By K.D. Norris
The City of Kentwood announced last week that it is seeking community volunteers to join its new Kentwood Park Stewards program, but that is just one of several big things happening in the city as it has also recently announced it will put free public Wi-Fi zones around the city and it has opened a second Little Free Pantry.
With so much happening, WKTV Journal In Focus decided to go to the top to get to the bottom of it all, so we invited Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley into our studio for a little talk.
In a quick 10-minute sit-down, we discussed the city working with the Kent County to provide free internet access to the community after setting up Wi-Fi service available at 13 locations including the city’s main campus as well as in city parks. We also talked about the importance of community involvement, past and future in protecting the city’s parks through the new Kentwood Park Stewards program, as well the launch of the city’s second Little Free Pantry.
WKTV previously also helped the City of Kentwood and Kent Conservation District’s Invasive Species Strike Team produce a video about how to identify and manage oriental bittersweet, an aggressive invasive species causing damage to trees in the Kentwood parks system and other communities. The problem is one of the efforts the new Park Stewards program will assist with.
Details of Kentwood Park Stewards program
The Kentwood Park Stewards is a new environmentally focused program created by the City of Kentwood and designed to engage residents in monthly activities involving invasive species control, native habitat restoration and park beautification to help preserve and maintain neighborhood parks, trails and public spaces.
According to supplied material, as a park steward, community volunteers will participate in hands-on workdays, educational workshops and other activities, such as cutting invasive vines, pulling invasive garlic mustard and planting native plants. The program also encourages neighbor-led cleanups, adopt-a-park projects and other park maintenance efforts.
“The Kentwood Park Stewards program strengthens the relationship between residents and their neighborhood parks while creating lasting benefits to the environment,” Kristina Colby, recreation program coordinator with the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, said in supplied material. “Opportunities for residents to get involved and care for their neighborhood parks helps foster a greater sense of community pride in our park system. The contributions of our Kentwood Park Stewards will support the natural beauty and appeal of our parks today and for future generations.”
The new program expands on several invasive species control trainings and workdays the city began offering last fall through a partnership with the Kent Conservation District Invasive Species Strike Team.
Since launching Kentwood Park Stewards earlier this year, Kentwood has joined the West Michigan Conservation Network and collaborated with the Kent County Parks, Rotary Club, Plaster Creek Stewards and gardening clubs, among others.
Those who are interested in signing up to join Kentwood Parks Stewards may complete a volunteer form online or contact the Parks and Recreation Department at eRecreation@kentwood.us or 616-656-5270. More information about the program is available at kentwood.us/ParkStewards.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
