There will be no Des Moines Waterland Parade this year, but the plan is to bring it back bigger and better then ever in 2011.

The city was working to secure private funding to put on the parade. It was the consensus of the city council that during a budget year where the city laid off five police officers they could not justify public funds to put on the parade.

Bjornebys Auto Rebuild came to the city, offering to help fund the parade.

The decision to wait on the parade was eventually made because so much of Des Moines is going to be in the middle of repairs.

Currently both ends of the marina are under construction, the softball field and grandstands at the field house are closed off while they are being worked on, and it is very likely improvements on South 216th Street between Marine View Drive and Pacific Highway South will have the road torn up.

Mayor Bob Scheckler and Councilwoman Carmen Scott both expressed their support and desire for the parade to come back at the Feb. 11 council meeting.

The plan for right now is to wait until 201 and bring back an improved parade.

City officials said before the beginning of the year they would be unable to support any of the events in Des Moines, such as the
Christmas Ship and the Waterland Parade, unless it was funded by an outside source.

Last year, the parade cost the city $31,500 in staff time, including police overtime, the day of the parade. That does not include time spent planning the parade.