Tag Archives: Ideal Park

In 2020, residents came together in a challenging year, according to Wyoming mayor

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Mayor Jack Poll gave his 12th State of the City address on Monday, Jan. 18, during the City Council meeting. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

If there was a word for 2020 it would be collaboration, said Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll as he presented his 12th State of the City address at the City Council’s Jan. 18 meeting.

Through the annual address, Poll reflects on the past year while taking a look at the future.

“We did not see 2020 coming,” Poll said. “No one did.”

But despite the challenges faced by many, the residents of the City of Wyoming came together to help each other. 

“Our community stepped up together,” he said. “I could spend an entire evening highlighting the ways in which we worked collaboratively to overcome challenges and create a brighter future for all who live, work and play here in Wyoming.”

As the state went into lockdown, businesses were forced to close their doors — some permanently — and employees who could worked remotely did. But cities like Wyoming, Poll noted, are not able to shutdown and the Wyoming City staff “without missing a beat” developed a response plan to ensure the safety of residents, business, and visitors. 

Due to social distancing, many activities did not take place and others were moved to virtual. More than 2,400 people participated in virtual programs, Poll said, adding that the Wyoming Senior Center staff has worked with Senior Meals on Wheels to prove more than 6,800 senior meals and in a drive-thru format for personal care items. 

Poll noted a number of other successes:

More than 78 percent of the residents self-responded to the U.S. Census, which was nearly a six percent increase over the 2010 U.S. Census. Through in-person follow-up, the city had a 100 percent participation once the 2020 U.S. Census was completed.

At the November presidential election, 65 percent of the registered voters in Wyoming cast ballots with more than half of these ballots being absentee. That is a 420 percent increase in absentee voting over the last presidential election. 

The city’s Department of Public Works added more than a mile of new waterman in two separate projects and repaired more than 40 waterman breaks including repairng a major water transmission line in just nine days so that more than 230,000 West Michigan residents could receive clean water.

One of the highlights for 2020 was the grand re-opening of Ideal Park. (WKTV)

In 2020, the city issued more than 580 building permits at a value of more than $105 million in construction.

The Wyoming Planning Commission reviewed more than 40 projects such as the new residential development with multiple buildings to businesses near Burlingame and 60th Street and another new resident developments that included the addition of single family, multi-family and dedicated senior living homes. 

Restoration of the Burlingame water tanks

More than 14 miles of streets were resurfaced.

The city celebrated the grand re-opening of Ideal Park and began construction work to improve Jackson Park.

The city invested more than $663,000 in Community Block Grant funding with more than $140,000 spent on housing rehabilitation programs and support services and $79,000 spent on additional public services to prevent homelessness.

The Wyoming Housing Commission participated in a venture with developers to help complete applications to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority which lead to the Housing Commission passing eight resolutions to help increase affordable housing options in Wyoming.

 

The Department of Public Safety assisted the City of Grand Rapids during several protests. The police responded to 28,500 calls for service and fire responded to about 6,500 calls for service in 2020. Public Safety also responded to 900 calls for confirmed or suspected cases of COVID.

As the city looks toward the future, Poll said the city will have to consider how to maintain its current financial stability.

 

“Today, our city is in a solid financial place, but we cannot rest on those laurels nor rely on this to continue to grow,” Poll said. “We have to anticipate our future growth and the corresponding future needs of our community.”

Wyoming must continue to address its community needs, such as the staffing of the Department of Public Safety which is understaffed compared to other similar sized communities, Poll said. 

“The council and I will be working with city staff to evaluate financial options we hope to bring to residents for review in the coming months,” Poll said.

The city expects to see more development of 28 West in 2021. (WKTV)

Poll said there are many exciting events set to take place in 2021:

The hiring of the city’s next deputy city manager

Working with local developers and continuing to identify the right tenant for the Site 36 property.

Additional retail development along 28 West as the city welcomes nearly 400 new residential units on the site for the former Studio 28

Approving the city’s new master plan

Continuing to work with the cities of Kentwood and Grand Rapids and The Rapid in the Division United study to help the growth of the Division Avenue corridor.

Poll encouraged residents to get involved and mentioned that there were openings on several of the city’s boards and commissions such as development, community enrichment and others. 

