DECORAH, Iowa — The City of Decorah has been awarded a $1,000,000 Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) to support the construction of the Decorah Athletic Complex.
City of Decorah Manager Travis Goedken, expressed appreciation for the award as well as the community support, “None of this would have been possible at the level we’re delivering without the incredible generosity of our local, private donors who contributed more than $1.5 million and the tireless work of the volunteer Decorah Athletic Complex’s Fundraising Committee. With the CAT grant now in hand, we are down to a final fundraising gap of just $128,000 to fully fund the entire project as planned. The CAT grant increased our ability to deliver accessible athletic facilities that will serve local youth for generations and attract visitors for tournaments, events, and recreation opportunities.”
The award announcement came following a final review meeting in Des Moines. City Manager Travis Goedken, Parks & Recreation Director Marc Holtey, and Winneshiek County Development and Tourism Director Stephanie Fromm met with the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board Members to answer final questions and hear the award announcement.
Every year the State of Iowa sets aside millions of taxpayer dollars to be allocated for tourism and recreation grants.
“Being awarded the CAT grant means real taxpayer dollars are coming back to our area to serve our kids, and level up our local projects, and, ultimately, benefit local businesses,” said Mayor Lorraine Borowski. “Having professionals who can put together a successful application is no small thing. These particular applications require a tremendous amount of research, place-based narrative, and data analysis – they are complicated and extensive. We are so fortunate to have the local talent and teamwork to compete – and win – at this level.”
The CAT grant application team included Travis Goedken (City of Decorah), Marc Holtey (Decorah Parks & Rec), Stephanie Fromm (Winneshiek County Development & Tourism), and Josh Dansdill (Northeast Iowa RC&D).
“Winneshiek County Development and Tourism was proud to support the City of Decorah in securing this award because this complex strengthens our area’s economy, serves thousands of families throughout the region, and further promotes Decorah’s reputation as a recreation and tourism destination,” says Stephanie Fromm, “and it was an honor, as it always was, to work alongside Josh Dansdill. Josh supported so many grants during his career at Northeast Iowa RC&D. He was an expert researcher and had tremendous knowledge of applications and processes at the local, state, and federal levels. With his unexpected passing last week, this award has a notable weight to it.”
The Decorah Athletic Complex project is designed to serve youth, families, and visitors across northeast Iowa. The facility will support school athletics, club sports, community wellness, and tourism-driven programming. This project will include the development of four 280’ baseball/softball diamonds with dugouts, eight pickleball courts, parking areas, landscaping, two double batting cages, lighting for two of the ball diamonds and all of the pickleball courts, a playground, a 3.2-acre infiltration basin, and a 5-acre mesic prairie filled with tall grasses and wildflowers making the complex feel like classic Iowa countryside. Additionally, this project will include the construction of a 1,000-square-foot concession and permanent restroom building to support event operations and allow for accessible restrooms along the Freeport Trail and Trout Run Trail network. The CAT grant allows the original plan to grow by an additional ball diamond plus the permanent restroom/concession building and playground, which were features that simply would not have been possible without this award.
Construction is expected to begin in December 2025, with diamonds and pickleball courts targeted for completion by fall 2026. For more information about the Decorah Athletic Complex or to support the project, visit https://parks.decorahia.org/whats-that-park-project.