Hunter
11/03/25
The University of Iowa’s Sailing Club has been notified they need to vacate the Macbride Nature Recreation Area well ahead of the end of the school’s lease with the Iowa Corps of Engineers.
The Gazette reports the date by which it must exit the MNRA land and water is June 30, 2026, according to UI Sailing Club instructor and professor emeritus Warren Darling. That’s three years before the UI’s lease, in effect for 66 years, officially expires June 30, 2029.
Although the lease is rent-free, the University has been responsible for upkeep and improvements. They cite budget woes, the COVID pandemic, derecho damage, and management changes for their decision.
Terms of breaking the lease include removing its property and restoring the premises to a condition satisfactory to the district engineer. If they leave buildings, they will transfer to the Corps at no charge, and the university can be charged for any restoration or removal costs.
Darling said the boat ramp, dock, social center and attached boat house will all have to come down. The Club is looking for a new home, but a new policy preventing the general public from participating or joining student organizations has complicated fundraising efforts.
A link to the Gazette’s article: