By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

A pool. A splash pad. An ice rink. Heated shelters. Expand the community garden. Expand the dog park. Add more soccer fields.

These were just some of the ideas that area residents and community members offered when asked what they wanted to see at Marquette Park. The City of Wyoming hosted two meetings this week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the goal of getting input from residents and stakeholders for a new master plan for the park.

“This is the time to dream big,” said Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt to those in attendance. “If the sky was limit, what would you want to see at Marquette Park?”

Rynbrandt said all of the suggestions from the meetings are added to the Marquette Park survey input with the ideas being mentioned the most considered for the park. Not every idea will be possible, she noted. For example, putting a pool at Marquette Park would be difficult as the park is in a flood zone, restricting what can be built. Also, the park has a former gypsum mine on it which does not provide the stability that a pool facility would require.

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But the pool suggestion still has potential if residents really want it as the city owns 21 parks with one possibility being able to accommodate a pool or community center. In fact, Rynbrandt mentioned that at Lamar Park, land has been set aside for a possible community center.

The meetings were focused on the desires and wishes for Marquette Park, with those in attendance offering a number of suggestions.

At Tuesday’s meeting, there was some focus on the community garden at the park, which is a cooperative between the United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM), University of Michigan Health-West (formerly Metro Health) and the city. Established in 2014, the community garden serves several residents by allowing them to grow fresh fruits and vegetables. The garden also provides fresh produce to UCOM’s Health Choice Food Pantry, which provides food to those in need.

UCOM representative Trisha Belbot said she would like to see the garden expand and possibly have the garden boxes on a cement slab to help reduce weeding. Another resident also stated her support for the garden but asked if the city had ever considered winter activities such as an ice rink.

Others at Tuesday’s meeting talked about a splash pad, a paved trail, benches near the playground, and more trees especially along the the north and west borders, where an industrial area is located.

Some mentioned activities such as soccer and pickle ball. Sporting activities were high on the list of the online survey, which is still open for those interested in adding their input. More than 100 survey responses have been collected so far with about half of those respondents living a mile or less from the park. The survey showed a strong interest in a variety of sporting activities such as baseball, basketball, football, pickle ball, and a skate park. The park current houses Kimball Field, a basketball court, and soccer fields.

There also was strong support for facilities that accommodate groups such as family reunions and neighborhood parties as well as festivals and cultural events.

 

The survey also indicated that respondents liked a mixture of natural spaces and developed recreation facilities, which those at the meetings also indicated they preferred.

At Wednesday’s meeting, there was a group representing the Wyoming Dog Park, which is housed at Marquette Park. For the dog park, the group suggested better lighting, a larger parking lot, heated sidewalks, heated bathroom, a shelter, a second entrance, and better access for those with disabilities. The group also said they would like to see the dog park expanded into the wooded area to allow patrons to let their dogs run off lease in the woods. The Wyoming Dog Park does require a membership to use it.

Another group was from the Grand Rapids Rifle and Pistol Club. The club predates the park and has a long-term lease with the city, according to Rynbrandt. Members said they would like to see better lighting and parking. Another group was in support for expanding the community garden and a fourth group, the Michigan Power Futbol Academy, said it would like to see revitalization of the soccer fields, perhaps with turf, and better lighting so the fields could be used at night.

Rynbrandt said the city will continue to collect input from residents. Once that process is complete, the master plan process will begin. Those plans will be provided for input from residents before going through the approval process.