In celebration of the recent completion of $2.5 million in renovations to four Grand Rapids parks, city commissioners and officials, park contractors, neighborhood leaders, and students from Sibley and Mulick elementary schools will gather today, Thursday, Nov. 3, for a grand reopening tour of the revamped green spaces.
Starting with Douglas Park at 301 Lexington Ave. at 9:15 am, the tour — which is also open to the larger public — will then caravan to Dickinson Park (1640 Willard) at 10 am, Mulick Park (1632 Sylvan) at 11 am, and finish the tour with Camelot Park (2230 Rowland SE) at 11:45 am. The tour will stop to explore and check out new features at each park.
“It’s wide open to the public, and there will be a number of school children attending the Douglas and Dickinson Park tours,” says David Marquardt, director of Grand Rapids’ Parks and Recreation Department. “The schools were really gracious and good about working with us to bring some kids to this grand opening and be part of the excitement.”
Among the new park features include new picnic shelters, restroom facility improvements, playground enhancements, new walking paths, new landscaping, ball field upgrades and new site furnishings, including benches, bike loops, drinking fountains, and trash cans.
Funding for the $2.5 million renovations was made possible by the
2013 Yes! GR Parks millage, which was approved by 60 percent of voters and generates about $3.8 million annually for park improvements.
A number of renovations on other public parks, including Cherry and Wilcox parks, have already been completed and include water fixtures like splash pads, to boot.
“All of this results from the 2013 citizen passed and approved tax millages for the parks,” Marquardt says. “ It’s the whole reason we’re here now, and it’s the community input that brings forth all the ideas we’re unveiling during this next round of park openings.”
For more information, visit the
Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation department online or find them
here on Facebook.
Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation
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