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HPBC
Picnic 2005
HP Community Action Association |
HPBC History In 1925, a group of interested business people headed by Tom Fairweather (later Mayor of Des Moines) formed the Highland Park Businessmen’s Club. The majority of the businesses were in the vicinity of Second, Sixth, and Euclid Avenues — the Highland Park business area. Over time, the club changed the scope of its organization more than once. At one time the club expanded its base to include the entire city and many of the suburbs. Today we concentrate on the Highland Park, Oak Park, Union Park, and Saylorville areas. We also changed the club’s name to recognize the many business women who belong to the group. We strive to benefit the City of Des Moines in a positive way. We still support our members in their entrepreneurial goals. We also work with the City Council, Polk County Supervisors, the National Federation of Independent Business, State representatives, our federal legislators and even the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a regular basis to accomplish our goals. We communicate with them and offer our help in areas where they need it. Thank you for your interest in our group. We look forward to your assistance in helping us succeed in our current and future projects. Firmly rooted in the past, we continue to work toward the future.
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Current Members American Legion Post 374 Aqualand Pets Plus Bankers Trust Bates Chiropractic Clinic Harriett Buck Chuck’s Restaurant
The Des Moines Register
Donaghy Kempton Insurors Edward
Jones French Way Cleaners Highland Park Animal
Hospital Highland Park Funeral
Home Hiland Park Hardware Hiland Pastries Iowa Postal Credit Union Lamb Investments
Meta Bank Jim Monroe North High School Overman Indoor Comfort Plaza Lanes Polk County Board of
Supervisors QV's Cavatelli & More Prudential First Realty
Past Presidents Our Highland Park Business Club owes a great deal of its success to its past presidents. They served as effective leaders during their terms of office and continue to serve as active leaders and role models when and where they are needed. Their counsel provides a continuity that keeps us on a progressive course during changing times. Tom Fairweather,1925-1932 |
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HPBC Officers
HPBC Trustees
Highland Park Trails
Unlike Interstate Highway systems that funnel people out and around our businesses at ever-increasing speeds, the various trails in our Parks area bring people into our area. Our first successful trail efforts focused on The Des Moines River Recreational Greenbelt — usually called the Saylorville trail. It provides a multi-purpose “nature trail” along the east side of the Des Moines River from the Parks Area to Saylorville Dam. It continues to grow in traffic and economic impact each year.
Our third trail, The Ding Darling Greenway, offers bikers and joggers access to the Saylorville area via a “rougher route” along the west bank of the Des Moines River. Our Fourth trail, The Interurban Bike Trail, enables Beaverdale and Urbandale bikers and joggers to access our Saylorville multi-purpose trail.
Dam to Dam 20K Run
Development
Future projects include a commemorative plaque recognizing the North High School football field as the location of the first U.S. professional baseball game under lights. In the works for years, our largest project to date involves the renovation of the Sixth and Euclid Avenues intersection. Des Moines and Polk County allocated over $1,000,000 to this project completed in 2004. You cannot miss our Highland Park/Oak Park arch that welcomes one and all to the area.
Our Highland Park Business Club continues to seek out and promote a variety of projects and events that will enhance the Parks Area. We include most of them in this web site.
Farmers Market
When the City started on our Streetscape, our Farmers Market project was put on hold. We did not know if our Market would recover from a three-year hiatus. In 2004 the Farmers Market re-opened in the parking lot of the Highland Park Lutheran Church.
Pancake Day
Sweet Corn Day
We closed Sixth Avenue and served roast pig sandwiches as well as the world’s tastiest sweet corn plus sides, while our blues band entertained the crowd. A kid-sized train provided by the Shriners kept our local kids entertained. After expenses, our first Sweet Corn Day netted $3,000 toward the Parks Area Foundation’s renovation of Sixth and Euclid project. Comments of appreciation from those in attendance promised even more participation next year. Three club members purchased the corn roaster we used to make sure we have it in the future.
July 13, 2002 corn eater attendance nearly doubled over our first year. July 12, 2003 attendance increased another 50%. Our sponsors — members and non-members alike — play a key part in our Sweet Corn Day success. July 17, 2004 attendance leveled off. However, profits went up because of all our enthusiastic sponsors. We furnished 100 Corn Day T-shirts to our volunteers, sold another 150 to corn eaters, and provided 50 to our sponsors. July 16, 2005. See the photos.
Anti-Humbug Day
Santa and Mrs. Claus host the now all-day event from 9 to 5. Crafts, musicians, Tae Kwon Do exhibitions (Christmas-oriented of course), children’s choirs, and church choirs comprise the activity schedule.
Highland Park Garden Club
Christmas Party
Parks Area Calendars
Our 2002 calendar featured many of the historic buildings of the area -- including Fire Station #10. Our 2003 calendar featured the Churches of the Parks Area.
Monthly Meetings We meet 11 months of the year on the third Tuesday of the month. Ten of these meetings include an excellent dinner at Chuck’s Restaurant plus a speaker. We have a picnic in July. We take August off to accommodate vacations.
Historic Tour
You can view photographs of these historic sites and more at our Northside Library. Northside Library had to end their sponsorship of the historic tour in 2003. It looks at this point like the Parks Area Foundation will take over this project. It could not be held in 2004 because the trolleys were unavailable.
