West Des Moines, IA (October 16, 2018) – Hubbell Realty Company is proud to announce the donation of $1 million to the Great Outdoors Foundation for the Water Trails project.

The $1 million donation will be distributed over the course of 5 years as the Great Outdoors Foundation, Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Catch Des Moines, Greater Des Moines Partnership, and the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines continue to move this transformational plan forward.

“I gained interest in this project a few years ago when I was asked to act as Steering Chair for the Water Trails project. Since then, I’ve visited Columbus, Georgia and Boise, Idaho and have seen what a transformational project like this can truly do for economic development, employee attraction, water quality, wildlife habitat and tourism,” said Hubbell President and CEO Rick Tollakson. “This is a crucial first step for Central Iowa to compete with other popular cities in the nation.”

“This gift shows the momentum and importance of this project for Central Iowa. This is an important first step for the future of our community. Hubbell’s leadership in this project cannot be overstated,” said Hannah Inman, Executive Director, Great Outdoors Foundation.

Hubbell’s $1 million donation marks one of the first large investments in the Water Trails project, which will cost an estimated $117 million for 80-plus sites spanning across 150 miles of Iowa rivers. This project includes the mitigation and reconstruction of three hazardous downtown Des Moines dams into whitewater, surfing and kayaking adventure spots. The project also includes many sites across 19 jurisdictions for birdwatching, fishing and improved wildlife habitat and channels for beginners to expert-level paddling and tubing.