Sioux Center Mayor Dale Vander Berg will represent the city at the 2026 Iowa Mayors’ Design Workshop hosted by Iowa State University, June 23-25 in Ames.
The annual workshop brings together mayors from across Iowa with university faculty, extension specialists, planners, engineers, designers, and economic development professionals to examine community challenges and opportunities. This year’s theme, “At the Intersection of Natural and Human Environments,” focuses on helping communities strengthen the relationship between development, public spaces, and natural systems while supporting long-term growth and quality of life.
Sioux Center is one of six Iowa communities selected to participate, joining Le Mars, Creston, Denison, Shenandoah, and Cherokee.
Downtown Sioux Center Focus of Discussion
Vander Berg says Sioux Center plans to use the workshop as an opportunity to gather additional ideas and feedback regarding the future of the city’s downtown area, including the 300 block and its connection to Central Park.
He says one of the primary challenges is balancing a welcoming downtown atmosphere with the reality of heavy traffic traveling through the community on Highway 75.
“We got a major highway intersecting our downtown, right? We got eleven thousand cars and five hundred trucks a day that go through the downtown stoplight, and we want it to be pedestrian-friendly. We want it to have that nice feel of a quaint downtown, but yet when you have a major highway going through it, it’s tough.”
Vander Berg says city leaders hope to gain additional perspectives on how downtown green space, pedestrian-friendly design, and economic activity can work together while preserving visibility and access for businesses.
Seeking Outside Perspectives
The workshop is structured around community presentations, allowing each participating city to present a local challenge and receive feedback from professionals and fellow mayors.
Vander Berg says the opportunity to hear from people outside the community is one of the biggest benefits of participating.
“They bring a fresh outside perspective from a different lens.”
He says learning from the experiences of other communities can help Sioux Center identify ideas, opportunities, and potential pitfalls as local discussions continue.
Continuing Collaboration
According to Iowa State University, the workshop is intended to be more than a one-time event. Community challenges discussed during the workshop may later become the focus of university design studios, engineering capstone projects, and extension outreach efforts.
Since the workshop began in 2024, more than 180 Iowa State students have worked with participating communities on planning and design projects.
