Altoona s Parks and Recreation Department offers monthly concerts featuring local talent at Haines Park throughout the summer.

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Bernard Ross
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2 Visitors, roughly 3.5 million annually, have made Altoona Iowa s Entertainment Capital, and it s easy to see why. Fishing, boating, hunting and camping enthusiasts have already made the 145,000-square-foot Bass Pro Outdoor World store a destination for shopping and recreation. Bass Pro, Altoona s newest addition, has everything the outdoor sportsman or woman needs boats, fishing and hunting gear, camping equipment, and top-quality clothing. What lifts it from just another big box store to a must-see destination are the original murals featuring Iowa outdoor scenes, the aquarium with live native fish, seasonal visits from Santa and the Easter Bunny, and Uncle Buck s Fishbowl and Grill, a full-service restaurant with 12 lanes of bowling and a unique undersea theme. Bass Pro joins two longtime Iowa favorites, Adventureland Theme Park and Prairie Meadows, Racetrack and Casino. Adventureland opens for weekends beginning the last weekend of April. In June 2010, the theme park opened Adventure Bay waterpark with 13 new waterslides, a swimming pool with a swim-up bar, Iowa s Lazy River and a sand beach sun deck. These water features join Adventureland s more than 100 rides, including longtime favorite roller coasters, the Tornado, the Dragon and the Sidewinder, as well as the Space Shot and Splash Over. Adventure Bay is included in your park admission two parks for one price! If grown-up thrills are what you want, Prairie Meadows has 24/7 excitement with 1,900 slot machines, table games and poker. Live thoroughbred, quarter horse and harness racing thrill race fans April-October, with simulcast racing available all year. Internationally recognized entertainers perform regularly at the Meadows Events Center. Altoona is also the perfect headquarters for NASCAR and Indy car fans. The Iowa Speedway is an easy 25-minute drive on Interstate-80 from the city s hotels.

Take a step back in time, watch a play, enjoy a summer concert in the park or learn how to make things grow. The Altoona Historical Society is dedicated to remembering the past to enhance the future.

3 Take a step back in time, watch a play, enjoy a summer concert in the park or learn how to make things grow. The Altoona Historical Society is dedicated to remembering the past to enhance the future. The Porter Hardware building in historic Olde Town serves as headquarters for the Historical Society s preservation and educational efforts. The community s founder, Thomas Haines, is recognized with a memorial in Haines Park. Veteran s memorials at the Sam Wise Youth Sports Complex and at the Civic Plaza recognize residents who served in the armed forces. Class Act Productions (CAP) produces several performances a year to nurture the next generation of actors, actresses and theater crew members. Young actors give top-notch performances in such plays as Disney s Alice in Wonderland and The Sound of Music. Altoona s Parks and Recreation Department offers monthly concerts featuring local talent at Haines Park throughout the summer. The Master Gardeners help residents spruce up their homes with regular summer classes held at the Enabling Garden in Prairie Heritage Park. Need more? Within minutes you can be at the Civic Center, Iowa Events Center, Botanical Center, Iowa Historical Building, Des Moines Art Center, the Des Moines Playhouse, Blank Park Zoo or Living History Farms.

4 Four shopping areas serve Altoona: Olde Town Altoona, Uptown Altoona/8th Street, Adventureland Drive and West 8th Street. A variety of supermarkets, retail outlets, gift stores, boutiques, super centers, service businesses and more fulfill the needs of visitors and residents alike. Restaurants are available to suit virtually every taste and budget, from fast food chains to family-friendly eateries to specialty restaurants for sophisticated nights out. Travelers have the option of staying at a number of quality hotels and motels. An RV park, Adventureland Campground and many park campsites are also open year-round.

Altoona has more than 17 miles of scenic trails. These trails offer alternate modes of transportation, as many routes lead to community businesses, attractions, city buildings and parks.

5 Altoona has more than 17 miles of scenic trails. These trails offer alternate modes of transportation, as many routes lead to community businesses, attractions, city buildings and parks. The City of Altoona has six-foot to 10- foot-wide trails, and are mostly asphalt. The trails system also connects with the Four Mile Trail that runs to Pleasant Hill and then into the Des Moines trails system. The Sam Wise Complex is a 68-acre athletic complex that features softball, baseball and soccer fields. A skate park features metal rails and various obstacles. Residents also take advantage of The Campus a cityowned 73,000-square- foot recreational facility that offers a whirlpool/spa, a two-court gymnasium, treadmills, a weight room, cardio equipment, racquetball courts, youth facilities and a 25-yard, six-lane swimming pool.

