens, playground, spray ground, walking trails! That park will be one of the busiest in the city very soon!” he says excitedly.

Spanning the Raccoon River downtown, the Southwest 1st Street bridge is just that for the moment — but it’s set to become the city’s first park on a bridge.

“Hopefully late summer, August, September, it should be wrapping up,” Page says, “and that’ll be a brand new space. You can come out and enjoy the fishing, watch the water trails, maybe before or after an I-Cubs game and just sit there and watch the views.”

Follow the Des Moines River north, and there’s work to be seen north of the Lauridsen Skate Park. The new trail here now follows the shoreline north and west.

Page says this trail will serve as a link to a previously unconnected area.

“Later this summer that should wrap up and if we continue to have these dry nights, these dry days with no rain — hopefully they’ll wrap that up even sooner,” says Page.

Within view is Birdland Pool — and that’s been in the news this week.

Its opening date has been pushed back to July, but Page says the city is making a conservative guess, there. When work is complete, Birdland’s new filters, plumbing, and heaters will give it a solid, low maintenance foundation.

“If it’s anything like last time,” he says “those pieces of infrastructure will last 30-40 years.”

Also on the north side is a highly anticipated sight.

Coming up from the ground is the new Reichardt Community Recreation Center. It has a footprint, and some walls … and a future as a replacement for the Grubb YMCA.

“The current Grubb YMCA is still working, still open to the public,” says Page. “The plan is to keep that open, and then the day the new Reichardt center opens, we’ll shut that one down.”

The Reichardt Community Recreation Center is set to open next spring. You can track the plans and progress for all of the projects at Des Moines city parks at www.dmparks.org.

Metro News: