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Iowa City is also famous for its Iowa Avenue
Literary Walk, which celebrates, with bronze relief panels placed
along Iowa Avenue, the works of 49 writers with ties to
Iowa. This heritage of literary and artistic appreciation
translates into a variety of opportunities for retirees and others
to partake in various workshops, readings, recitals, classes and
lectures by well-known poets, musicians, writers and artists, all
of whom find a welcoming and supportive community here. And
retirees may indulge in IU's Senior College (319-335-3296), a
program offering low cost ($30) classes taught by University
professors. Eight courses are offered each semester,
and titles include "Tapping into Ancient Wisdom: The Books of
Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes," "Contemporary Poetry: A
Conversation with Marvin Bell" and "Darwin, Marx and
Freud." Stimulating! For
retirees into less cerebral pursuits, sporting events are never in
short supply. The University of Iowa is a Big 10 Conference
school and home to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Football, basketball,
soccer and baseball games all attract excitable fans.
Iowa City and the surrounding area also sport at least fifteen
private and public golf courses, and opportunities for bicycling,
camping and hiking can be found along the Iowa River. Ten
minutes to the east of town is the small community of West Branch,
home to the Hubert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, and
Kalona, 20 minutes southwest of town, is the site of a large Amish
population and is popular with tourists seeking traditional
crafts. Iowa City shopping is adequate, as are
dining options; nearly all cuisines, including sushi,
Italian and vegetarian, can be found here, but for extra variety,
Cedar Rapids (population 120,000) is just twenty minutes north.
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As is often the case in university towns,
medical care is outstanding. The 680-bed
University of Iowa Hospital has been recognized by U.S.
News and World Report as one of the leading hospitals
in the country, and more than 250 of its doctors are
listed in the Best Doctors in America database.
If one has to get sick, this is a good place to do
it. In addition to the IU Hospital, Mercy Hospital
and the Iowa City VA Medical Center are located here. |
Many towns have senior centers, but Iowa City's is particularly
impressive and is housed in the fully renovated, historic, 28,000
sq. ft., downtown Post Office. The center is open to
those age 50 and better, but as is the case with most senior
centers, it attracts an older clientele (people age 50, 60, 70 and
even beyond do not consider themselves "senior" these
days). Programs and activities include health and
fitness programs and equipment, computer instruction, video
production, culinary classes, legal counseling, trips, financial
planning seminars, special events, management training, potlucks,
home meals, visiting nurses, music training, a readers' theater, a
volunteer program and much more. Call
319-356-5224 for more information.
Retirees enjoy an excellent bus system, a welcoming ambiance,
pretty neighborhoods, 41 public parks, easy internet broadband access, dozens of
churches and a crime rate well below the national average, all
adding to the city's considerable livability. The University
creates a host of opportunities for getting
involved in the community, something newcomer retirees
particularly appreciate.
Aside from high taxes (much of which are offset by the
below-average cost of housing), the one big drawback to retirement
in Iowa City is probably the weather. Heavy snow and
heavy rains contributed to the flooding of the Iowa River in June
of 2008, which flooded parts of Iowa City, particularly the
University, causing damage that is still being repaired
today. All of Iowa is prone
to tornados (although one has never directly struck Iowa City),
and summers can be unbearably hot and muggy (temperatures in the
80s with 75% average relative humidity and four to five inches of
rain per month). Winters can also be rough with temperatures
in the teens and 20s and up to nine inches of snow arriving each
month.
Perhaps, though, the cold winters are why Iowa City's
appreciation of literature took hold in the first
place. What better way to spend a snowy, Iowa evening
than with a roaring fire, a glass of Chardonnay and a favorite book!
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