By Anelia K. Dimitrova
A river renaissance is underway in Cedar Falls and on June 7, 2025, the grand opening of Gateway River Park marked the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
It had taken 20 years to come to this point, so the event deserved its special spot in the town’s local lore.
Saturday’s event was a public moment to recognize what has been achieved but it was also to thank the community for its tenacity in bridging the dreams of generations of river lovers with the financial and logistical support necessary to deliver on the vision of making the Cedar River a centerpiece of the town’s identity.
The celebration was an opportunity for everyone to witness the transformations that have taken place along the river bank and learn why the added river features and the planned water-related activities are bound to become a magnet for locals and tourists alike.
The event, which took place against the backdrop of the river, attracted community members, officials, kids and parents, who were kids when the envisioning of the project began.
In keeping with his low-key approach to public events, Mayor Danny Laudick stood behind a lectern to give his brief remarks, occasionally consulting his cellphone notes.
But the backdrop behind him – the town’s skyline, the lapping waters of the river, the runners and bicyclists who zipped behind him on the trail – made the case for the importance of the project to the community more eloquently than any speech could.
Laudick noted that $3 million of the nearly $6 million cost of the project was fundraised.
He praised the efforts of stakeholders: individuals, like the Taiber family; organizations like the Black Hawk Gaming Association and the Cedar Falls Community Foundation Rownd Trust; the city’s engineering and public works staff, and many others. He lauded their generosity and continued support for the project for the good of the community.
“Nothing like this happens without a lot of effort, resources, work going into it,” Laudick said.
The project’s meandering path included discussion, multiple setbacks, until the stakeholders formed partnerships and united around a shared vision.
In 2017, a formal Master Plan for the The Cedar River Recreational Project mapped the direction with the goal of making the waterfront attractive for residents and visitors with improved safety, accessibility and family activities, according to city records.
RIP, the mascot, Grow Cedar Valley Ambassadors cut the ribbon
RIP, a mascot designed by Cedar Falls Tourism for the purposes of promoting the river, made his official appearance at the event.
The mascot joined the ambassadors from Grow Cedar Valley, the organization dedicated to promoting and advocating for business growth in the area, when they cut the ribbon with the words, “Let it rip!”
After the short ceremony, people fanned out to explore their interests.
Some stopped by the Zodiac boat brought by the Cedar Falls River Rescue team. Lt. Zach Ladage and firefighters Omar Martinez and Scott Dougan showed their gear and answered questions about training.
Other attendees were curious to learn about fishing, so they signed up for the Cedar Valley Walleye Club, an organization dedicated to improving the fisheries in the area. Still others chatted with representatives of the Cedar River Festival Group, which focuses on celebrating and preserving the Cedar River.
In other areas, kids hunted for painted rocks and Cedar City Creamery offered free ice cream cones and Soifer Family McDonald’s gave away frozen drinks.
Down the walkway, river surfing enthusiasts donned wetsuits and put on helmets to try free lessons offered by CrawDaddy Outdoors co-owner Jamie Borglum.
“It was a blast,” he afterwards said of the experience.
For a couple of hours, friends chatted with neighbors, and some traded stories about their childhood on the river. All were delighted to see what Gateway River Park has to offer in terms of recreational opportunities, but also in terms of educational storytelling about the river, courtesy of the Cedar Falls Public Library.
Among the attendees was State Rep. Bob Kressig, an avid bicyclist and a RAGBRAI enthusiast, who was thrilled to see the project come to fruition.
“It’s going to be fantastic for the community and bring people from across the state,” he told me.
Not far from him, Reece Peterson, of Cedar Falls, held his grandson, Freddie Crisman, who will one day get to enjoy the river’s amenities in which the city now invests.
Further down, by the CrawDaddy’s booth, Rob Green, the town’s former mayor, chatted with Renee Borglum, one of the co-owners of the business.
“Today’s celebration is a wonderful tribute to the visionaries who, for twenty years, have wanted to restore the Cedar River as a centerpiece of the city,” Green told me later. “The Gateway River Park is just the start of a Cedar River renaissance in the years ahead.”
