GRHS-FMCH gives $1.5M to marina project

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON – The GRHS-FMCH Community Health Foundation has again stepped up to help Fort Madison's wellness efforts.

On Wednesday, the group announced a $1.5 million contribution to the Fort Madison marina project. This comes just two weeks after the group announced it would be essentially doubling down on its commitment to the Fort Madison P.O.R.T. trail project by committing another $1.3 million to that project.

The group already gave $1.5 million to the P.O.R.T. trail to build the connection to Rodeo Park up 15th Street from the Fort Madison High School trail head.

The marina funding is designated for an expansion of the city’s trail system along the newly proposed jetty wall.  

MOHRFELD

"I am excited that GRHS-FMCH CommunityHealth Foundation is investing in the wellness componentof our riverfront revitalization,” said Fort Madison Mayor Matt Mohrfeld.

“Wellness opportunitiesare important to the people of Fort Madison. Thank you for being a major partner in making this project happen."

The pledge is contingent on the marina project receiving estimated funding of $6.5 million. The City of Fort Madison and Southeast Iowa Regional Riverboat Commission each have committed $1.5 to the project.  

The marina project began earlier this year with dredging and removing the existing docks. When completed, the Fort Madison riverfront will be enhanced with covered and uncovered docks with 170 public-access boat slips and a hospitality building offering gas, food, beverages, and convenience items.

Mohrfeld was in Des Moines on Thursday with eight other presenters trying to secure a state Community Action and Tourism grant to help with the costs of the project. He said preliminary plans are underway to begin a community capital campaign as well.

"We've got the $1.5 million from the city, $1.5 million from SIRRC for the docks, and we have the $1.5 million being put in by the hospital foundation for the wellness component. In the dredging part, these are rough numbers, but FEMA will be in for about $1.5 million there," Mohrfeld said.

He said there has also been a preliminary commitment from the for-profit arm of the structure to talk about the agreement between the entities for the operational structure. That group has already formed an L.L.C and will build the hospitality center.

The GRHS-FMCH Community Health Foundation was created in 2018 as part of an agreement to provide funding for projects or initiatives that help improve the health of communities served by Great River Health System. Although the name of FMCH has been changed to Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, the foundation’s name has not changed. It is not part of the Great River Health Foundation. 

fort madison, grant, GRHS-FMCH Community Health Foundation, marina, Matt Mohrfeld, Mayor, news, Pen City Current, progress, SIRRC, Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, Southeast Iowa Regional Riverboat Commission

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