6 New and existing businesses benefit from the support of an active Chamber of Commerce and many city amenities. The City of Altoona has a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) program and a five-year residential tax abatement program (with an annual cap of $75,000 per house) designed to encourage residential development. The Eastern Polk Regional Development, Inc. was formed by four Iowa communities (Altoona, Bondurant, Mitchellville and Pleasant Hill) in order to stimulate economic growth in Eastern Polk County. The primary focus of the organization is to attract new businesses to the area by promoting Eastern Polk County to prospective businesses, developers and commercial realtors. The area s largest employers include Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, Marzetti Frozen Pasta, Walmart, Target, Artistic Manufacturing Corporation, Kent Feeds, Menards, Lowe s, Adventureland Park, Iowa Cold Storage LLC and Southeast Polk Community School District.

7 Altoona s attractive residential community has a blend of vintage homes, townhouses and senior citizen living centers. Moderate to high-end new homes are being constructed in various areas of the city. There are an estimated 40,000 household units in a five-mile radius. With input from the citizens, the Mayor and Council are responsible for setting policies for the City of Altoona. The community is kept safe by an active police department and a full-time EMT and fire department staff. There are five hospitals in the area (Blank Children s Hospital, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, Broadlawns Medical Center and Iowa Methodist Medical Center) as well as several clinics, rehabilitation centers, and a variety of independent physicians and specialists.

Southeast Polk Community School District is the 13th largest school district with a certified 2009-2010 enrollment of 6,011.

8 Southeast Polk Community School District is the 13th largest school district with a certified enrollment of 6,011. An exciting, new, state-of-the-art high school opened for the school year for 1,700 students who are enjoying the natural light and open spaces of this 345,000-square-foot building. Following a yearlong renovation, the junior high occupies the former high school and the current junior high will then become Spring Creek Sixth Grade, bringing all the district's sixth graders into one building. Southeast Polk is Iowa s newest and is one of the most modern school buildings in Iowa. A number of colleges, universities and technical schools are located within a 40-mile radius including Drake University, Iowa State University, Des Moines Area Community College, Grandview University, Des Moines University (Osteopathic Medicine), American Institute of Business College, Hamilton Business College, Simpson College and William Penn University.

Open seven days a week, the Altoona Public Library is an 18,000-square-foot building built in 1998. It has a large collection of books, VHS tapes, DVDs, CDs, magazines and books on tape.

9 Open seven days a week, the Altoona Public Library is an 18,000-square-foot building built in It has a large collection of books, VHS tapes, DVDs, CDs, magazines and books on tape. The library also has several computers with Internet access for patrons. Altoona Parks Eagle Ridge Park (East of Brookview Drive) Greenway Park (Adventureland Drive & 10th Avenue NW) Haines Park Rose Garden (3rd Avenue & 6th Street Pl SE) Lions Park (13th Avenue & 4th Street SW) Phoenix Park (4th Street SW & 19th Avenue SW) Prairie Heritage Park

10 (1000 1st Avenue S) Sam Wise Youth Complex (8th Street SE & 8th Avenue SE) Skate Park Complex (1000 Venbury Drive) Village Park (4th Street NW & 17th Avenue NW) Aquatic Center (1200 Venbury Drive) Civic Plaza (360 Center Place SW) Ironwood Park (NW Corner of 3rd Avenue SW & 24th Street SW) Falcon Ridge Park (10th Avenue SE) Hotels and Motels Adventureland Inn (800) Archer Motel (515) Best Western (515) Comfort Inn Colfax (515) EconoLodge Inn & Suites IA State Fairgrounds (515) Holiday Inn Express (800) HOLIDAY Microtel Inn & Suites (515) Motel 6 (800) 4MOTEL6 Regency Inn & Suites (515)

11 Settle Inn (888) Sleep Inn & Suites Pleasant Hill (515)

12 The Altoona community is served by a handful of houses of worship, each fostering a strong, spiritual environment in the area. Adventure-Life Reformed Church th Street SW (515) Altoona Assembly of God Church 107 6th Street SW (515) Altoona Christian Church st Avenue S, P.O. Box 428 (515) Altoona Regular Baptist Church 803 3rd Avenue SW (515) Altoona United Methodist Church 602 5th Avenue SW (515)

13 Christ the King Lutheran Church 600 1st Avenue N (515) Cornerstone Baptist Church th Avenue SW (515) Crossway Community Church (Office) 103 8th Street SW (515) Lutheran Church of the Cross th Street SW (515) SS John and Paul Catholic Church st Avenue S (515)

14 A C E F G H I L M P R S T W

15 Automotive - Service Chamber of Commerce Cleaning Companies Economic Development Entertainment Financial Government Grocery Store Health Industry Insurance Landscaping Lodging Moving/Storage Plumbing/Heating/AC Real Estate Recreation Restaurants Retail/Shopping Senior Services Spas/Salons Travel Worship

16 Automotive - Service Lack's Body and Paint Center Bill Lack 1300 N. Shadyview Blvd. Pleasant Hill, IA Fax:

17 Chamber of Commerce Altoona Area Chamber of Commerce Paulette Franklin 119 2nd Street SE Fax: altoonachamber.org Cleaning Companies French Way Cleaners Bob Stuart 305 1st Avenue S

