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7 Green Spaces You Should Know in East Hills GR

This dispatch was added by one of our Nonprofit Neighbors. It does not represent the editorial voice of The Rapidian or Community Media Center.

East Hills Greenspaces are a valued part of our neighborhood and the heart of our community.

Donations & Volunteers Appreciated

If you are interested in donating or volunteering with East Hills Green Spaces please email [email protected]

The East Hills Neighborhood will have verdant and vibrant parks and green spaces that are widely accessible to the entire community and well connected to the neighborhood. These parks will be well designed with robust year-round programming, effectively making the neighborhood and its open spaces a “four-season community”

1. Wealthy Heights Community Garden

2. Congress Elementary School Community Garden

3. Cherry Park

4. Charles St. and Wealthy Lot

5. Former Project Rehab Lot 

6. Wealthy Heights Visser Place and Wealthy St. (Former Fish Park)

7. Fairmount Square Green

The East Hills Neighborhood will have verdant and vibrant parks and green spaces that are widely accessible to the entire community and well connected to the neighborhood. These parks will be well designed with robust year-round programming, effectively making the neighborhood and its open spaces a “four-season community”.

The Neighborhood Parks and Green Spaces Strategy includes the following elements: Put People FIRST: In decision-making related to parks programming, design of parks, and accessibility of open spaces, the voices and values of neighborhood residents and the people who use the parks should be given primary consideration.

Create a 4 SEASON community : Increase active and passive recreation opportunities in all East Hills parks and open spaces through high quality design and effective programming.

Increase the QUALITY of Parks: Collaborate with City staff, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to improve existing park assets, including water resources, playground equipment, courts, paths, lighting and other park infrastructure.

Increase the QUANTITY of Parks: Collaborate with City staff, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, property owners, and the local business community to seek opportunities for new park and open space locations that strategically position the new assets in places where the neighborhood has park deficits. Refer to the Map on page 18 to determine where the most appropriate locations are for new parks that may best serve areas with a parks deficit.

ACTIVATE Congress School Park: Collaborate with the Grand Rapids Public Schools to find solutions that allow Congress School Park to be used by the entire community.

ADDRESS Neighborhood Parks Deficit: Refer to the City of Grand Rapids Green Grand Rapids Master Plan and the Map on page 18 to determine where the most appropriate locations are for new parks that may best serve areas with a parks deficit.

Plant MORE TREES and Cultivate HEALTHIER TREES: Increase tree canopy in parks, parkways, open spaces, and on private property. Seek solutions to ensure the long term health and maintenance of both existing and new trees within the neighborhood. Encourage tree planting on private property to help Grand Rapids meet its canopy goals.

De-Pave to INCREASE Green Space: Increase the amount of neighborhood greenspace by removing pavement and eliminating surface parking lots. Create “DO IT TOGETHER” Opportunities: Continue and expand “Do-It-Together” projects, such as the community garden at Congress School Park, that promote and enhance a wide variety of uses within the existing park assets of the community.

If you are interested in donating to our East Hills Green Spaces please email [email protected]

 

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