The American Planning Association’s (APA) flagship Great Places in America program “celebrates places of exemplary character, quality, and planning. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow.
APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work every day. America’s truly great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement.”
Gray’s Lake Park in Des Moines was named one of ten great public spaces this year. According to APA, “The 1.9-mile walk around Gray’s Lake is known as “doing the loop,” and for some residents it’s a daily ritual that even prairie grass burns, trail repairs, and flooding won’t stop. Such dedicated use of the park is just one example of how important Gray’s Lake Park is to everyday life in Des Moines. The city’s best-known and most-visited recreation area, the park has qualities and features that attract visitors regardless of the time of day or season of the year. The iconic, 1,400-foot-long Kruidenier Trail pedestrian bridge over the lake is the park’s most distinguishing feature.”
