Your Ames Voice

Thursday, September 11, 2025

September 11, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Welcome back to The Ames Voice!

This week's newsletter offers a mix of history, community, and new beginnings for your morning news review.

Our Top Story highlights Brookside Park's 100th anniversary, featuring the unveiling of a new fire-themed playground. We also have the latest updates from the City of Ames and Iowa State University, including facility updates and game-day news. To round out the issue, Arts & Entertainment previews a new play.

We've also added a new Events and Activities section, so you can easily plan your week with a curated list of local happenings.


Editors: Anthony Capps & Amber Mohmand
[email protected]

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Top Story

Brookside Park is celebrating its 100th anniversary on Saturday by unveiling of a new fire-themed park. | Photo by Amber Mohmand, News Editor

Brookside Park commemorates its centennial with fire

by Amber Mohmand | News Editor | Published on Sept. 10, 2025

Brookside Park is celebrating its 100-year anniversary on Saturday with the unveiling of a new fire-themed playground.

The community is encouraged to celebrate with the city of Ames for an 11 a.m. ribbon cutting at the new fire-themed playground near the Hickory Shelter and the park’s famous fire truck. A program will follow, featuring Ames Mayor John Haila, Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen and representatives of the Ames Noon Kiwanis, which donated money for the playground.

One century ago, in April 1925, the city of Ames bought 17 acres of land — which later became Brookside Park — because of its natural beauty and bridges spanning Ioway Creek, according to a news release. Within three years, the park became the centerpiece of Ames.

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City of Ames

School board begins its school year with facility updates

by Kyle Werner | Staff Reporter

The school year has begun and Monday’s school board meeting was full of announcements about facility updates to launch the fall season of play and sports.

 

More from City of Ames

Aquatic center construction moving along swimmingly

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Iowa State University

Game-day blotter:
5 more citations than the last time Cy-Hawk was in Ames

by Amber Mohmand | Editor

Throughout game day, the Iowa State University Police Department tracked its citations and arrests. This year, ISU PD issued a total of 39 citations, five more than 2023 — when the game was last in Ames.

 

More from Iowa State University

Arts & Entertainment

ACTORS opens season with laughs, family ties

by Anthony Capps | Editor

Ames Community Theater is starting off its season celebrating family. The local theater company's production of the 1936 comedy You Can't Take It with You begins Thursday and continues for two weekends.

 

More from Arts & Entertainment

Events and Activities

You Can't Take It with You

ACTORS | Ames Community Theater
7:30 p.m. - Sept. 11, 12, 13, 19, 20
2 p.m. - Sept. 21

The community theater organization opens its 70th season with the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy You Can't Take It with You. It follows the free-wheeling Sycamore family, who have no regard for social norms.

Friday, Sept. 12

Lecture: Nate Silver
6 p.m. | ISU Memorial Union, Great Hall 
Statistician, author, and political forecaster Nate Silver will explore risks and decision-making when the stakes are high and other themes from his latest book, On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything. Silver is best known for his groundbreaking work in political forecasting at his FiveThirtyEight website. Free

Saturday, Sept. 13

Ames Repair Café
10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Ames Public Library, Farwell Brown Auditorium 
Drop in for free repairs to your computers, jewelry, bikes, portable electronics, home and kitchen appliances and more provided by local volunteers. The event is to extend the life cycle of broken items. Small group learning is also available at certain times for those interested. Free
Brookside Park 100th Anniversary Celebration
10 a.m.-noon | Brookside Park, 1325 Sixth St.
Celebrate Brookside Park’s centennial anniversary with activities and displays throughout the park. A ribbon-cutting program will take place at 11 a.m. Free
Celebrate the garden’s 30th anniversary with an evening of food, music, nature and displays. The event includes a silent auction, inflatables, garden displays, educational offerings and a drone show. Live music will be provided by The Dustin West Band. $16 general public; $14 members & ISU students; $7 youth (2 to 12); free for youth under 2

Sunday, Sept. 14

El Patio Bar & Grill grand opening 
4-7 p.m. | 4518 Mortensen Road 
The new Mexican restaurant, formerly located at West Towne Pub, celebrates its opening with live music provided by Jesse & The Medicine Men.

Upcoming events on our radar

Sept. 19 & 20: Pufferbilly Days | Boone
Sept. 19: 50th Anniversary Celebration | Brunnier Art Museum
Sept. 25: Preacher Lawson | Stephens Auditorium
Sept. 28: Octagon Arts Festival | Downtown Ames
Oct. 4: Anime Ames | Gateway Hotel & Conference Center