Bettendorf Benefits From Three New Grants by Scott County Regional Authority
The city of Bettendorf is benefitting from three new grants from Scott County Regional Authority, which were announced last week.
Of nearly $1.4 million in total spring grants, supporting 48 Quad Cities projects, three main ones apply to Bettendorf:
- $166,667 for The Landing water park and ice rink, part of $4 million in total SCRA funding spread out over 24 grant cycles (which began in fall 2022.
- $75,000 for Bettendorf Parks and Recreation for a new $251,025 pump and bicycle track, plus playground equipment at Lincoln Park.
- $18,000 for a planned lobby refresh at Bettendorf Public Library.
Parks and Recreation director John Byrnes said recently that the final quote for the new pump and bike track at Lincoln Park is expected in the next month in addition to a final design and rendering. At that time, a construction document will be taken to City Council for approval in June. Construction is expected to begin this fall, and estimated to be completed before the winter, Byrnes said, noting the timeline will depend greatly on contractor availability.
A rendering for a pump track and bike playground concept, not specifically the one for Bettendorf (Bettendorf Parks and Recreation).
The city does not have its own project renderings yet, but will have renderings for the Bettendorf project in the coming month that they will release on social media accounts, among other communication channels.
A “bike playground and pump track” is a “purpose built, unique, and fun opportunity for the community to get active and come together,” Byrnes said. “The pump track in the middle of the project allows all ages to explore the basics of mountain biking, balance, and movement. No pedaling is necessary as bikers utilize momentum to ‘pump’ through the features. The bike playground portion will be an asphalt surface that is purpose built, featuring low to ground skills that is going to be highly functional for younger and new riders.”
A rendering for a pump track and bike playground concept, not specifically the one for Bettendorf (Bettendorf Parks and Recreation).
“I believe that this is one of those projects that our community would point to and say, ‘THAT is why I am proud to live in Bettendorf/Quad Cities,’ he said by email. “It is such a unique feature and is designed to engage everyone from toddlers to adults.”
Friends of Bettendorf Parks Foundation is going to be contributing in addition to some other potential sponsorship opportunities for the project. “The final breakdown of revenues will be finalized soon once we get the final expenses. Multiple funding mechanisms on this project to get it over the finish line, and any remaining delta between the final cost and the revenues would be asked that the city picks up,” Byrnes said. “That amount tentatively is $120,000 of city money, though that could change.”
You can see a two-minute video that really shows the type of amenity the city is planning HERE.
A rendering for a pump track and bike playground concept, not specifically the one for Bettendorf (Bettendorf Parks and Recreation).
Other Lincoln Park improvements
Lincoln Park (951 27th St., off Central Avenue) has a new playground, which was installed in late 2025. It was part of the winning concept plan chosen by the community after a Community Input Event in July 2025, where attendees voted for their favorite updates to Lincoln Park. In September 2025, City Council approved a purchase order to GameTime for new playground equipment. The $155,794 state-of-the-art playground system replaced the existing playground, which was estimated to more than 25 years old.
A ribbon-cutting for the latest improvements to Lincoln Park, 951 27th St., will be held Thursday, May 28 at 5 p.m. (Bettendorf Parks and Recreation).
The other part of that concept plan is upgrades to the parking lot and the installation of a shade structure, which were both completed in Spring 2026. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate all of these improvements will be this Thursday, May 28 at 5 p.m.
Public Library lobby refresh
Bettendorf Public Library director Jillian Aschliman is planning a refresh of the lobby for the popular city resource, which first opened in 1997.
“As libraries continue to adapt collections and services to library users’ interests, it’s important to also ensure our physical space reflects who we are as modern day information centers,” she said recently by email. “Additionally, since we are also a community space, we have to mold ourselves to support the various needs of each person who visits our facility- which is no easy feat.”
The current Bettendorf Public Library lobby (photo by Jonathan Turner).
With this project, the library is borrowing concepts that are applied to retail spaces to help support the three most common library users:
- The person who knows exactly where they are going, and what they need. We want them to find what they’re looking for as efficiently as possible, so they can grab and checkout their items (or computer printouts/copies), and head out the door.
- The person who is just interested in looking at what’s new to our collection and any curated displays that highlight a specific theme for the month or to promote an upcoming library program. They aren’t interested in looking at our stacks in the back.
- Support for the person who enjoys the process of exploration and self-discovery by providing a path that allows them to pour over collections as they continue through the building and spend time in our space.
“With this refresh, we will be removing or repurposing our existing (and more static) pieces of furniture and investing in updated pieces that are flexible and modular,” Aschliman said by email. “This will allow us to create zones for each of these different activities and allow us to showcase our expanding collections and allow us to adapt to housing any future collections. As a part of this plan, we are most excited to invest in shelving that will allow us to grow our Library of Things Collection– which includes sporting equipment, musical instruments, some small household tools, craft supplies, and more.”
The Landing opens for the season
The SCRA support for The Landing Water Park at Middle Park (23rd Street and Middle Road) has allowed the year-old amenity to open this past weekend.
While opened for Memorial Day, the water park (a partnership with the YMCA) will not reopen again until May 30-31, from noon to 5 p.m., and then seven days a week starting on June 6. For more information on The Landing, click HERE.
The SCRA is a Qualified Sponsoring Organization that holds the license for the Isle Hotel Casino Bettendorf, and has granted over $105 million since 1991. For more information on its grants, click HERE.
The Landing water park at Bettendorf’s Middle Road and 23rd Street opened in May 2025, and will next reopen this season May 30-31 (YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley).
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