The city's Greenbelt closures page currently lists no closures. For anyone who has spent the past two years taking detours around Walnut Creek, that is a big change. This is also the first fall for Greenbelt Landing, the 14.89-acre park on NW 114th Street that opened in July. The trail is open the whole way, and the Landing is in its first season without a festival. Together they show what the Landing is becoming. The city is using it for small, frequent events: a Thursday lunch, a library story time, a noon walk, an evening of trick-or-treating at local business tables. Clive has never had one central spot on the Greenbelt for that kind of thing.
The trail you remember is whole again
The section of the Clive Greenbelt Trail under the Interstate 80/35 bridge has reopened, WOI reported. It had been closed for two years during interstate construction. The stretch runs along Walnut Creek just north of Clive City Hall, and the city described it to WOI as an important connection for walkers, runners and cyclists.
The closure affected more than one creek crossing. The Greenbelt runs more than 11 miles through the metro and links into a larger network. Through the Raccoon River Valley Trail, that network reaches as far west as Jefferson. One gap under the interstate interrupted all of it. The city still asks trail users to watch for construction vehicles, since crews are finishing work that doesn't require closing the trail.
An older city projects page still lists the closure as starting October 1, 2024, with a reopening forecast for late spring or early summer 2026. The current closures page, which shows no closures, is the one to go by.
What actually sits at Greenbelt Landing now
The Landing is on the east side of NW 114th Street, right next to the Clive Aquatic Center, and it connects directly to the larger Greenbelt. The city had expected construction to finish in fall 2025. Mayor Edwards cut the ribbon on July 17, 2026, during Clive Festival, which was the park's first event.
If you've only driven past, here's what's there:
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Ashley Okland Star Playground | Accessible playground near the entrance, completed by late June |
| Aquatic Dance | Sculpture at the entrance; footings went in before the artist installed the piece |
| Boardwalk | ADA-accessible boardwalk through a native-plant stormwater wetland |
| Walnut Creek access | ADA access down to the creek, plus restored habitat along the banks |
| Event stage | Built by the pond for concerts and programs |
| Creekside Pavilion | Rentable building that was already booked for weekend celebrations in May |
In May, the city tested the lighting on the stage, the pavilion and what it called the "eventual food truck court" all at once after sunset. The city wrote that the test gave a good preview of evening events at the Landing. The food truck court is still listed as future. City materials don't give any fall hours or vendors for it, so we aren't treating it as open.
September showed how the city plans to use it
The summer festival was the Landing's opening. September was more telling, because it showed how the city programs the space on an ordinary week. The city's September newsletter promoted "Lunch at the Landing," with food trucks and music every Thursday in September from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The same newsletter announced Clive's first Big Band Swing Dance Party for Friday, September 25, at the Landing. The Des Moines Big Band and Heartland Swing performed, and the event was free and open to ages 19 and up.
In October, the city used the Landing as the starting point for an Iowa Healthiest State Walk with Clive on the Greenbelt Trail at noon on October 7.
All three of those events used a different part of the park. The lunch used the food truck area and the stage, the dance used the stage after dark, and the walk used the trail connection. A weekday lunch, a Friday night and a midday walk all happened at one address within a few weeks, and that hadn't happened there before.
The city said as much in its August project update:
"Greenbelt Landing has now officially hosted its first event, with many to come in the future."
The rest of the fall calendar, in order
The Landing has two events left this month. Other events across town fill out the rest of the season. All of these dates and times come from the city, the Clive Public Library and the Clive Chamber of Commerce:
- Tuesday, October 13, 10 a.m.: Stories Around Clive at Greenbelt Landing, from the Clive Public Library.
- Wednesday, October 14, noon to 1 p.m.: DART On Demand ribbon cutting at MercyOne Clive Rehabilitation Hospital, 1401 Campus Drive. The city's September newsletter said the on-demand service would launch in eastern Clive that month.
- Thursday, October 15, 5 to 7 p.m.: Business Trick or Treat presented by Walter Roofing at Greenbelt Landing. It's free and doesn't require registration, and kids collect treats from local businesses.
- Thursday, October 22, 2 to 5 p.m.: Clive Emerging Leaders Scavenger Hunt, starting at 515 Brewing Company, 7700 University Ave., Suite C.
- Saturday, October 31, 2 to 4 p.m.: ACOTAR Party, A Court of Crafting & Couture, at Clive Public Library. It's free and for ages 19 and up.
- Saturday, October 31, 6 to 8 p.m.: Citywide trick-or-treating.
- Saturday, November 14, 9:30 a.m.: Autumn Art Adventure at the library.
- Friday, December 4, 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Mayor's Tree Lighting at the Clive City Hall and Public Library complex, hosted by Clive Parks and Recreation, the library and the Clive Chamber.
Business Trick or Treat is the one to watch. The city moved an established Chamber event to the Landing, and it's the last Landing event on the calendar this year. The parks calendar for November doesn't list anything on the Greenbelt. The Mayor's Tree Lighting is staying at City Hall, and the city's 2026 Food Truck Fridays series is based at Campbell Park, not the Landing. For now, the Landing is the newest spot on the city's event map rather than a replacement for the familiar ones.
Booking the pavilion for your own gathering
Creekside Pavilion is the part of the Landing you can reserve for yourself, and the cold months don't close it. Rentals open up to 365 days ahead and need to be requested at least 14 days before the date. Weekdays cost $75 an hour with a two-hour minimum, between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. On weekends you can book 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 4 to 11 p.m. for $375, or the full day from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. for $650. All rentals require a $150 deposit. A two-hour weekday birthday party costs $150 in rental fees, while a full Saturday costs more than four times that. Weekday afternoons are the cheapest time to try the space.
Other park projects that finished this year
Greenbelt Landing wasn't the only park to reopen this year. Linnan Park at 8500 Alice Ave. reopened August 7 after a full rebuild. It now has a playground, a park shelter, futsal courts, a basketball court and a splash pad. The splash pad won't get much use until next summer, but the courts and the shelter are open now.
When it's too cold for the trail, Clive has some newer indoor options. Saigon Day Cafe & Bakery at 8421 University Blvd., Suite E, serves Vietnamese coffee, pastries and teas, according to Axios Des Moines. Slick City Action Park at 9999 University Ave. was listed as a new indoor attraction in the Greater Des Moines Partnership's August roundup.
The calendar after Halloween is sparse. The Greenbelt is open end to end, and the Landing has a free Business Trick or Treat from 5 to 7 p.m. on October 15.
Lynn Harder follows Clive's park and trail projects closely. If you'd like to know which streets have the easiest walk to Greenbelt Landing or the reopened underpass, Lynn Harder is happy to walk you through it. Your Home Journey Starts Here.