“Let’s make 2021 a year where we ll are commit to be involved and be informed,” Poll said. 

Redevelopment of Ferrand Park making an impression with Wyoming residents

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

For many driving on Byron Center Avenue pass Ferrand Park, their reaction might be very similar to that of the wife of Wyoming’s Council Member Kent Vanderwood.

 

“So my wife and I have lived in Wyoming for 13 years and my wife and I were driving by [Ferrand Park] recently and she said there’s a park in there,” Vanderwood said during an August Wyoming Council meeting.

 

Ferrand Park is one of the oldest city park areas in Wyoming having been donated by the Ferrand family and dedicated in 1971. However a deed restriction did not allow the city to remove any of the trees, with the city leaving the park in a natural state with a small playground area.

 

The ribbon cutting ceremony at the Ferrand Park rededication.

“So you see the beautiful trees?” said City Services Director Rebecca Rynbrandt. “We can not remove a tree unless it is in imminent risk to the public. So for years, we have to wait for them to die a little bit of their natural death allowing us to have space in the middle, which opened up for play.”

 

Now some 40 years later,  the city was able to invest more than $400,000 into the pocket park with money from the Parks and Recreation Fund and the Revolving Capital Improvement Fund. On Aug. 25, the city hosted a rededication.

 

“We are very excited to be rededicating Ferrand Park, one of our 21 parks in the city of Wyoming,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “We are excited for the major changes that have occurred in this park and we are most thankful for our citizens for once again supporting efforts in our parks that make them some of the most beautiful parks in all of West Michigan.”

 

The park features a number of new amenities such as a shelter, pathways into the park, architectural features that help to identify the park, and a new, expanded playground area. 

 

The new, expanded playground at Ferrand Park.

“I personally love the dragonfly teeter-totter ,” Rynbrandt said. “We try to make something special and unique for each park. 

 

“We also implemented the log and step rocks. We want this to be a marriage of the environment with the landscaping and then with the traditional land features. We added and expanded the playground that is available. There is climbing walls that they never had before. They have never had swing sets at this park, so we have provided an adaptive swing as well as a regular swing.”

 

Another important aspect is the accessible pathways into the park, Rynbrandt said.  

 

“We have an accessible ramp into the park,” she said. “We have a sidewalk area and we have a crush aggregate, so we also have different textures.”

 

There are other details as well such as a table area near the park with a handicap accessible spot facing the playground area, making it easier for all to enjoy the playground space.

 

All of these changes are making residents take notice of the neighborhood park. 

 

The butterfly teeter-totter at Ferrand Park.

“We have already seen an increase in dog-walkers, exercise walkers for health and wellness because now they know the park exists,” she said. “We put the architecture detail along the road of Byron Center so people are saying ‘hey what is there?’ 

 

“Before, the playground sat very low in the hollow in the area. So now people know there is a park and they are walking in, they have a safe route to access the playground and the shelter.

 

Now with Ferrand Park done, the City of Wyoming will turn its attention to its oldest park, Ideal Park, with work scheduled to start on that park soon and a grand reopening celebration set for 2019. 

A love for the programs encourages resident to serve on Parks and Recreation Commission

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Note: In this continuing series, we take a look at some of the 18 boards, commissions and committees that address specific needs within the City of the Wyoming. 

 

Every second Wednesday of the month (except for July and August), you’ll find Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams at Wyoming City Hall. A school psychologist for the Wyoming Public Schools. Cummings-Pulliams is at the city hall as a representative of the district on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.

 

She is not a resident of Wyoming, but lives in Kentwood. Since her daughter attends Wyoming Public Schools as part of schools of choice, they have participated in a number of Parks and Recreation programs and because of that, discovered she had an interest on serving on the Parks and Recreation Commission. Once she learned that the school district position was open, Cummings-Pulliams, along with a few others, applied for the open seat. 

 

Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams

“I put a plea into our superintendent to say ‘Hey, if anyone is as passionate as I am about this city and about the committee, then definitely put them in.’ and so I was picked,” she said.

 

It is an opportunity she has not regretted taking as it has given her an inside look as to what the Parks and Recreation Commission does and the work that goes into maintaining the city’s 21 parks along with the Wyomig Senior Center and library facility.

