On Oct. 3, HVAC renovations began at the Grand Rapids City Hall and Kent County Administration buildings, 300 Monroe Ave. NW. The $11 million project is expected to last through early 2020. Read more here.
On Oct. 4, the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) welcomed 14 new police officers to its ranks. All 14 recruits trained in-house at GRPD over the past two months. The 14 officers fill vacancies created due to retirements over the past six months. Read more here.
On Oct. 8, The City of Grand Rapids announced it had received the Michigan Green Communities Network’s highest honor — gold certification — for taking on a wide range of environmental sustainability projects in the Michigan Green Communities Challenge. Read more here.
On Oct. 9, the City of Grand Rapids swore in new City Manager Mark Washington. “I am eager to be a Grand Rapidian,” he said. “I look forward to spending time with the City Commission, City staff, partners and community stakeholders to listen to their ideas and concerns and dig deeper into the issues that are important to our city.”
On Oct. 11, The City of Grand Rapids celebrated grand reopening ceremonies at Mooney Park, 314 Logan St. SE; Cheseboro Park, 951 Merritt St. SE; and Ottawa Hills Park, 2060 Oakfield Ave. SE. The $765,000 construction project at Ottawa Hills Park includes a fully universally accessible playground with areas for older and younger children.
On Oct. 18, the Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority announced a grant application submission to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for a Brownfield site cleanup at 438 Stocking Ave. The site will be redeveloped as a BP/Meijer gas station adjacent to the Meijer’s Bridge Street Market. Read more here.
On Oct. 25 and Nov. 20, the Grand Rapids Police Department’s “Speed of Trust” initiative will pair off community members one-to-one with police officers for interactive trust-building sessions. Spots are available during morning, afternoon, and evening hours. To participate, residents and community stakeholders can email [email protected]. Read more here. In addition, GRPD has posted its Manual of Policy and Procedures online for the first time.
Residents voting via absentee ballot can stop by the Grand Rapids City Clerk’s office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as Thursday, Oct. 25 from 5 to 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 28 from 12 to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 30 from 5 to 7 p.m.; or Saturday, Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Absentee ballots are available at the City Clerk’s Office, 300 Monroe Ave. NW until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5. Read more here.
On Nov. 1 at St. Alphonsus Church, 224 Carrier St. NE, and Nov. 15 at Baxter Community, 935 Baxter St. SE, the City of Grand Rapids invites residents for an overview of the new residential rental application fees ordinance (part of its Housing NOW! initiative) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Learn more here.
On Nov. 1, seasonal odd-even and same-side parking restrictions begin in Grand Rapids. Streets with restrictions have parking signs posted. More information here.
Through Nov. 6, The Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department invites community members to enter its competition to redesign and modernize park entry signs across the city. The competition is open to everyone. Learn more here.
Photos courtesy City of Grand Rapids
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