City provides updates on current, future park projects

As various Grand Rapids parks gained enhancements in 2022, city officials appear forward to initiatives slated for 2023.

The city’s parks and recreation department lately provided its annual update on park improvement projects, this time highlighting development on 43 completed, latest or impending advancements.

David Marquardt, the city’s parks and recreation director, explained for the duration of a metropolis fee assembly this year’s $3.5 million parks millage financial commitment was supplemented by $6.7 million in funding leveraged from exterior businesses and grants.

Mayor Rosalynn Bliss counseled the function of the parks office and guidance from the parks advisory committee this year.

“The enhancements manufactured to our unbelievable park method, recommended by community input and the expense procedures initiated by the city commission and the parks advisory committee, have developed meaningful and inspirational ordeals for our people,” Mayor Bliss said. “As dependable stewards of our community areas, the town is committed to continuing this operate on transforming and building excellent parks through our local community.”

Marquardt’s presentation in the course of the assembly outlined a sequence of design projects completed at town parks in 2022, which include:

• Belknap Park (30 Coldbrook St. NE) — Advancements involve six new pickleball courts, an expanded spectator region and professional stadium lighting in partnership with the Grand Rapids Pickleball Club.
• Briggs Park (350 Knapp St. NE) — Advancements contain a new butterfly backyard with native plantings and a hammock grove/community art installation in partnership with Lions and Rabbits and Creston Neighborhood Association.
• “Ecliptic” at Rosa Parks Circle (135 Monroe Centre St. NW) — Improvements, built feasible in partnership with the “Ecliptic” at Rosa Parks Circle Conservancy, consist of updates to the present phase, replacement of the concrete rings with granite, alternative of the lights and squander receptacles, renovations to the restroom making, new granite and wooden benches, interpretive signage, upgraded path surfacing, extra shade trees and a a few-dimensional bronze plaque and sitemap.
• Fourth Road Woods (651 Valley Ave. NW) — Improvements include mother nature-primarily based play capabilities using recycled fallen trees, a new swing established, fencing and landscaping improvements, picnic spots, bicycle loops, and obtainable entryways.
• Garfield Park (250 Burton St. SE) — Advancements consist of gymnasium restroom renovations and a universally available splash pad with several spray attributes, shade sails, and a custom made entryway that doubles as general public art and picnic regions. The challenge is near completion, with finishing touches in spring 2023. Task partners involve the Garfield Park Community Affiliation, the Michigan Division of Normal Means, Buddies of Grand Rapids Parks and Meijer.
• Heartside Park (301 Ionia Ave. SW) — Improvements consist of a resurfaced basketball court with mural, all-season restroom facility (open up spring 2023), new drinking fountain, sidewalk improvements and electricity pedestal for group functions.
• Highland Park (700 College Ave. NE) — Improvements contain a new short-term out of doors boulder wall established in partnership with Grand Rapids Boulder Task.
• Hillcrest Park (1309 Lyon St. NE) — Improvements incorporate an expanded pet entryway and fenced off-leash spot, wooded character path, character play for human beings and pet dogs, bench seating, consuming fountain with dog bowl, obtainable pathways, rain garden bicycle loops and a new indicator (installation spring 2023).
• Mulick Park (1632 Sylvan Ave. SE) — Enhancements include a group-designed playground growth in partnership with the Junior League of Grand Rapids, GameTime and Sinclair Recreation.
• Nagold Park (1001 Fourth St. NW) — Advancements contain an accessible pathway connecting Fourth Road to Nagold Road, new benches, picnic tables, replaced fencing, a pollinator backyard and a new park entry signal (installation spring 2023).
• Ottawa Hills Park (2060 Oakfield Ave. SE) — Improvements contain an out of doors Exercise Court docket with 7 distinct workout stations for multiple training combinations. The project was supported with funding from Precedence Overall health, the Countrywide Physical fitness Marketing campaign and Meijer.
• Paris Park (942 S Ottillia St. SE) — Enhancements consist of bench seating, accessible pathways, ornamental trees, and a park sign/landscape mattress (installation spring 2023).
• Plaster Creek Path (Kroc Center path) — Advancements involve new path connections to the larger sized community in partnership with the town of Wyoming and the Michigan Division of Transportation.
• Pekich Park (2 Cherry St. SW) — Advancements include new seating, shade trees, drinking fountain with bottle filler and electric power pedestal for neighborhood functions.
• Riverside Park (2001 Monroe Ave. NW) — Improvements consist of a new accessible kayak start in the lagoon, new solar powered picnic shelter and refurbished restrooms, bike loops and a consuming fountain with pet bowl in partnership with the Michigan Division of Organic Assets.
• Seymour Park (943 N. Ottillia St. SE) — Enhancements involve a indigenous plant bed, public art piece (potential installation) and a park indicator/landscape mattress (set up spring 2023).
• Sweet Avenue Park (459 Sweet St. NW) — Advancements involve a bench for sunset viewing, a new swing established, new and reconfigured playground areas, picnic tables, available pathways, landscaping advancements, bicycle loops and a new squander receptacle. The tennis and basketball courts have been also enhanced in partnership with Grand Rapids General public Schools.