 

“When you go to the parks, at least when I do, I think that the parks are just there,” said Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams. “I never have ever considered what goes on behind the scenes to make the parks what they are.”

 

The Parks and Recreation Commission reviews recreational program and park needs of the community and advises the City Manager and City Council on recommended changes. The commission also plans and coordinates recreational activities and park development.

 

Ideal Park

Most recently, the Parks and Recreation Commission has been focused on Ideal Park because of the tornadoes that came through in 2014 and 2016, destroying a portion of the park, and the Gezon Park master plan.

 

There are currently two at large positions open on the commission. For those positions, a person must be a City of Wyoming resident. Because the area public schools play such a role in the parks — several schools are located close or next to a city park — the board has positions for the following schools within the City: Godwin, Godfrey-Lee, Kelloggsville, Wyoming and Grandville. Currently the Kelloggsville and Godfrey-Lee school positions are open. A person for those positions should be a school staff member. 

 

For more information about the city’s boards, commissions, and committees, click here. To apply, click here for the application, which must be sent to the City Clerk’s office, located in city hall at 1155 28th St. SW.

Wyoming City Council officially receives more than $500,000 for Ideal Park improvements

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Proposed restoration by P.M. Blough Incorporated.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

At its Monday night regular council meeting, the Wyoming City Council accepted more than a half a million dollars from the Department of Natural Resources Natural Resources Trust Fund.

 

The city first applied for the fund in March of 2016 with it taking about a year and half for the state to release the funding, said the city’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt at the Aug. 7 council meeting. Rynbrandt said the funds were officially released on July 14 when the Governor signed the authorization.

 

The grant, totaling $508,300, is a 63 percent match to the city’s $300,000. The total $808,300 along with an additional $68,150 for capital outlay will be used for improvements at Ideal Park, which was severely impacted by two tornados, one in 2014 and a second one in 2016. The 2014 tornado caused extensive damage which included the lost of the park’s playground, tennis and basketball courts and a majority of the trees.

 

The money will cover the first phase of reconstruction for the park, which is located at 5843 Crippen Ave SW. Included in the plan is the construction of a shelter, playground and basketball court, reforestation, traffic control improvements for vehicle and pedestrian safety, and non-motorized trail improvements including the establishment of a trail head and improved connection to the Inter-ubran trail and Kent County trail system.

 

Upgrading lights to LED

 

Also at the Aug. 7 council meeting, the City of Wyoming Council approved the expense of $253,000 to upgrade 1,081 Cobra Head street light fixtures from mercury vapor and high pressure sodium to LED.

 

The city actually has more than 4,422 existing Consumer Energy mercury-vapor and high-pressure-sodium street lights that the city is looking to upgrade to LED light fixtures. The main reason for this, according to a report from the city’s Director of Public Works William D. Dooley, is that it would reduce energy usage which is a benefit to the environment and a cost savings to the city.

 

Of the existing lights, most are the Cobra Head lights totaling about 3,391. The total cost to replace all the Cobra Head lights is about $1.4 million or an average of $410 per light. The new LED fixture will reduce the energy use by an estimated 64 percent and save Wyoming approximately $300,000 a year. According to Dooley’s report, the city would recoup the cost of the replacements in less than five years. The cost for upgrading these lights to LED reflects a large discount from Consumers Energy because the company can avoid its scheduled upgrade.

 

In April, the City Council had decided to move forward to upgrade the Cobra Head lights to LED fixtures. The replacement will be done in four phases. At the Monday night meeting, the council approved the expense for the first phase of about $253,000.

 

The first area to receive the upgrade will be the northwest section of the city, from about north of 36th Street and west of Burlingame Avenue.

 

The Wyoming City Council meets the first and third Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. The Aug. 21 meeting will be on the lawn at the Metro Health Village.  The meetings are broadcast live on WKTV Channel 26 and rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.

Kelloggsville students get a real ‘tree-t” on Arbor Day

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Fifty-four upper elementary students from Kelloggsville Public Schools traveled to Ideal Park on Arbor Day, April 28, to enjoy the outdoors and learn about the importance of planting more trees in our communities. The students have been working on a tree unit as part of their studies. Their Arbor Day experience brought their learning home – literally, as each went home with a blue spruce sapling to plant in their own yard.

