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Battle Creek planning group advances Kalamazoo River naturalization project, applies for education grant
Summary
Battle Creek Unlimited and city staff described property remediation downtown, a public-private partnership to add riverfront properties to the river portfolio and a grant application to fund river signage, ADA-access boat launches and youth programming.
Battle Creek Unlimited and City of Battle Creek staff told the Sustainable BC Committee on April 28 that progress on a downtown riverfront parcel and a pending grant application could lead to new river-access and education programs.
Chris Martin, an urban planner with Battle Creek Unlimited, said demolition is complete at the former Graphics Packaging site and environmental remediation and green-space work are underway. “That'll be huge. That'll come within the River portfolio after that's fully assessed and we do our environmental due diligence,” Martin said, describing a public-private transaction that placed the site on the radar for river improvements.
Martin said Battle Creek Unlimited and the city recently applied for a Kalamazoo River watershed education grant through the Minneapolis Foundation in partnership with the Kalamazoo River Watershed Council. The proposed work — if awarded — would fund two summers of programming, river and dam-safety signage (including low-head-dam warnings at sites such as Verona Dam), wayfinding signs, and attention to universal design such as an ADA-accessible boat launch. He also said part of the award could fund strategic property acquisition and youth-focused paddling and fishing outreach, with kayaks and partner programming facilitated by local small-business development and the Downtown Development Authority.
Martin said the grant application did not require a local match. He described the application as a mix of community engagement, infrastructure improvements and property-focused work; the city expects to learn of awards in about two months. Martin also said the project team seeks to build community familiarity with river resources as the larger naturalization effort continues.
Committee members discussed community engagement and outreach; staff said they would follow up with more materials and with a podcast resource highlighting prior youth programs run by partners.
