The sixth annual JCI South Kent Easter Egg Scramble will take place on the soccer fields of Lamar Park (Courtesy, JCI South Kent)
By JCI South Kent
(Courtesy, JCI South Kent)
JCI South Kent will host the annual Easter Egg Scramble at Lamar Park (2561 Porter St. SW, Wyoming) on March 30.
JCI South Kent is excited to bring this event back for its sixth year. The Easter Bunny will be in attendance and ready for pictures.
To ensure each child comes away with a full Easter basket, more than 10,000 Easter eggs have been readied for the event.
This event will be held on the park soccer fields and is open to children ages 2-11. Registration opens at 10 a.m. and the event begins at 11 a.m.
Kids will need to bring a basket to hold their treats.
NOTE:Volunteers and community sponsors are needed! Email jcisouthkent@gmail.com for more information.
(Courtesy, JCI South Kent)
Personal and leadership development
JCI South Kent is a nonprofit organization dedicated to personal and leadership development through community service for people ages 18 to 40. The organization provides residents of Kentwood, Wyoming and surrounding areas opportunities to grow personally and professionally through volunteer community service.
To find out more information about membership, monthly meetings, projects and volunteer opportunities, visit jcisouthkent.com.
This family-friendly, free event promises an afternoon filled with candy, costumes, face painting, music, bounce houses and more. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will be handing out treats as attendees stroll through the beautiful park.
“The Trick-or-Treat Trail was created to be a fun, safe event for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Krashawn Martin, Director of Wyoming Parks & Recreation. “Trick-or-Treat Trail gives families an opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying all the amenities of Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
In previous years, the event has welcomed over 65 local businesses and organizations, and more than 6,000 attendees.
It’s not blues or classic rock that will take center stage at Tuesday’s Concerts in the Park series in Wyoming.
It’s not a punk rock or country band, either.
It’s a cellist, and his name is Jordan Hamilton, where he will play “a mix of mastery and maverick musicality,” according to his bio.
Jordan Hamilton performs on cello at the next Wyoming Concerts in the Park set for Tuesday. (Supplied)
In an interview with WKTV Journal, Hamilton – who is extremely humble – explained his style is not something you see every day.
“I have a hard time speaking about myself,” said the Kalamazoo-based vocalist and instrumentalist. “I have been told it’s an experience.”
Local music journalist John Sinkevics of LocalSpins.com agrees.
“Plucking, sawing, pounding and caressing the cello to extract sometimes other-worldly sounds; melding live looping with classical music interludes, hip hop, and jazz,” he said of Hamilton’s performance.
A native of Maryland who was classically trained on Western European composers, Hamilton, 29, started playing cello when he was 8-years-old. He learned all of the classics, but he was also introduced to a wide range of music by his dad, who listened to Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly and the Family Stone and Bobby McFerrin.
As he got older he would sneak off to listen to Nas, Fabulous and Jay-Z.
Still, he stayed focused on the cello.
After graduating from the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, he earned a Master’s degree in cello performance in 2018 at Western Michigan University. Hamilton remained in Kalamazoo mainly because of steady gigs, but was forced to stay longer during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Eventually he will leave Michigan for other opportunities “when the time is right,” he said. But for now, he loves playing his music and introducing audiences to the cello because “cello is at the center of everything” he does, he said.
“You don’t see a lot of cellos doing concerts that are not outside of the symphony….It’s definitely unique. It’s a niche.”
He will perform as a trio in Wyoming, bringing a keyboard player and drum programmer. He will play mainly original songs, as well as a few covers.
“You can expect a little bit of soul vibes, jazz vibes, beat music vibes, some very spacy vibes, and all over the place kind of vibes,” Hamilton said.
According to his bio, Hamilton’s music is “emotional energy crafted from integrity, immaterial and immortal, experienced at the speed of sound, with a bit of bounce, groove by the ounce, and all the jump you’ll need to move.”
More directly, he said, just “come to the show, and you will leave with something more than you were expecting.”
And “be prepared to have open ears,” he added. “It’s going to be a wide range of music, but it’s all going to feel like it’s in place…If you like jazz piano, hip hop beats and cello, this is a show for you.”
August 2 – Grupo Latin – Latin Soul (13 piece band)
Can’t make it to the show? You can still enjoy the bands by watching WKTV-Channel 25 for the weekly airings at 5 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
It was a chance meeting at lunch spot in Eastown that brought Serita Crowley and John Hayes together.
Discovering they both had a passion for music and after playing a few sessions together, the two local musicians not only became a couple but formed one of the area’s popular groups, Serita’s Black Rose.
Serita’s Black Rose, featuring John Hayes and Serita Crowley, will perform this Tuesday in Wyoming and on July 4 in the City of Kentwood. (Supplied)
The duo with its bandmates, bassist Robert Pace and drummer Mark Weymouth, will continue the music — or rather the funk — this Tuesday as they take the stage at Lamar Park, the second concert in the Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park series.