 

To lend a celebratory tone, the Kelloggsville High School pep band played a collection of upbeat tunes, wrapping up with the Kelloggsville fight song.

 

The Arbor Day event was hosted by the City of Wyoming Tree Commission, “The Tree Amigos.” A former educator and Kelloggsville district resident, Wyoming Tree Commissioner Jim Ward, planned the event. Volunteer Gordy Rayburn donated the 60 saplings and gave the kids instructions on how to plant and care for them.

 

Founded as an official city commission in July 2016, The Tree Amigos are off to a good start. Through their efforts, the City of Wyoming was designated a Tree City USA on April 11. And, an April 20 proclamation and tree planting brought a new juneberry tree to City Hall, donated by DeHamer Brothers Landscaping and Garden Center. That makes 61 new trees for our communities.

 

The City of Wyoming Tree Commission meets at 12:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at City Hall. They are hoping many more volunteers will join them to improve Wyoming’s tree canopy – and its residents’ quality of life. For information, email TreeAmigosWyoming@gmail.com or like “The Tree Amigos” on Facebook.

Wyoming hosts last meeting on millage, KDL leader states he is comfortable with request

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On Saturday, April 29, the City of Wyoming will host the last of its three public information sessions on its request to open the city’s library maintenance fund for park improvements.

 

The meeting is at 10 a.m. at the KDL Wyoming Branch located at 3350 Michael Ave. SW. The discussion will center on the May 2 ballot proposal where voters are being asked to allow the city to utilize .16 of its .39 library maintenance millage to put toward some of the $23 million in park needs. The nearly $800,000 per year raised would be use to pay a 15-year bond of $4.4 million. The bond money would be dedicated for park improvements at Ideal, Jackson, Ferrand, and Gezon.

 

According to Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt, the mill levy for the average Wyoming homeowner would be less than $12 a year.

 

The library maintenance millage is only to maintain the actually facility, Rynbrandt said, adding that what many people do not realize is that the library building is owned by the City of Wyoming. Kent District Library operates the library services and owns the collection. Operations of the library and the collection are funded through a Kent District Library millage, which is a 1.28 mill levy, which covers all 18 branches within the KDL system.

 

The Kent District Library and the Kent District Library Board are neutral on the subject of Wyoming’s request to transfer some of its library maintenance millage for park improvements, however; KDL Director Lance M. Werner said he and Wyoming Branch Manager Lori Holland have had multiple talks with the city about the proposal and impact to the library.

 

“We have been repeatedly assured by the City that the Branch will be held harmless and will be supported at the same level it currently is in the future,” Werner said.

 

The city recently completed more than $650,000 in renovations to the library facility that includes a new roof and the revamping of the former cafe to a public space. Upon review, city staff determined that there would be no major renovation projects needed for the library facility within the next 10 years, Rynbrandt said.

 

Every five years, the City of Wyoming meets with residents and city staff to review needs at its parks. Through that process, the city has recognized more than $23 million in park improvements. In 1994, Wyoming residents did grant a park millage which for the past 20 years the city has been able to invest and maintain the parks without an increase, Rynbrandt said.

 

However, within four years the city has had several natural disasters — a 2013 flood, and 2014 and 2016 tornados — which has created a greater need, Rynbrandt said. Highlighting some of those needs is Ideal Park, one of the four parks that would receive funding through the millage proposal. Ideal Park was severally impacted from the 2014 tornado with its playground equipment destroyed. The city was able to remove much of the debris and get the park reopened only to have the 2016 tornado cause more damage.

 

Jackson Park also was impacted by the tornados but also has a need for better stormwater control along with improved security and safety. Ferrand Park is a small pocket park that has not have any major improvements in a number of years and Gezon Park is surrounded by intense residential growth with the central area of the park needing to be developed.

 

For more information about the proposal or any the parks, visit WYParks.com.

 

Wyoming seeks to open up library maintenance millage for park improvements

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , , , , , , , ,

 

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

With much of the necessary updates made to the City of Wyoming’s library building, Wyoming officials are now turning their attention to its parks by asking its voters to allow the city’s dedicated library maintenance millage to be opened up to make improvements at four of its parks.

