The Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board was told on Jan. 14 that the city has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for the Booth Park entry plaza and trail improvements, and that certain grant requirements and permitting will shape what the fund will cover.

"Exciting about the grant — $400,000 grant," said a staff presenter at the meeting, and staff later identified the state DNR as the funding source. Carrie Laird, parks and recreation manager, said staff will meet with the grant coordinator to review the project scope and to register the architect in the state's documentation software so the city can submit required paperwork and pay items for state review.

Laird told the board the grant will require the city to post an on‑site placard acknowledging DNR funding and that the state will specify which contract line items it will reimburse. She said the DNR will not typically pay for movable chairs but will fund fixed items such as picnic tables and that the city must clearly separate grant‑eligible pay items from noneligible items in the contract documents.

Staff said the grant triggered an additional permit related to a small fishing outlook adjacent to the river but that the permit is not expected to add materially to the construction timeline. Because of the grant process and anticipated review time, staff said the project will likely be deferred into the 2025–26 fiscal year; staff estimated it would take a minimum of six months to reach the state agreement stage.

Board members discussed the grant’s potential as a fundraising catalyst: additional time might be used to solicit private donations to reduce municipal bond burden. Staff said some architect fees not originally scoped for the grant will be added to prepare required documentation, but the $400,000 award should more than offset those additional professional fees.

Next steps: staff will complete the DNR agreement process, register the architect with state systems, finalize pay items that the DNR will fund, and incorporate the permitting needs for the river outlook into the bid package.

(There was no formal board vote on the Booth Park grant at the Jan. 14 meeting; City Commission action was referenced as the relevant next step for approvals.)