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Council approves Kennedy Park grant, OKs Spindler Park grant with $350,400 local match
Summary
City council accepted a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for Kennedy Park and approved a separate DNR/MNRTF award for Spindler Park that requires a $350,400 local match; council discussed accessibility, lighting and project scope.
The Eastpointe City Council voted to accept state park grants for two local parks on Tuesday, approving funding for Kennedy Park and agreeing to accept a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for Spindler Park while authorizing required matching funds.
A motion to accept the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for improvements to Kennedy Park passed on roll call. Council then discussed a second grant for Spindler Park, which staff said will fund walking-trail improvements, solar lighting and accessibility upgrades to address Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) concerns at the city’s most-visited park.
Interim staff described Spindler Park as “our largest park and most visited” and noted it scored lowest on ADA accessibility in a recent assessment. The administration said it applied for DNR funding after support from SEMCOG representatives and that the Spindler project reflects Justice40 considerations for historically underinvested communities. Staff recommended accepting the DNR award and allocating matching funds totaling about $350,400 to complete the improvements.
Council debated packet clarity and previous agenda materials; staff said some packet pages came from earlier meetings and that the Parks Commission had been involved in selecting preferred options. After discussion, a motion to accept the Spindler Park grant and allocate the $350,400 match carried on roll call (one councilmember recorded a no vote during the roll call), and staff were authorized to execute necessary documents.
Parks Commission Chair Gary Sasek later addressed the council during public comment to thank the council for moving forward with Kennedy Park and to urge the council to accept Spindler funding as well.
Council members asked staff to provide timelines and specifics on what the match would fund, and administration said it would provide additional details as the projects proceed to contracting and design.
