Glenwood Pursuing RAGBRAI For 2015

If RAGBRAI pops the question, Glenwood will say “yes.” Representatives of the city of Glenwood and the Glenwood Area Chamber of Commerce are working jointly in completing the formal application process that could result in the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa returning to Glenwood next summer. RAGBRAI is the oldest and largest cross-state bicycling event in the nation and typically brings as many as 10,000 bicyclists and visitors to host communities along the route. The route for RAGBRAI XLIII won’t be announced until January 2015, but ride organizers are already in the process of gauging interest from communities across the state that could potentially serve as overnight or pass-through towns. While this year’s ride followed a route in the northern part of the state from Rock Valley to Guttenberg, the ride is expected to have a southern Iowa flavor in 2015. “The city has been formally asked to fill out an application for having RAGBRAI in our community,” Glenwood city administrator Brian Kissel said. “We are completing the application process and looking at the potential of having RAGBRAI here next year.” Part of the application process, Kissel said, is notifying ride officials of potential construction projects that could hinder a community’s ability to host the ride. Kissel said two major projects expected to be going next year in Glenwood are the aquatic center / swimming pool construction near Glenwood Community High School and a road repaving project on South Vine Street and Railroad Ave. The repaving project, however, should be completed before RAGBRAI, which typically takes place in late July. Tana Saddler, executive assistant for the Glenwood Area Chamber of Commerce, said the application process also includes collecting letters of support from local law enforcement agencies, city and county officials, the city’s public works department and county engineer’s office. The support for bringing the ride to Glenwood is there, Saddler said. “Everyone really wants it (RAGBRAI),” she said. Glenwood’s application will be submitted this month. In the fall, the chamber will be involved in scheduling informal meetings for Glenwood-area residents interested in serving on a volunteer committee should Glenwood be selected for the route. “We had meetings in the fall last time RAGBRAI came to Glenwood (2011),” Saddler said. “We had a great response from the community, even though people knew we might not get it. “Already having people in place for certain committees was very beneficial once we learned in January we were chosen.” Saddler said RAGBRAI provides an economic boost to Glenwood and serves as an opportunity to showcase the community to thousands of visitors. Glenwood has served as the starting point for RAGBRAI six times - 1980, 1984, 1989, 1992, 2003 and 2011.