Water Works Park

Located on Fleur Drive directly across from Gray’s Lake Park, Water Works Park covers nearly 1,500 acres of open wooded areas. The park stretches from Fleur Drive, west of 63rd Street, bounded by the Raccoon River on the north edge, and George Flagg Parkway to the south.

The Park is owned and operated by Des Moines Water Works, a public water utility. Realizing the positive impact of the development of nearby Gray’s Lake Park, community leaders recognized the unrealized potential of this large urban green space. An international “parkatecture” competition was conducted in 2013, and a master plan was developed for the park that emphasized the importance of clean water to our quality of life, utilizing conservation, education and recreation/health as key principles in design development.