DAVENPORT, Iowa -- July 10, 2015 -- Over the years, land at 10th and Gaines Streets in central Davenport has had at least a few names. On the good days it is called Goose Hollow. Other days it is called by a less-affectionate name, and referred to simply as "The Pit."
Until 2001, Goose Hollow was home to the Davenport Central High School tennis teams. Central needed facilities closer to the school and decided to build courts directly across Harrison Street from the high school. While the school district continued to maintain the Goose Hollow property for the next decade, liability issues and the burden of maintenance became too much for the district. The City of Davenport acquired the property in 2013.
The city now is working to improve the property.
The first improvement that the city is making is fixing a highly eroded slope on the east side of the property. This slope presents a safety issue to those walking or driving along Gaines Street. To fix this slope, the city will use approved fill consisting of soil, brick, and broken concrete to recreate the slope.
The fill is coming from Genesis Health System, which is working on a $138.5 million expansion and renovation of the hospital campus of 1227 E. Rusholme Street.
According to Ken Croken, Genesis Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations, Genesis will be providing the City of Davenport with 25,000 cubic yards of fill.
"That is enough to fill six-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools,`` Croken said.
Once the slope is completed, it will be topped with clean soil and planted with native vegetation to provide a prairie-style ground cover.
"Genesis is thrilled these materials from the Campus Optimization Project can be recycled and put to such good use for our city and our neighbors," Croken added.
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