Zac Hall, alumni class of 2015, has been selected as one of the area’s 40 Under 40 to have made a significant impact in their business and/or community early in their careers. He appears on the recently released 2018 list compiled by the Corridor Business Journal.
In his position as the Parks Superintendent for the City of Iowa City, Zac is a dynamic and effective spokesperson and manager of parks in Iowa. There are numerous parks projects underway right now and it is clear that under Zac, Iowa City is undergoing a renaissance in it parks. Perhaps most visible among these is the Riverfront Crossings Park development which will become, at an appropriate scale, Iowa City’s Central Park—centrally located, spacious, and well connected to the rest of the city, including outdoor seating and play equipment at Big Grove Brewery. Through park redesign and redevelopment, Zac’s work is succeeding in placemaking—making parks central to the fabric of the city.
Zac is also leading the Terry Trueblood Wetland Exploration Trail Adaptation Plan, whereby the city will redevelop the portion of Terry Trueblood Park adjacent to the Iowa River into a wetlands preservation area that will employ native plantings and natural processes to adapt to increased flooding caused by climate change. The plan demonstrates how parks can be used to adapt to climate change—again illustrating the importance of parks to the broader community. Under Zac Hall’s leadership, parks are more than places to picnic and play softball, they are a vital part of Iowa City’s physical and natural environment.