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Park board recommends naming new North End Park pavilion "North End 3" and applying standard rental fees
Summary
The Park and Recreation Board recommended the name "North End 3" for the new pavilion and voted to apply the same rental rate and availability as other city pavilions. Board members asked staff to monitor usage for potential conflicts with disc-golf and trail users and to consider basket placement and master-plan changes for Hemlock Park.
The Big Rapids Park and Recreation Board recommended that the city commission formalize the name of the new North End Park pavilion as "North End 3" and set the pavilion’s rental rate and availability to match other city pavilions.
Parks staff said the pavilion — located near the entrance of North End Park adjacent to the disc-golf course and the splash pad — is nearing completion and that naming the facility "North End 3" would align it with existing naming conventions such as North End 1 and North End 2. "My recommendation is to name this pavilion number three," a parks staff member said.
Members discussed demand and possible conflicts. Board members reported that reservations for pavilions are already booking heavily for June–September with the splash pad drawing more users, and they urged staff to monitor pavilion usage over the coming season. Several members noted the pavilion was built with taxpayer dollars and suggested treating it like other public rental facilities; one member said, "To not acknowledge that it's a public facility for anybody to utilize would be a disservice."
The board debated potential conflicts with disc golf — including parking pressure and proximity of practice baskets — and offered mitigation ideas such as avoiding basket placement too close to the pavilion and adjusting parking or basket locations if monitoring shows conflicts.
A board member moved that the board recommend naming the pavilion "North End 3" and setting the rental policy to match other pavilions; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The board also discussed capturing a request for an additional pavilion near Hemlock Park in the ongoing park master-plan update to improve grant-readiness for future construction.
Staff and members agreed to revisit any operational conflicts at the end of the season after collecting usage data.
