Reiman Gardens is undoubtedly one of the most well-known places in all of Ames for its volunteerism, natural beauty, exhibits, butterfly display, educational offerings and community events. In the past year, Reiman Gardens hosted over 60,000 visitors. Reiman Gardens is also a premier destination for community volunteers, with over 3,324 individuals pitching in to garden, lead tours, teach classes, prepare and execute events and more.
Reiman Gardens plays a central role in the Iowa State University student experience. Thirty-two percent of Reiman Gardens’ overall volunteers consist of Iowa State University students. The Gardens also offer free regular admission to all full-time students. The Gardens employ many student workers and provide a competitive internship experience across all departments. Many students, volunteers and other visitors to the Gardens rely on public transportation like CyRide, whether they are coming from campus or elsewhere in the community.
Unfortunately, Reiman Gardens does not have a CyRide stop anywhere near its front entrance. The closest bus stops are on the Blue (3), Orange (23), Brown North/South (6) and Plum (9) routes, with the closest being around an eight-minute walk away from the Gardens’ entrance and the furthest ones being around 15 minutes away. This has created several transportation issues for those who visit, volunteer and work at Reiman Gardens, especially regarding accessibility and safety.
An eight-minute walk from the closest bus stop may not seem like a problem, but it becomes very difficult when you factor in extreme weather conditions such as excessive heat, snowstorms and heavy rain while also having to cross busy streets and intersections. Some student workers, interns and volunteers do not finish their shifts until well into the evening, meaning they must walk through a dark parking lot and along a long, isolated sidewalk before arriving at the closest bus stop, where they may spend additional time alone until the next bus arrives.
An intern at Reiman Gardens stated that they use CyRide five days a week to commute to and from work.
“This [became] difficult for me given the excessive heat during the week of August 21st, and I … struggled to stay cool and hydrated during and after my walk to and from the bus stops.” – Intern, 2023.
Another past intern stated that they would have to take the Plum Route and cross the “very busy University Boulevard,” which was not “the most well-built … [and] absolutely put [them] at risk of a vehicle collision” – 2023.
“When the plum route wasn’t running on weekends, I would have to walk to take the blue route. The nearest blue stop to Reiman Gardens is about a 10-minute walk. I have walked this several times in the rain. It wasn’t pleasant. In the cold and snow, it’s even worse.” – Past Intern, 2023.
A volunteer also shared the difficulties they faced on a particularly windy and snowy day when the buses were unreliable, and the weather made it very tough and time-consuming to walk. They had to wait in the harsh weather for multiple connecting buses, which were already delayed and going out of service due to the conditions. Thus, they called this “almost the worst experience” they have had with the CyRide route. This is how they described their journey back to campus after finishing their shift at the Gardens:
“I ended up walking for 45 minutes to get to the bus stop across the street to get back to Student Services. I then proceeded to wait 23 minutes for the blue route at the bus stop, and while I was waiting, I was approached by a couple of people asking if I was okay, since it was so windy to the point where I could barely keep my hood on.” – Volunteer, 2021.
With stops not being anywhere close to the entrance, this can cause many issues with accessibility. For people with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs or enhancements with wheels, there is a slope with many cracks in the pavement that can be quite steep at the end of each pathway leading to the Reiman Gardens frontage road and parking area from the west. This can be dangerous, regardless of whether people are informed of the circumstances in advance. Even for those without specific conditions or requirements, it is discouraging to have to commute this way to a facility that is a part of the university, as it requires extra amounts of time to account for reaching the facility at a certain time, especially if you would like to make a volunteer or work shift.
Additionally, Reiman Gardens is an educational resource freely available for Iowa State University students. Classes often come to visit and learn about horticulture, entomology, ecology, art and other related fields together with their instructors. When traveling with large class groups, CyRide is the go-to option to ensure that groups stick together and arrive with each other. For some, it is the only option other than walking from campus (a 27-minute walk in good condition). However, given the distances of the stops closest to the Gardens, this has created timing issues when trying to manage these trips during class hours.
A professor with a course at the College of Design stated that they bring their students to Reiman Gardens for a project each semester. They expressed feeling stressed about how their students will arrive at the location considering how far the college is.
“To allow for students coming to and from class at Reiman Gardens, I must shave at least 15 minutes off both ends of class and make special arrangements for students who are struggling with accessibility” – Professor, 2021.
As an Iowa State University student who used to volunteer at the Gardens before becoming an intern this fall, I have frequented Reiman Gardens since my freshman year, all while not having reliable transportation. Thus, I have experienced difficulties while utilizing CyRide to travel to and from the Gardens, and I strongly empathize with others who have also experienced issues caused by this form of transportation. I have had the privilege to work with the wonderful visitors and volunteers that come to the Gardens every day, so I would like to stay connected with them and not have them feel discouraged coming to our location if they need to use CyRide like I do.
Finally, we are not just a university resource, but a public garden for the Ames and surrounding communities, one that serves to connect the two audiences in meaningful ways and broaden access to the incredible world of plants. But without good access, our reach is limited, and one of the most talked-about tourist locations in the area becomes inaccessible to its own community. By having an accessible CyRide stop at our front entrance, Reiman Gardens would be able to extend our missions—which are crucial to our growth and impact—to the people we serve. We would be able to attract and serve a large and broad audience through exceptional experiences with the increased frequency at which people visit the Gardens with the additional bus stop. This could also invite and encourage more visitation and volunteerism for an even wider audience that may not have found it possible before.
We ask that you please take less than 15 minutes of your time to answer this SURVEY about your experience with Reiman Gardens and whether you believe a bus stop right outside our entrance would be beneficial to our community.