 

The proposal will go before voters at the May 2 election. It is requesting that about .16 of the .39 library maintenance levy be used to help with park improvements. The nearly $800,000 per year raised would be used to pay a 15-year bond of $4.4 million. The bond money would be used for four parks: Ideal, Jackson, Ferrand, and Gezon.

 

“From a mill levy standpoint it is less than $12 a year,” said Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt. “So it is the average cost for a homeowner in the City of Wyoming less than one cup of coffee a month.”

 

The City of Wyoming’s request is not an increase to voters but would allow the city more flexibility in using the library maintenance funds for park improvements.

 

“By being creative, by being flexible, we can meet the needs of this community without having to ask voters for an increase in millage,” said Rynbrandt, who oversees the city’s Park and Recreation Department.

 

More than $650,000 in facility improvements have been made at the library, which is located at 3350 Michael Ave. SW. Those improvements have included a new roof and the conversion of the former library cafe into a public meeting space. The library is part of the Kent District Library system, which provides for all of the materials, books, CDs, etc. Those materials are covered by the KDL millage. The city’s library maintenance millage is only for the facility and would have no impact on the operation of the library, Rynbrandt said.

 

“So here we are at the point now where we are saying that we don’t need to make significant investment in library maintenance for the next ten years so we have a choice,” Rynbrandt said. “Can we ask the voters to recognize maintenance and capital needs in the park system and would they allow us the flexibility to use some of those library maintenance funds on park capital.”

 

Every five years, the City of Wyoming meets with residents and city staff to review needs at its parks. Through that process, the city has recognized more than $23 million in park improvements. In 1994, Wyoming residents did grant a park millage which for the past 20 years the city has been able to invest and maintain the parks without an increase, Rynbrandt said.

 

However, within four years the city has had several natural disasters — a 2013 flood, and 2014 and 2016 tornados — which has created a greater need, Rynbrandt said. Highlighting some of those needs is Ideal Park, one of the four parks that would receive funding through the millage proposal. Ideal Park was severally impacted from the 2014 tornado with its playground equipment destroyed. The city was able to remove much of the debris and get the park reopened only to have the 2016 tornado cause more damage.

 

Ideal Park was closed after the 2014 tornado caused serve damage, destroy the park’s playground.

Learning from those lessons, Rynbrandt said the city recognizes that it needs to improve the security at the park along with the entrances and exits. The city also would like to replace the playground equipment as well, she said.

 

Another park is Gezon Park, located between Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street, which has had tremendous residential growth around it. A site plan was developed for the park in 1996, which needs to be reviewed, Rynbrandt said since things have changed so much around the park.

 

“We didn’t have splash pads back then,” Rynbrandt said as example of some of the changes. The south and north ends of the park have been developed, but the center of the park remains mostly open with residents asking when will the development for that area begin.

 

Also on the list is Ferrand Park, a small pocket park located off of Byron Center, that serves a very dense residential area, Rynbrandt said. The park has not had any improvements or new equipment in a number of years.

 

Jackson Park is the last park on the list. Located at 1331 33rd St. SW, this park, which at one time had a swimming pool, is in an area that was once Lake Alexandria and floods frequently. One of the goals is to improve the stormwater control along with security and safety as well as put in a restroom and improve parking.

 

For more about the millage request and the four parks, visit wyparks.com or visit wyomingmi.gov and go to Parks and Recreation.

 

Grant helps Wyoming make improvements at Ideal Park

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , ,

Ideal Park was loved for its dense tree canopy now lost from the 2014 tornado.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

The City of Wyoming received a yearend bonus from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust this month when it was awarded a $300,000 grant to help rebuild Ideal Park.

 

Announced last week, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board’s recommendations totaled more than $47.6 million for projects in 2017. This included $19.9 million in recreational development and $27.7 million in land acquisition projects. Of the $19.9 million recreational development funds, the City of Wyoming received one of the largest grants of $300,000.

 

Ideal Park was reopened this past summer.

City officials had made it clear that the grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust was key in helping to rebuild the park which was devastated during a 2014 tornado wiping out the park’s playground, tennis and basketball courts and a majority of the trees.