Riverview
Several of our members (who are also members of the Parks Area Foundation) continue to explore developing townhouse apartments on the northeast corner of Riverview. Imagine reclining on your back porch and enjoying the view below.
For a pictorial review of the Kiwanis Riverview Nature Island go to Riverview today. For a look at Riverview’s past go to Riverview yesterday.
Chuck’s Street Party
Food, music, classic cars and a great hostess make this an annual event we all look forward to — young and old alike. Chuck’s Street Party reminds us that we all belong to one great big neighborhood.
Thanksgiving
Buy Local Program
In the year 2000, the 1,000 Friends created a “Burma Shave-type” sign program to bring their message to RAGBRAI riders biking across rural Iowa. They also recently created a Buy Local Program that encourages Iowans to buy their goods and services from independent businesses — as opposed to franchises or chain stores. Buying local offers several advantages. Some of the main ones include shorter lines at the cash register, service from knowledgeable staff, and not having to walk six blocks to find your car.
HPBC School Support
Specific examples include supporting the new addition to Oak Park Elementary, teaching Junior Achievement classes at Warren Harding Middle School, buying the basketball score board at North High School, and funding the Polar Friends mentoring program at North High.
Northside Library
Our Newsletter
No Lobbying
Highland Park Ads
Parks Area Businesses
Return to Home Page
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If the business of business is business, then
why is the Highland Park Business Club so concerned with trails? Because
trails — water trails, bike trails, jogging trails, as well as auto
trails — represent an expanding business opportunity. They bring
additional people to our area. This in turn expands our customer base.
Our second successful trail,
Still
in the works, our
We
formed our Parks Area Economic Development Committee in 1992 to take a
more active and visible stance within the community — in other words, to
help our area grow economically. This facet of the club eventually evolved
into the 
Both area residents and area business
owners belong to the Parks Area Foundation. Specific projects completed
include a 
Three
members of the Highland Park Business Club started the Highland Park
Farmers Market in 1999. Nine vendors helped us open the first day. From
that day forward, the market prospered. The market grew to 40
vendors.
For years the Highland Park Business Club
held a Pancake day every spring usually in Park Fair Mall and then in the
American Legion Hall. The Highland Park Lutheran Church has now
accepted this baton. They successfully took over this event and
improved upon it. Attend their Pancake Day this April.
July
15, 2000 kicked off our first Highland Park Sweet Corn Day. Several
merchants and area residents stayed up all night to get the food ready.
Nearly 600 corn eaters helped us make the event a success.
We also conducted a Five Kilometer Fun Run
in conjunction with our first Sweet Corn Day. Our Commemorative T-shirts went
over better than the race. Entrant turnout was low. Expenses charged by
the City were high. Luckily, the twelve area merchants that sponsored the
race kept us out of the red.
For
three years the Highland Park Business Club closed Sixth Avenue at noon on
the first Saturday in December. Santa and Mrs. Claus made sure no kid left
without sticky hands. Many piñatas were killed for a good cause. We now
combine our efforts with the Highland Park neighborhood organization to
hold a Highland Park Holidays celebration in 
Highland Park
Garden Club raises funds at Highland Park Holidays
in December and their Annual Plant Sale in May. Their largest
expense is the scholarships they give to DMACC (Des Moines Area Community
College) students. Go to 
We conduct our December meeting as a strictly social event —
no speakers, no announcements, no club business. Just good food and good
friends.
In
the years 2002 and 2003, we constructed and sold Highland Park
calendars. 
Research
historian Jim Jacobsen conducts historical tours of the Parks Area the
first Saturday of every August. Several of our buildings are listed on the
National Historic Roles. The year Jim put his tour on wheels he
doubled the turn out. His open-air trolley holds 64 people. In 2002 and
2003 he conducted three “sold-out” tours on each tour day.
Jacobsen penned
his History of Highland
Park, Oak Park, and Parks District in 1999. On his tour, he points out many of the historic high
points of the Parks Area business locations as well as sites no longer
visible.
Many
of our members continue to contribute their cash and efforts toward an
environmental facility now officially known as Kiwanis Riverview Nature
Island. Directly connected to the Saylorville Trail and the Des Moines
River (and within two blocks of the Dragoon Trail), the island offers a variety of natural studies opportunities right
in the heart of Des Moines.
Our Parks Area people love a good party. And
Highland Park Business Club member Linda Bisignano knows how to throw a
good party. The first Saturday of every August Linda closes two
blocks of Sixth Avenue and welcomes thousands of people into the area.
People come from all over the state. Former residents return from several
states. It’s like a Highland Park Alumni Association with
activities for the kids.
Linda
also hosts our Parks Area 11-Church Annual 
Ed
Fallon and his 
Our
members support our local elementary, middle, and high 
We work
with our local library and their Friends of the Library advisory board.
The library provides meeting facilities for our board meetings. Our
Northside Library also displays a large quantity of Highland Park 
We send
our bi-monthly newsletter to our members to keep them informed of area
activities. We also send our newsletters to about 100 additional
non-member businesses to keep them informed also. 
Several
businesses run a 
Over