Building will start off for the subsequent parks in 2023:

• Ah-Nab-Awen Park (220 Entrance Ave. NW) — Improvements will incorporate restored Indian mounds in partnership with the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians and the Downtown Advancement Authority, as well as new restroom facilities.
• Ball Perkins Park (1675 Perkins Ave. NE) — Enhancements will contain bike and pedestrian trail advancements and a new south parking ton off Plymouth Avenue NE. Bicycle path advancements are in partnership with the West Michigan Mountain Bike Alliance.
• Camelot Park (2230 Rowland Ave. SE) — Enhancements will contain a new splash pad, restroom creating, picnic shelter, consuming fountain, park signal and available pathways in partnership with the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Method.
• Canal Park (941 Monroe Ave. NW) — Advancements will involve playground renovations, trail improvements, new seating and extra site features.
• Grand River Edges Path (Leonard Avenue to Ann Road) — Improvements will consist of a new multi-use trail together the east side of the river, connecting Leonard Avenue and Canal Park to Ann Road and Riverside Park. Venture partnership involve the condition of Michigan, West Michigan Trails and Greenways Coalition, Downtown Development Authority and other personal companions.
• Highland Park (700 Higher education Ave. NE) — Enhancements will involve renovations to the parking great deal and new multi-activity court docket facility.
• Lyon Square (296 Lyon St. NW) — Proposed enhancements include things like flexible group collecting and function spaces, an enhanced river forget, enhanced lighting and accessibility, and additional landscaping/yard place in partnership with the Downtown Enhancement Authority and other non-public funders.
• Midtown Environmentally friendly (747 Fountain St. NE) — Advancements will contain a new plaza area, consuming fountain, mother nature perform and landscaping.
• Martin Luther King Park Lodge (1200 Martin Luther King Jr. St. SE) — Advancements will contain a new lodge and pool locker rooms, updated parking large amount, playground and fitness loop.
• Ottawa Hills Park (2060 Oakfield Ave. SE) — Improvements will include a new restroom creating and resurfaced parking good deal in partnership with the Michigan Office of Pure Resources.
• Plaster Creek Trail – Trail improvements and more seating alongside the path
• Plaza Roosevelt (650 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW) — New park place in the Roosevelt Park community in close proximity to Southwest Center Superior in partnership with the Michigan Office of Organic Assets
• Riverwalk (Blue Bridge to JW Marriott) — Proposed enhancements include a new river trail and water accessibility in partnership with the Downtown Progress Authority.
• Sullivan Discipline (650 Valley Ave. NW) — Enhancements will consist of upgrades to the baseball subject, grandstands and supporting facilities in partnership with Admirers of Valley Field.
• Veterans Park Developing (22 Sheldon Ave. NE) — Restoration of the historic constructing to be made use of for the Has Heart Coffee Store, which will provide a place for veterans to have therapeutic, innovative shops by operating with community artists. Do the job will be in partnership with Has Heart, the Downtown Progress Authority and other personal funders.

After these tasks are finish, the parks millage will have funded 116 total advancement initiatives within the Grand Rapids area. According to the city, the full millage expense considering that 2014 is above $42.5 million with much more than $30.6 million in added leveraged funding.

Going forward, future park improvements will coincide with the department’s 5-12 months strategic grasp program and priorities.

Further information is in this article.