 

“We are extremely excited that our City has been chosen by the state as a grant recipient for 2017,” said Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll. “The grant awarded by the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund will allow the City to continue restoring Ideal Park, which sustained tremendous damage after the (2014) EF-1 tornado touched down.

 

“There is still more work to be done, but the state grant allows us to tackle some of the most pressing issues.”

 

The city spent the next two years cleaning up the park, located at 5843 Crippen Ave. SW, and just reopened it this past summer. The park currently does not have any playground equipment or basketball or tennis courts.

 

One of the unique features of Ideal Park is that Buck Creek runs through the middle of the park..

Because of the amount of damage caused by the tornado, it gave city officials and residents a chance to review the current layout of Ideal Park and consider some improvements in access and safety, said Rebecca Rynbrandt, Wyoming’s director of community services.

 

“What the city had done in the past with Ideal Park was to maintain the historical heritage of the park for the community,” Rynbrandt said. In fact, Ideal Park pre-dates the City of Wyoming, having been created in the 1930s.

 

One of its natural features is that Buck Creek runs through the middle of the park with bridges providing access to most of the parks amenities such as the shelters and former playground area. This also created limited access for emergency personal and others if something should happen at the park, Rynbrandt said.

 

So the city began to look at ways to reconfigure access into the park with a new gateway from Crippen Street, a new drive from Crippen Street to east lot and a connector drive to Averill Avenue. Other improved security and access include a connector path from art deco bridge to the west lot, lighting in parking areas, a new west parking lot gate, new natural area between Park Drive and west lot, open play area with irrigation, basketball court, trailhead signage, a footpath trail to connect to existing pathway and interurban trail and a new creek overlook.

 

Playground areas within Ideal Park were destoryed by the 2014 tornado.

The $300,000 grant money will be combined with with about $508,000 the city has to move forward on the first phase for Ideal Park, Rynbrandt said. That includes developing construction drawings and hopefully going out for bids at the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018 with construction starting in 2018, she said.

 

The City of Wyoming has a  five-year parks plan which shows more than $26 million in capital need such as major maintenance and replacing of assets such as playgrounds, fencing and trail work. Among those capital improvements is funding the master plans for Ferrand, Oriole Phase II, Jackson and Gezon. In May, Wyoming will ask voters to allow City leadership to change the way dollars can be spent under the dedicated Library Maintenance millage to help with the capital improvements at the parks.

 

Two other Kent County municipalities received funding from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust, the City of Rockford for its Rogue River Nature Trail Phase IV, $150,000, and Algoma Township’s River’s Edge Park Development, $50,000. A total of 79 projects throughout Michigan received grants.

Wyoming marks the summer with the opening of Ideal Park

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, , , ,

It is probably fitting that the month of July is Parks and Recreation Month. It is the only full month of summer when the weather is nice enough to be outside and do something. And for many individuals, the best place and way to do that something is at a local park.

 

So in honor of July being Parks and Recreation Month, I decided —in a two-part series — to check out what is happening in both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood when it comes to parks and recreation.

 

This piece focuses on Wyoming. To check out the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department story, click here.

 

Now open: Wyoming's Ideal Park.
Now open: Wyoming’s Ideal Park.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

 

Besides the 28 West project finally moving forward this summer, the City of Wyoming had another big reason to celebrate the summer of 2016: Ideal Park reopened.

 

The park was one of the casualties of the tornado of 2014 with the city spending the past two years cleaning up the debris and replacing the trees.

 

“I know a lot about insurance and what it covers,” said Director of Community Serices Rebecca Rynbrandt with a little laugh. For example, insurance would help with the removal of the trees but not all of the debris and deadfall that was left. Also, the city had to fill in where the trees once stood.

 

“With 100-year-old trees they had pretty large bulbs which left large holes that had to be backfilled,” Rynbrandt said.

 

The cost for the tree removal was more than $500,000 and with like any budget, when something happens, you may have to shuffle a few things around, Rynbrandt said. So the city did a little rearranging of its almost $5 million parks and recreation budget, of which about $3 million comes from a 1.5 millage approved by Wyoming voters in the mid-1990s. The rest of the budget comes from grants at about $1.5 million and service and rental fees.

 

New trees to replace the ones taken down by the 2014 tornado at Ideal Park.
New trees to replace the ones taken down by the 2014 tornado at Ideal Park.

