City staff told commissioners that East Grand Rapids has been recommended for grant funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund 'Grama' Program to support Waterfront Park Phase 2.

The staff presentation (Mr. Melville) described the award as covering major scope items that will be refined during community engagement and final design. Scope items listed in the memo include trail and boardwalk elements, parking lot expansion, environmental education features and wetland/woodland restoration. Staff said the Land and Water Conservation Fund award could be up to $500,000; because the program is reimbursement‑based, the grant typically matches local spending dollar‑for‑dollar up to the award amount. Mr. Melville said the project estimate is near $1 million and that a project agreement is anticipated in the summer, with potential construction beginning in 2027 depending on DNR and Kent County reviews.

Commissioners asked about playground elements and whether those could be included. Staff replied that playground equipment was not part of the grant scoring and therefore was not included in the submitted grant scope, but that playgrounds could be considered in the community engagement and final design phases; any playground added outside the grant scope would not be reimbursed by the grant.

Parking and master planning: Commissioners raised concerns about balancing expanded parking with preserving parkland and leveraging shared parking (for example DPW or other nearby municipal lots). Staff said the grant scope language was intentionally flexible while a final design is developed and that they could consult with DNR about scope changes if needed, noting that changes that would have affected the grant score could be more difficult to negotiate.

Timeline and next steps: staff said they will draft an RFP for consulting services to lead community engagement and finalize design; that RFP work will resume after the holiday season and could lead to consultant selection in 2026 and potential bidding later in 2026, with construction possibly in 2027. Staff also noted that federal and county review steps remain.

Public comment: resident Nancy Patterson said she first learned of the grant on social media, asked for more transparency and asked whether parking areas could be sited in wetlands; she urged robust public engagement as the project moves forward.

The briefing was informational; the Commission did not take a formal vote on the grant award at this meeting.