In March 2018, the Bettendorf park board commissioned an architecture and design firm from Chicago to study the city’s recreational needs, and the feasibility of building a new community/recreational center at Middle Park.  This facility will replace the Life Fitness Center, Splash Landing Family Aquatic Center and the Herbert Goettsch Community Center.  Due to the age of these facilities, replacing them has been a Number 1 priority for the city council and the park board. The consultant will present a concept design to the community in mid-August at a community open house to be scheduled. A final recommendation will be made to the park board the end of August.  This project will be submitted to the city council for approval.
 
Recommended action:

• Contact your alderman or members of the park board to ensure that the design and operation of the new facility follows principles of sustainability.  Utilize energy efficient design and equipment, incorporate passive and active solar as energy sources, green roof, design swimming pool(s) with a cover to reduce water evaporation and chemical use, etc., use recycled material where feasible.
• Plan to attend the mid-August community open house when the consultant presents the concept design and voice your concerns, meeting date to be determined.
• Read more here.

1st Ward
Jerry Sechser
563-359-1534
[email protected]

2nd Ward
Scott Naumann
563-445-4261
[email protected]

3rd Ward
Debe LaMar
563-344-2440
[email protected]

4th Ward
Greg Adamson
563-344-2441
[email protected]

5th Ward
Scott Webster
563-529-3755
[email protected]

At-Large
Frank Baden
564-332-2840
[email protected]

At-Larage
Lisa Brown
563-320-3849
[email protected]

Mayor
Robert Gallagher
563-370-2389
[email protected]

Susan Leuthauser
PACG Environmental Forum

Plastic has made many useful and amazing contributions to our economy and to science, but is does not make sense to produce it for single use. Global plastic production has increased by over 600% since 1975, totaling around 335 million metric tons in 2016. About half of this is used for single use products. Billions upon billions of items are choking our waterways, contaminating our oceans, and piling up in landfills where they can take over 500 years to disintegrate. Plastic pollution threatens wildlife, and our own health, as we consume plastic through both water and food. Plastic toxins are associated with increased risk of cancer, liver damage, and reproductive problems.

What items are we talking about? Bottles, bags, utensils, cups, straws, and packaging. Humans buy 1 million plastic bottles per minute, only about 23% of which are recycled.  Approximately 4 trillion plastic bags are used annually worldwide, only 1% of which are recycled. Half a million straws are used in the world EVERY DAY. 

However, the main cause of increased plastic production is packaging.  About a third of the 78 million tons of plastic packaging produced annually is left to flow into our oceans, the equivalent of pouring one garbage truck of plastic into the ocean every minute. Even the plastic disposed of in your trash can contribute to pollution, as landfills leak and the wind blows light-weight items away.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Invest in a reusable water bottle.
• Invest in reusable bags. These are available everywhere. Bring them into the store with you.
• Decline use of straws, or bring your own paper or stainless steel straw.
• Stop using plastic utensils and cups.  
• When shopping, try to find items with the least packaging, and make your feelings known to corporations, or better yet, reduce your consumption!

Lori O'Dell McCollum, Co-Facilitator
PACG Environmental Forum