By Cris Greer
Managing Editor
Wyoming-Kentwood News Today
greer@wktv.org

Way back in 2003 as a city engineer, Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley was impressed with an architectural rendering that he found in a closet.

“This was the the first time I knew that the Kentwood Leadership wanted a space like this at this location,” said Kepley, in his fourth term. “I remember seeing this building on this site, and I knew, ‘Wow, they’re looking way into the future because they don’t even own the land to build this building.'” 

Kepley addressed local media Friday morning during a sneak-peek tour of the new Kentwood Community Center (located at 4755 Walma Ave. SE, Kentwood), which officially opens on Oct. 5, but will hold a Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“So, 23 years later, we’re here, we’re standing in this place that will encourage our residents to strengthen their body, learn new skills, survive the cold months, with lots of natural light and positive physical things to do while having fun with friends and meeting new ones.”

Kepley said the large-scale project officially began in 2017, when the City turned 50, after asking and listening to “all his bosses,” the Kentwood residents. He asked them what they wanted to see Kentwood look like in the next 50 years.

“We did a reach out with surveys and had gatherings of community involvement, and got a lot of feedback,” Kepley explained. “And what came was a list, which I affectionately call my honey-do list. The list contained items like the Farmer’s Market, an expanded trail system, improved parks, and most importantly, a centralized Community Center. Items like the Farmer’s Market, we were able to knock out pretty quick, but others like the Community Center, that had a rather large price tag, it’s gonna take some time to bring it to fruition.

“We hired a consultant, and they created a Master Plan for our Parks and Rec, and programs that would address most of the items on the honey-do list.”

At first, north of $50 million

At the time, Kepley said the cost of implementing the list was north of $50 million, but today, that number was really closer to $70 or 75 million.

“At the time, we did not have the $50 million to do this, but most importantly, we were not going to build a nice and shiny thing that we couldn’t maintain,” Kepley said. “I mean, how many times have you gone into the city or places where they have a bright, shiny thing, and all of a sudden, three years later, it is not good. Things are broken. They didn’t think about sustainability.

“It was about building quality, but operating at excellent levels, but most importantly, sustain the new and shiny infrastructure for generations to come. We did not have the resources to build and to sustain the desired new infrastructure that our residents wanted.” 

Kepley said they took the Parks and Rec honey-do list before the voters and got it approved.

Ended up at $30 million

“To pay for the Community Center, which cost nearly $30 million, the City did use some of the millage dollars, general fund dollars, a lot of savings, and donations from the generous community, and $9 million, the proceeds from a new municipal bond,” Kepley said. “We wanted to make sure this building is affordable and attainable for as many people as possible. All this helps to ensure that Kentwood residents can experience this beautiful space today, and most importantly for generations to come.

“I’m extremely excited. I think we nailed it, and it shows, it shows the quality and the care.”

Kentwood Community Center Fact Sheet

*67,500 Square Feet
*$30 Million Price Tag
*Offers Everything From fitness and sports to dining, events, enrichment and everyday opportunities to connect
*3 Full Basketball Courts in the main gymnasium (20,828 square feet), 16 basketball hoops.
*Gym Options: Can be configured with three volleyball courts or nine pickleball courts.
*Maple Gym Floor: Uses the same flooring system used for the NCAA Final Four and was manufactured in the Upper Peninsula.
*Elevated Indoor Walking Track: 8 laps = 1 mile
*Fitness Center: (4,407 square feet) Features cardio, strength and conditioning, free weights and accessible equipment for a variety of ages, abilities and fitness levels.
*Multi-Sport and Golf Simulator: Play virtual golf courses and a variety of interactive sports and games year-round. Reserve for an hourly fee.
*The Bistro: Freshly prepared and grab-and-go food, smoothies, specialty coffee, snacks, beer, wine and more. Open to members and non-members.
*Child Watch: A safe, welcoming space for children ages 3-10 while parents and guardians enjoy the Community Center. Available to members and day pass holders. $4 an hour per child, 10 hours for $30
*The Grove: A flexible 55X75 foot event venue for up to 175 guests for weddings, corporate events, birthdays and other celebrations.

Membership INFO
Memberships are available to Kentwood residents and non-residents, with discounted rate for residents and options for individuals, couples, seniors, households and teens. Resident memberships start at $30 per month. Day passes also are available for visitors who want to experience the facility without an ongoing membership.

Membership Includes:
*Fitness Center
*Walking Track
*Drop-In Sports
*Member Discounts

For more information, call 616-656-5279 or CLICK HERE

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