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Parks millage update: $43M leveraged, Canal Park and MLK Lodge move toward construction
Summary
Parks staff told commissioners the city's evergreen parks millage has leveraged more than $43 million in public and private investment. Highlights: Canal Park will go to bid in spring; Oxford Trail and Silver/Plaster Creek planning funded; work on the Martin Luther King Jr. Park Lodge has broken ground with phased openings planned for 2025–2026.
City parks officials presented the annual parks millage update and a multi-year project pipeline that city staff and community partners say have leveraged more than $43 million in combined public and private funds.
Staff described the evergreen millage (reapproved in 2019) as providing roughly $7 million a year that supports capital projects, pool operations, park maintenance and recreation programming. That financing, plus an $11 million bond issuance and private grants, has been used to accelerate completed and upcoming projects.
Highlighted projects:
- Canal Park: planning and design complete; construction will be bid this week for a spring 2025 start, focused on river access, play space and terrace seating.
- Oxford Trail: a $9 million phase (with $8 million from Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. and $1 million in ARPA) will extend and reconstruct trail segments, add new access points, a linear park and restrooms; work is scheduled to begin in spring and complete by the end of 2026.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Park Lodge: ground has been broken for a new 25,000-square-foot lodge, a new pool house, a $1 million playground and reconstructed parking. Project phasing anticipates pool locker rooms ready for the 2025 season, playground open fall 2025, and lodge opening in late 2025/early 2026. "This lodge building is the first of its kind in our park system," project staff said.
Staff emphasized strong community engagement: neighborhood leaders, bilingual outreach (English/Spanish) and a neighborhood-leaders model that guided design and community-build elements for several projects.
Philanthropy and partnerships: Staff accepted a $50,000 donation from the Mitten Foundation for Richmond Park’s 'Fund For All' universal playground project. Julie Green of the Mitten Foundation said collaboration with Parks staff made the donation and the project work smoothly.
What’s next: construction procurement for Canal Park and continued fundraising and design work for Sullivan Field and other projects; parks staff will return with regular updates as projects move to construction.
