Former Scotch Grove resident leads vision for future of village

     In October 2021, former, long-time Scotch Grove resident Bob Helgens and a group of movers and shakers came together to envision what could be… What could Scotch Grove become?

     That’s when they decided to submit a grant application for Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program.

     “We had to have it put together in 10 days,” Helgens said of the process. “So I made lots of calls to lots of people; they were all really excited.”

     Scotch Grove is the first unincorporated area to be selected to take part in this program.

     This all started when Helgens met with Brett Seelman, a landscape architect form his church in Linn County. He attended Iowa State University, and worked all over the country in Chicago and New York.

     “Brett mentioned the visioning program and I looked into it and wrote the grant,” said Helgens. “We were one of 10 selected.”

     Helgens and his siblings grew up on their 80-acrea family farm near Scotch Grove.

     “It’s still in the family,” he said. “We have many memories of that village and the residents we grew up with.”

     When the Balster family sold the various properties in Scotch Grove in 2011, Helgens purchased the old grocery store building in memory of his late brother, Jim.

     “I thought I could hopefully do something with it,” he said. “It’s a legacy for Jim (who passed away in a car accident in 1962).”

     Helgens said of Scotch Grove, “People either like it or don’t know it’s there.”

     With that in mind, once they found out they were approved for the visioning grant, they got to work.

     Interns and staff members from ISU, as well as the Scotch Grove steering committee, are holding community visioning focus groups on Saturday, April 23, at Camp Courageous.

     According to the press release: “ISU is gathering information from community members to learn your opinions on how to improve the community’s landscape through transportation enhancements. The goal of this project is to develop a landscape and transportation plan that illustrates the vision of Scotch Grove. Community input is an important part of this process and ideas about community design and enhancements are valuable to the Scotch Grove visioning committee.”

     Helgens explained that the grant they received is not from infrastructure, but for planning, ideas, and visioning.

     There will be multiple times set aside from various demographics to take part and share their ideas:

     • Older adults from 9 to 10 a.m.

     • Mobility challenged from 9 to 10 a.m.

     • Parents from 10 to 11 a.m.

     • Youth 13 and older from 10 to 11 a.m.

     • Youth 12 and under from 10 to 11 a.m.

     • Active recreationists from 11 a.m. to noon

     • Steering committee members from 11 a.m. to noon

     Helgens said there are no right or wrong answers when it comes to one’s vision for the future of Scotch Grove.

     “What was then?” he asked. “What is now? What do you want it to be?”

     While specific names were needed early on for the steering committee, Helgens invites anyone who wishes to take part in the committee to offer their time.

     “It’s not a static group,” he said. “It’s open to people who want to put the time in.”

     When it comes revitalization, Helgens said it takes four components:

     • Employment

     • Kids/youth

     • Places to stay/shelter

     • Community space

     “Recreation is also a big one,” he noted, with his son, Paul, an avid climber.

     You don’t just have to be from the Scotch Grove area, either, to attend the visioning sessions. They’re open to anybody and everybody.

     “This is just the beginning,” eluded Helgens. “This could be a legacy for Scotch Grove.”

     Helgens has already spent a significant amount of time talking to various parties of interest such as Jones County Economic Development, Camp Courageous, business and property owners in Scotch Grove, as well as Dave Balster.

     “We just want people to come and offer their views and ideas,” he said. “Anything they might see that might help the community.

     While this is just the visioning process, Helgens warned it could take a few years for projects to develop.

     “It all starts with an idea…,” he said. “It’s all about the what-ifs. What could happen?”

     In order to participate in the focus groups, registration is required. Visit www.communityvisioning.org/scotch-grove/we-want-to-know-what-you-think/.

     For more information, visit www.communityvisioning.org/scotch-grove/.