The Kalamazoo City Commission voted Dec. 1 to approve a $2,500,000 contract with Hurley & Stewart to design phases of Arcadia (spelled 'Acadia' in the staff report) Creek improvements from Kalamazoo Avenue west to Oliver. City staff said the work is funded through a federal PROTECT grant to improve flood conveyance and connect nonmotorized pathways between Western Michigan University and downtown.

Director Baker described the project as a decades‑long effort to increase channel capacity where an existing culvert under the Allen Platt neighborhood is “approximately 12 times too small” to handle flood flows. Baker said the Arena Project previously contributed about $7 million toward phase‑0 work that made earlier improvements possible but emphasized the city is not funding the private arena project itself.

Residents and neighborhood representatives described recurring flooding in the Stewart neighborhood, noted Academy Street has been closed by a collapsed culvert and supported the design work as a step toward reopening streets and reducing flood insurance burdens. Dr. Stephens, a homeowner in the Stewart neighborhood, said the project should create a more natural creek corridor and reduce localized flooding in front of his house.

Commissioner Hess moved approval of the contract; Commissioner Wilson supported the motion. The commission recorded a unanimous roll‑call vote in favor of the contract.

Next steps: staff will proceed with design work under the grant, coordinate regulatory approvals, and return to the commission with construction‑phase proposals and schedule.