There has been exciting movement in the visioning process for Ottumwa’s riverfront as of late.  During two public meetings held July 22nd and 24th participants were invited to give their input as to what type of development or use there could be for the lands that flank the Des Moines River as well as the Oxbow.  During the first meeting, 130 residents divided into several small groups to brainstorm and share ideas.  After the small group sessions were done, a spokesperson from each group gave an overview to the entire crowd.  Amazingly, there were many common themes heard throughout the evening, even though the participant age ranged from 12 to 90.  All of the information from this first meeting was utilized by the design team, headed up by Urban Designer Christian Rushing from Chattanooga, TN, to create the first brush of a visual plan that can be used by the community to develop and revitalize the riverfront area.  This preliminary plan was shown during the July 24th to obtain comments and feedback.  It was exciting for everyone to see their thoughts put down on actual paper and to get a  sneak peek at what can be for our community.  Now that the information has been gathered, the design team will be finessing the plan over the coming months and bringing back recommendations for implementation.  Thank you to everyone who participated in this important planning process, we look forward to sharing additional information over the next year.