Community Report

Lost Nation is located along Highway 136 in eastern Iowa. The town is near several outdoor recreation venues, such as the Wapsipinicon River, Eden Valley Recreation Area, and Oxford Junction Wilderness Area. Gilroy Rustic Park has a wooded trail, but it lacks lighting and a sufficient access road. Lost Nation has poor sidewalk conditions and connectivity, which keep residents from walking around town easily and safely. The town wants to create a pocket park and a community garden to bring together residents. 

Community Assessments

Focus-group participants appreciate Rustic Run Trail for the shade, quiet, and views, and enjoy walking at the cemetery. Residents identified barriers in town, such as the incomplete and poor sidewalks along Railroad Avenue and Western Street. The bridge into Rustic Park is also an issue because of flooding and the lack of guardrails. 

Planning and Design Summary

Based on assessment results and the visioning committee’s identified goals, the design team proposed concepts focused on several key themes: 

• Pedestrian Accessibility — Replace or construct new sidewalks throughout town, integrate a trail system into the sidewalk system for maximal connectivity, install ADA-compliant curb ramps at all sidewalk and trail street crossings.
• Lighting — Install decorative vehicular and pedestrian lighting along all primary corridors and along designated primary walking routes.
• Streetscape Amenities — Add ADA-compliant sidewalks and decorative lighting with banners throughout town; add trash cans, benches, bike racks, planters, and bump-outs downtown; add crosswalks at intersections of the trail or sidewalk with the street.
• Trail and Park Amenities — Create a looped trail system in and around town; create a community garden and a downtown pocket park; add amenities to Gilroy Rustic Park; pave and add amenities to Rustic Run Trail.

Workshop – Online Survey

We are pleased to share the first design idea to shape a great future for Lost Nation. The design team focused on three areas in the city: Downtown, Gilroy Rustic Park, and Community Garden. But we also want to hear the voices of the residents. Please work with us together in turning Lost Nation attractive and beautiful.

The purpose of this survey is to seek feedback from the community members on the preliminary concepts developed by the design team of Flenker Land Architecture Consultants, LLC., as well as to solicit other ideas for the focus areas.  The concepts can be viewed at Rustic Run Days, and then the Lost Nation library; they may also be viewed and submit online via the link below. The online survey will be open from Saturday 7/18/2020, thru Friday 7/24/2020; the paper survey will be open and will run concurrently with the online survey.  

Please contact one of the committee members listed on board with any questions or concerns.