By Rebekah Sanford, freelance writer, member of the Uptown GR Marketing Committee
On November 5, Grand Rapidians donned their cold-weather gear, shuffled around the city to their respective polling locations and voted yes to adopt a permanent tax for the purpose of improving and maintaining city parks, pools, and playgrounds. This will perpetually provide a budget for improvements in our city parks!
So, what does this mean for the Uptown Grand Rapids neighborhoods?
In short, even more of the updates that have been underway across all the neighborhoods we know and love in GR will continue to come to fruition.
The renovations at Cherry Park began in 2013 when East Hills Council of Neighbors facilitated a comprehensive public space strategy that included input from neighbors and surrounding businesses. Phase 1 of the plan included demolition of the wading pool and creation of the splash pad, staging area and plaza with picnic tables. Furthermore, neighbors provided feedback on the former 20-foot fence that ran along Diamond saying it was an eyesore and sent the wrong message about safety and inclusivity. Since then, it has been replaced with a lower, black fence that provides a safe barrier between children at play and the street, with an understated, more suitable aesthetic. These updates have provided a beautiful, more accessible place to play for youth of all ages and this was only phase 1!
This strategy has continued and been made possible by Uptown Grand Rapids’ contribution of $12,500 for funding phase two of the fence (a matching fence running along Cherry St.). As mayor Rosalynn Bliss stated in a recent interview with Mlive, “The bottom line is we’ve heard from a lot of folks in this community that parks are a priority to them.” Uptown is both excited and proud to have partnered with and supported this communal interest in the parks, finding this project at the intersection of neighborhood needs and Uptown Grand Rapids Inc.’s mission. Their mission being: bringing together people, partnerships and possibilities to sustain a strong and vibrant urban district through planning, coordinating and communication with and between all sectors of the Uptown community and beyond. Uptown Grand Rapids Inc. believes this will result in a more welcoming district that most accurately reflects the residents and continue the aesthetic that residents worked, planned and hoped for with phase 1.
As a former board member and Chair of our Green Spaces Committee, Charlotte Amberger articulates “We love the fence. It’s like a neighborhood dream come true… It shows what can be done when we all work together for the greater good. Cherry Park really is the heart and soul of our neighborhood.”
Uptown is thrilled to see what is next for Cherry Park and East Hills. If you want a voice or a role in what happens next, connect with Uptown and make an impact in the place that you love.