18 Economic Development Eastern Polk Regional Development, Inc. Don Cortes 119 2nd Street SE, Suite B Fax: eprd@iowa-property.com iowa-property.com Entertainment AJ's Steakhouse Stephanie Atkin P.O. Box 1000 One Prairie Meadows Dr Fax: stephanie.atkin@prairiemeadows.com Entertainment Prairie Meadows Race Track & Casino Stephanie Atkin P.O. Box 1000 One Prairie Meadows Dr Fax: stephanie.atkin@prairiemeadows.com Entertainment Premiere Bowling/Strikers Sports Bar & Grill/Extreme Lazer Tag/5 & Diner Restaurant Betty Thurman 655 NE 56th Street, Suite 100

19 Pleasant Hill, IA premierebowling.com

20 Financial Bank Iowa Marsha Lynch 420 Eight Street S.E Fax: Financial Community State Bank Jennifer McClintock 817 N. Ankeny Blvd. Ankeny, IA Fax: Financial Bankers Trust Mary Simon th Street SW Fax: bankerstrust.com

21 Government City of Altoona Jeff Mark 407-8th Street SE Fax: Grocery Store Hy-Vee Jen Book 108 8th St. S.W Fax:

22 Health Lutz Pharmacy/Healing Touch Book & Bible Gene Lutz 120 8th Street SE Fax: Health Medicap Pharmacy Victoria DeMarie 325 8th Street SE Fax: Health Altoona Family Care Center Corey Morrison 1200 Pleasant Street Des Moines, IA Fax: Health Wellness Chiropractic Center Christy Eichelberger th Street SW

23 Fax: wellnesschiropracticcenter.com Health Swain Chiropractic Megan Burdine 410 Center Place SW swainchiropractic.com Health Altoona Dental Clinic Dr. Maryam Shirazi 107 8th Street SE Fax: altoonadental.com

24 Industry O'Halloran International Jim O'Halloran 3311 Adventureland Drive Fax: ohallorans.com Insurance Middendorf Insurance Associates Bill Puffett 517 8th Street SE Fax: middendorfins.com Insurance RE/MAX Suburban - Steve Wolvers Steve Wolvers 102 1st Street SE Bondurant, IA remaxslw@aol.com wolverspack.com

25 Landscaping Snyder Landscaping & Lawn Care Chad Snyder P.O. Box 9 MItchellville, IA Fax: chad@snyderlawncare.com Lodging Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Altoona Lori Weatherman 165 Adventureland Drive N.W Fax: lweatherman@ohospitality.com Lodging Comfort Inn Jennifer Headington 1402 North Walnut Street Colfax, IA Fax: gm.ia095@choicehotels.com comfortinn.com/hotel/ia095

26 Moving/Storage Heartland Storage Byron Rees 1300 Prairie Drive SW Bondurant, IA heartlandstorage.com

27 Plumbing/Heating/AC Dickerson Mechanical Kathryn L. Dickerson P.O. Box N. West Street Colfax, IA Fax:

28 Real Estate Prudential First Realty - Lowell Bauer Lowell Bauer 809 8th St., SW Fax: lbauer@firstrealtyhomes.com Real Estate Country Club Crossing/ARC Barb Hickey 1101 Hickory Blvd Fax: barbara.hickey@aboutarc.com aboutarc.com Recreation Altoona Campus Bruce Mason th Street S.W info@altoonacampus.com Restaurants Olde Town Tap, Inc. Jason Johnstad 121 2nd Street SE

29 Restaurants Bianchi Boys Pizza & Pasta Jeff Bianchi 104 3rd Street bianchiboys.com Retail/Shopping Fareway Stores, Inc. Bill Stearns 620 8th St. S.E Fax: Retail/Shopping Bass Pro Shops Heather Lindsey 2500 E. Kearney Springfield, MO Fax: basspro.com Retail/Shopping Altoona Hardware Becky Alsted 340 8th Street SE

30 Retail/Shopping Avon - Lou Ann Seavey I.S.R. Lou Ann Seavey rd Avenue SW ilovavon@aol.com

31 Senior Services Altoona Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Debi Baker 200 7th Ave SW Fax: Spas/Salons Hair FX Salon & Spa Craig Long 616-8th St. SW Spas/Salons The Sage Tree Jim Tuttle th Street, Suite G Fax: thesagetreedsm@yahoo.com thesagetreeinc.com

32 Travel Odyssey Travel Norma Bettis 319 8th St. S.W Fax:

33 Worship Lutheran Church of the Cross Laurel Swanson th St. S.W Fax:

The Evolution of Altoona Opportunities and Challenges

The Evolution of Altoona Opportunities and Challenges Railroad - 1866 Des Moines Valley Railroad reached Altoona - 1868 Rock Island Railroad reached Altoona Naming the Town Altoona was named by surveyor