Newton City Council to Consider Contract for Parking at Cardinal Pond

A Pella company has submitted a low bid to install ADA parking and a fishing dock access at the popular community amenity.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 2:47pm

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An extremely blurred, impressionistic photograph in warm, earthy tones depicting the peaceful atmosphere of people enjoying a community fishing pond, with only faint outlines of figures, trees, and water visible through the hazy, rain-streaked glass.The proposed parking and accessibility improvements aim to make Newton's Cardinal Pond a more inclusive and welcoming community amenity for all residents.Pella Today

Newton's City Council will consider a $34,380 bid from TK Concrete in Pella to install ADA parking spaces and additional gravel parking at Cardinal Pond, a popular community amenity in northeast Newton. The city is also using a $125,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to add an ADA-accessible fishing pier at the pond, with plans to eventually build trails around the entire area.

Why it matters

Cardinal Pond has become a well-used recreational area for the Newton community, but the lack of adequate parking has been an ongoing issue. These proposed improvements aim to make the pond more accessible and usable for all residents, including those with disabilities.

The details

The parking and access improvements will include ADA-compliant parking spaces and a common pad to provide wheelchair access to a new prefabricated aluminum fishing pier that will be installed using a $125,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Once the parking and pier are completed, the city plans to start work on building trails around the entire perimeter of Cardinal Pond.

  • The Newton City Council will consider the $34,380 parking contract bid at their meeting on Monday, April 7, 2026.
  • The new ADA-accessible fishing pier is being installed using a $125,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The players

TK Concrete

A Pella, Iowa-based company that submitted the low bid of $34,380 to install the parking improvements at Cardinal Pond.

Erin Chambers

The Newton Community Development Director overseeing the Cardinal Pond project and improvements.

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What they’re saying

“It's an ADA accessible fishing pier. A prefabricated aluminum fishing pier that we will install at Cardinal Pond. And then, with whatever money is left over, we will start working on trails. Eventually, the long term plan is to have trails completely around Cardinal Pond.”

— Erin Chambers, Newton Community Development Director

What’s next

Following the Newton City Council's consideration of the parking contract bid on Monday, the city plans to move forward with installing the new ADA-accessible fishing pier and beginning work on trails around the perimeter of Cardinal Pond.

The takeaway

These improvements to Cardinal Pond demonstrate Newton's commitment to enhancing community amenities and making them accessible to all residents, including those with disabilities. The addition of parking, the fishing pier, and future trails will help ensure Cardinal Pond remains a popular and well-utilized recreational space for the city.