Nestled next to East Grand Rapids, near the Ottawa Hills and Mulick Park regions of Grand Rapids, this vibrant bedroom community of families and professionals has a lot to love. Originally part of the ‘Paris Township’ in Kent County, the Eastgate neighborhood bordered the boundaries of Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapids. With farms dotting the landscape, it remained largely rural into the late 1950’s. In the early 1960’s the cities of Grand Rapids and Kentwood annexed the remaining areas of ‘Paris Township’, and the Eastgate Neighborhood was formed as part of the city Grand Rapids. The community flourished with a variety of homes, churches, and winding streets after World War II. The changes that this community has undergone is visible in the vast architectural variety in the neighborhood. Houses continued to be built and remodeled, with a mix of original farmhouses, “saltboxes,” mid-century modern houses, and contemporary houses of today scattered throughout.
The Eastgate Neighborhood Association (ENA) works hard to create open dialog in the neighborhood and provide fun, family-friendly events. ENA's recent July board meeting focused on planning this summer's biggest events. The calendar is already packed:
- Saturday, August 9 - Dumpster Day. Cart, pull or drag your junk over to Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church where they will open up their dumpster for you to trash it, free of charge (see list of allowable items as well as prohibited hazardous waste at the ENA website).
- Wednesday, August 13 - Kids Night Out at Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church. A bounce house, free dinner, carnival games and prizes will let kids go crazy for this fun-filled night focused around them.
- Thursday, August 14 - Neighborhood Pig Roast at Beacon Hill at Eastgate. Save your appetite for the annual tradition.
- Saturday, August 16 - Hot Dog/Bike Repair Day. Coast over to Eastminster Presbyterian Church to grab a hot dog and get your bike tuned up for more summer rides.
- Monday nights: On-going - Zumba classes. Shimmy and shake your way to a better bod by joining the Monday night Zumba classes at Eastminster Presbyterian Church. It’s free and starts at 7pm.
The residents of Eastgate will soon have a few more area businesses as nearby Breton Village Mall expands to include several retail stores including Lu-Lulemon Athletica and Hot Mama. Also the retirement facility, Beacon Hill at Eastgate, is expanding as it has reached capacity. Formally Michigan Christian Home, this a long time pillar in the community contributes to the vitality of the neighborhood with its presence. After all the delicious food Beacon Hill at Eastgate serves up at the Pig Roast, they will host the neighborhood Eastgate 5k in September to help everyone stay healthy and active.
As if there isn't enough to do, if you are a member of the Eastgate community and wish to host a neighborhood block party, the association will reimburse you for up to $75! Simply apply for a permit through the city to host the block party and submit your receipts to the Eastgate Neighborhood Association (Contact the ENA for additional details).
Learn more about your Eastgate community by joining the Eastgate Neighborhood Association. Volunteers are always needed for events as well and will prove to be a great way to meet the people living in your area. Learn how you can get involved by going to the ENA website.
*Please note that address verification may be required to participate in some neighborhood events.
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