The popular local band will perform at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
A self-professed “Funkateer,” Crowley brings a raucous mix of funk, rock, blues, neo-soul, and Americana to the stage, according to the Serita’s Black Rose website. In fact, her voice his probably recognizable to many as she has done voices overs along with performed in the musicals “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Hair.”
As a duo, Hayes and Crowley perform many of the timeless classics of the 1960s and 1970s, although in a recent February 2022 article from Local Spins, Crowley said the band’s focus has been on a specific style: the blues.
“Blues music is a genre that we can focus on. It’s an accessible market for us to do really well in. I mean, blues is at the root of everything,” she told Local Spins.
The pandemic offered the duo a chance to work on new song ideas with a new release expected sometime down the road.
For now, Serita’s Black Rose has been busy performing. Last summer, the group opened for the classic rock band Kansas at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and its 80-plus gigs a year have the members traveling much of Michigan from Wyoming and Kentwood areas to Mackinaw Island.
Serita Crowley is know for her amazing vocal range. (Supplied)
No sweat if you miss Serita’s Black Rose’s performance on Tuesday. The group has a number of local performances scheduled including being part of the City of Kentwood’s Fourth of July celebration line-up. (That performance is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.)
Once a fixture at Wyoming’s Lamar Park, the Wyoming Rodeo drew in hundreds of thousands of people every year. To celebrate the city’s incorporation, Wyoming decided to host the Wyoming Festival in 1962. The event was so popular that at the suggestion of business owner Lyle Converse, the Wyoming Rodeo was born. For about the next 25 years, the rodeo brought some of the biggest name performers of the time, such as Bob Hope, Michael Landon, Reba McEntire, Crystal Gale, and Tammy Wynette. By the mid-1980s, interest in the rodeo had dwindled. The building was torn down in the 1990s.
From the Wyoming Rodeo came the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission which hosts the annual Concerts in the Park at Lamar Park and other events.
If you drove past Lamar Park lately, we just wanted to let you know that your eyes and ears were not deceiving you. Yes, those were the sounds and lights of a carnival you heard and saw.
The Wyoming Spring Carnival returned this year and will be operating through May 1. The carnival was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. This year, after reviewing safety measures, city leaders decided to host the carnival this year.
“What says family fun like a spring carnival?” said Wyoming’ Recreation Director Krashawn Martin, who added the decision was made to help with the overall mental health of the community which has had to deal with the COVID pandemic over the last year.
The carnival features various rides, games and food options. (Supplied)
The carnival will inlcude various rides, games and food options. To help keep all participants, employees, and vendors safe, TJ Schmidt & Company is operating under enhanced health and safety measures in response to the COVID pandemic.
All participants are required to wear masks while attending the carnival.
The spring carnival will run Monday – Thursday from 4 – 8 p.m.; 2 – 8:30 p.m Friday; and noon – 8:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Proceeds from the carnival support City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation services and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance or GWCRA. Funds raised support youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. The GWCRA distributes funds to the community through their annual grant awarding process.
For more information about the carnival, contact the Wyoming Parks and Recreation department at 616-530-3164.
Lamar Park’s lake has been my family’s happy place a long time. My dad caught turtles there in the 1930s and was the lifeguard in the 1940s. My parents began taking me there in the late 1950s. I remember seeing African American children for the first time at its beach, specifically a little girl my age with rich dark skin and lovely pink palms. My mom simply stated, “We are all the same on the inside.”
In the 1960s, I learned to swim in that lake on chilly 7 a.m. summer mornings and, during even chillier winters, raced and beat the boys ice skating. I found out about kissing there in 1970s. In the 1980s, I brought my own kids there to swim. The last time we went, my son Andy dove underwater and came up with a ten-dollar bill. So many good times!
Lamar Park neighbors were able to capture Goofus’ buddy, Sir Lancelot. (Photo by Daniela Georgescu)
These days, I love walking around the lake that’s now home to so many interesting wildlife creatures. Huge, rust-colored carp, silver trout, quick diving turtles, and the flocks of geese and ducks. This past summer, one duck in particular caught my eye — a huge, white, domestic Pekin duck who was quite at home with a flock of much smaller, wild, brown mallards. I named him Goofus, though later I found out “he” was probably a “she.” Other friends of this little lake we’re enamored with Goofus, as well. One called her “Goofy,” another “Donald.” Donna Batdorf called her “Guinevere.” No doubt others had their own name for this somewhat laughable, but fabulous femme fatale.
Why do I say fatale? Well, for one, Goofus and another Pekin duck did not come to Lamar Lake on their own accord. Some cruel human ditched the ducks, even though they couldn’t fly (wings clipped) and would no doubt die of cold as soon as the next winter blew in. Humans with a more compassionate nature were able to rescue Goofus’ partner. But Goofus was too smart for them.
