Iowa
Iowa City partners with local school district for $3M remodel of Mercer Park athletic fields
Iowa City and the local school district are partnering on a multi-million dollar project that will move the softball program at the district’s oldest high school to a city park.
City High’s softball program will start playing its home games at Mercer Park next year as part of an agreement between the city and the Iowa City Community School District. The softball program back will join its baseball counterpart at the park about a mile-and-a-half south of its campus.
City High baseball has used Mercer Park as its home base since 2020.
The city-owned park at 1317 Dover Street sits on 30 acres of land just southeast of Southeast Middle School off of S. 1st Avenue. City staff said the district and the city have a “long history of partnership” on athletic facilities.
The park, acquired by the city in 1966, is also home to the Mercer Park Aquatic Center.
Project will provide facelift to baseball, softball facilities
The 25-year Mercer Park agreement will initiate several athletic facility renovations and other park improvements at a total cost of $3.3 million.
The City of Iowa City will contribute just over $700,000 for upgrades to the park’s common areas, including the concessions building, walking paths within the park and central gathering space. ICCSD will be responsible for the lion’s share of the costs, much of which will be dedicated to the athletic facilities.
The agreement will allow the Iowa City CSD to “exclusively use” Fields 1 and 4 at Mercer Park. The city will maintain Fields 2 and 3 for community use and plans to give preference to local youth sports organizations.
The city will not charge a rental fee for ICCSD’s use of their two fields, though the district will pay the city $5,000 per year. Those funds will be exclusively reserved for future capital projects at Mercer Park.
The city said it will lease out the two city-owned fields to the district if needed.
The Iowa City Community School District is expected to hold a public hearing regarding the planned improvements during its next board meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
Contractor bids are scheduled to open on March 11.
Mercer Park’s pickleball, tennis courts were renovated in 2024
Iowa City facilitated the renovation of Mercer Park and City Park’s existing tennis and pickleball courts in late 2023.
Nine pickleball and two tennis courts were mapped out as part of the project. The courts sit just west of the baseball and softball fields.
The project included a complete revamp of the foundation for the courts which reopened in June.
The City High softball team is expected to make its move to Mercer Park in 2026.
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
More and more, it is looking like playing on the offensive line for the Iowa Hawkeyes is becoming a one-way ticket to the NFL. Offensive line coach George Barnett is among the best in the business, and his 2026 offensive line should continue the trend of strong play for the Hawkeyes.
This past NFL Draft saw the Hawkeyes send Logan Jones, Gennings Dunker, and Beau Stephens to the next level as the latest successes. They come on the heels of Tyler Linderbaum and Tristan Wirfs, two of the best offensive linemen in the NFL.
Iowa is now looking to continue the offensive line prowess as it hosts a highly touted recruit, as they prepare for more future departures to the NFL. Two starters on the offensive line this season, Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck, have each generated NFL buzz, and if history tells us anything, NFL teams like Iowa offensive linemen.
Iowa Hawkeyes Hosting Four-Star Caleb Johnson
While it may be summer for the current roster with training camp approaching, the recruiting trail doesn’t sleep for the coaching staff. Some of the latest news for Iowa’s class of 2027 is the upcoming visit that Caleb Johnson, a four-star offensive lineman, will take to Iowa City.
Johnson, a product of Noblesville High School in Noblesville, Indiana, is coming off a string of visits to high-profile schools such as Indiana and Michigan State, with a visit to the Hawkeyes on deck.
Iowa may have a slight inside track on Johnson, as it was on Johnson’s recruiting trail earlier than some in the process, offering him back in January of 2026.
Caleb Johnson Bio
High School: Noblesville
Hometown: Noblesville, Indiana
Class: 2027
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 260
Recruiting Rankings: No. 2 recruit in Indiana, No. 22 offensive tackle, No. 248 recruit overall
Other Offers: Indiana, Michigan State, Missouri, Cincinnati, Auburn, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, UNC, Oklahoma State, Purdue, UCLA, and others
Analysis: At just 260 pounds, Iowa would be able to mold Johnson in the weight room and developmental program, which is one of the best in the country. In his tape from high school, Johnson is seen playing snaps at center, guard, and tackle, which offers versatility from the jump.
Iowa Football 2027 Recruiting Class
The Iowa Hawkeyes currently sit with the No. 29 overall 2027 recruiting class as things stand right now. The Hawkeyes have landed 10 commits for the 2027 class, two of them being offensive linemen.
Reilly Newman from West Chester Ohio, a three-star recruit, and Nate Brenneman from Rock Valley, Iowa, another three-star recruit have given their commitments to the Hawkeyes.
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With the I-Cubs trailing 1-0 in the second inning, Scott Kingery singled home a run and another came home on a sacrifice fly from
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek spent Saturday campaigning across Eastern Iowa as part of his “Pushing for Change” get-out-the-vote tour.
Turek, a state representative and two-time Paralympic gold medalist, held canvass launches and door-knocking events in Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and North Liberty as he works to build support ahead of Iowa’s upcoming primary election.
The candidate is seeking Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat and says his campaign is centered on issues affecting families across the state. Among his top priorities are affordability, housing, health care access, immigration reform, and support for working families.
“I think it’s important for people to hear directly from their candidates,” Turrek said. “Tuesday is election day, so trying to get all over the state and talk to people directly about this generational chance that we’ve got to change this state and change this country.”
Turek is one of two Democratic candidates who will appear on the June primary ballot.
“There’s nothing like a direct interaction with voters, face-to-face on their stairs,” Turek said.
Voters interested in learning more about Turek and his campaign can watch Iowa’s News Now’s full Beyond the Podium interview on the Iowa’s News Now YouTube channel.
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