There is a lot left to do at Ideal Park — such as replacing the playground equipment, improve signage, adding a basketball court, establish a trailhead, and foliage and vegetation — which the city is hoping a $300,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund will help cover some of the costs.

 

But Ideal Park is open and it’s a nice way to mark the month of July, which happens to be Parks and Recreation Month.

 

The current American Parks and Recreation system actually dates back to the early 1900s, when a growing concern for leisure activities gave birth to the recreation movement which had four components: the adult education movement; the development of national, state, and municipal parks, the establishment of voluntary organizations and the playground movement. Around 1935, many states were passing laws allowing local municipalities to operate parks and recreation departments and by the early 1940s, organized recreation services were firmly established in American life.

 

Today, Parks and Recreation Departments, like those in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, offer a host of programs for all ages along with overseeing the care and maintenance of its parks.

 

The city of Wyoming has 21 parks totaling about 700 acres and a vast majority of the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget goes for the care and maintenance of those parks such as resurfacing projects, new fencing and tree replacement. It may not be as noticeable as new playground equipment other amenities, but such general maintenance is important in keeping the parks safe and vital for the community.

 

“If you are on the Wyoming Public Schools tennis team, you are going to notice the tennis courts have been resurfaced,” Rynbrandt said. “Someone who uses the baseball field 8 at Pinery Park is going to notice the new backstop and if you are a passionate dog owner, you are going to notice the new canine castle at the dog park.

 

Along with the resurfacing and redevelopment projects at Pinery, Lamar, Lemery, and Jackson, the 30-year-old exercise equipment at Pinery Park was replaced this year.

 

One of the bridges at Ideal Park.
One of the bridges at Ideal Park.

But the parks are only one component of what the Parks and Recreation Department handles. The Department oversees the Wyoming Senior Center, which received security upgrades along with a new front entrance. The Department also provides support for special events such as the Concerts in the Park series run by the Wyoming Community Enrichment Program as well as community programs, such as the Pumpkin Patch and T.E.A.M. 21 Fun Run, and athletic programs such as the football program formerly run by the South Kent Recreation Association (SKRA).

 

And another of its biggest projects for the summer is the renovation of the Wyoming Library facility, which the city owns the building and Kent District Library owns the collection. The $800,000 project includes resurfacing the parking lot, new carpet and furniture and converting the former Book Warm Cafe into a new multipurpose area for meetings and other activities.

 

There is more on the horizon, Rynbrandt said. The city’s five-year parks plan shows more than $26 million in capital need, which includes major maintenance and replacing of assets such as playgrounds, fencing and trail work. Among those capital improvements is funding the master plans for Ferrand, Oriole Phase II, Jackson and Gezon.

Tornado forever changes Wyoming’s Ideal Park

Upcoming Events, Weather, ,

Ideal Park TornadoThe City of Wyoming has owned & operated Ideal Park, 5843 Crippen Avenue SW, since 1938. On July 6, 2014, the park was significantly changed when a tornado destroyed the playgrounds and most of the trees, changing the character of the park so that a new development plan is necessary to guide investment priorities.

Ideal Park Tornado

The tornado’s destruction, coupled with regular flooding from Buck Creek has also resulted in the need to renovate the parking lot, basketball and tennis courts. All combined, this requires us to evaluate the park’s design, facilities, and functional relationships related to your family’s interests, community programming needs, and general public uses.

 

Your input is actively sought and greatly desired.

 

Please join the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department and our consultant P.M. Blough, Inc. to share your ideas and opinions on the park and its future redevelopment:

 

When: TUESDAY DECEMBER 2, 2014 6:30 pm

 

Where: IDEAL PARK CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH ACTIVITY CENTER 320 56TH ST SW Wyoming, MI 49548

Ideal Park Tornado

 

Residents, business owners, school representatives – everyone who has an interest in Ideal Park’s use and development is strongly encouraged to attend this meeting. If you are unable to attend, written comments may be submitted to the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at P.O. Box 905, 1155 – 28th St. SW, Wyoming, MI 49509 or may be emailed to parks_info@wyomingmi.gov.

 

On behalf of the City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission, thank you for helping make our community a wonderful place to live, work, and play.