Goofus and Sir Lancelot (Photo by Daniela Georgescu)
Batdorf posted about the duck’s plight on Facebook. She shares, “… a girl named Rachel stepped forward to help. Rachel has other ducks in a pond on her property and feeds them and makes sure that they’re healthy all winter long by providing shelter. She lives over Allendale way, but came over to Lamar Park and was able immediately to capture the first duck, a male. I hadn’t named him yet, but now I’m going to, and let’s say he was Sir Lancelot, since she was Guinevere. Rachel took Lancelot home and he immediately blended in with her flock. She came back several times alone and sometimes we’d meet and tried to capture Guinevere. We tried various food techniques, and we tried even putting a large pen on the shore to lead her into and then we were going to shut the door real fast. We tried luring her with the previous duck that she knew, but nothing worked.”
Many other folks tried on many other occasions. Each time, Goofus escaped. Lamar neighbor, Marcy Kale, had plans to winter Goofus at her house, if caught. As the attempts continued to fail, another Lamar neighbor, Renee Kooiman posted on Nextdoor, “She’s very wary now and her girl squad of mallards flank her!”
Ah yes, her Mallard family. Goofus taught me that birds of different feathers flock together. These ducks of color welcomed Goofus into their family with open wings. She swam with the flock, slept with the flock, and squawked with flock — although her goofy, loud duck honk was a good deal louder. We humans think we are the superior species. Ha!
I cried the day I learned that Goofus died. I’m not sure how this big, silly bird got a hold of my heart, but she sure did. Unaware that Lamar neighbors were trying to rescue her, I had put in my own message to Wildlife Rehab Center. But before any of us had a chance to spare Goofus from life alone after the mallards migrated and the sure death a cold winter would bring, a not-so-woke human ran her down and killed her in the road. Goofus and her friends were on their way to eat some seed at a neighbor’s feeder. Honestly, who would not see a bright white duck the size of a toddler child crossing the residential, park-side street (speed limit 25)?
That’s when I found out about Goofus’ human admirers on Nextdoor. Somehow, I felt comforted knowing that they shared my grief. In that brief online encounter, I had a flock. I hope one of these days, as I walk around the lake, I might run into one or two of them. Who knows, even if we aren’t of the same feather, we could have a very nice chat about a very impressive Pekin duck named Goofus, er … uh … Guinevere — no, Donald. Or was it Goofy?
This Labor Day weekend will be filled with music on WKTV 25 as the station runs two marathon events featuring the summer outdoor concerts from both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood.
A tradition for many years, WKTV has features the City of Wyoming’s Concerts int the Park series on Labor Day, Sept. 2. This year, the station has included a marathon of the City of Kentwood Summer Concert series on Saturday, Aug. 31, giving residents from both communities away to enjoy the past summer before the school year starts.
The Crane Wives were a featured group at the City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert series. (WKTV)
Kick off the Labor Day holiday with the Saturday special of the Kentwood Summer Concerts. The concerts will be shown in the following order:
1:30 p.m. The Cranes Wives, a popular West Michigan band
2:50 pm. That Beatles Thing, hits from The Beatles’ catalog
4:20 p.m. Brena, oldies, top 40 hits, classic rock, R&B and country
5:55 pm. Melophobix, an alternative band with a funky musical outlook
7:05 p.m. Hannah Rose and the Gravetones, funk, blues and rock n’ roll
Brena performed at both the City of Kentwood and the City of Wyoming summer concerts series. (Supplied)
On Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2, the station will air the City of Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park series. The concerts will be shown in the following order:
9:30 a.m. Midlife Crisis, oldies, classic rock band
11:05 a.m. Brena, oldies, top 40 hits, classic rock, R&B and country
12:40 p.m. Ray Watkoski and Family, polka music
2:10 p.m. Paradise Outlaw, Americana with Motown and Southern rock
3:40 p.m. Jared Knox, country music
5 p.m Jack and The Spare Tires, sixties, seventies, and eighties covers
6:35 p.m. Broadman Brown, country music
8:05 p.m. Daddyz Breakdown, classic rock
9:45 p.m. Shadows of the Night, music from the women of rock ‘n’ roll
11:10 p.m Brena, oldies, top 40 hits, classic rock, R&B and country
For more program information, visit wktv.org or go to the tab WKTV Schedule at the wktvjournal.org.
With a vast repertoire that features covers from such groups as Cake, .38 Special, A-ha, Fun, and Elton John, West Michigan’s Brena Band is set to take the stage Tuesday for the second Wyoming Concerts in the Park.
Concerts in the Park is at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW.
The Brena Band, a popular band for weddings and social engagements, has performed at a number of West Michigan festivals and concerts such as the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival and the City of Walker’s summer concert series.
The group is known for its high energy and extensive song list that ranges from oldies to current top 40 hits, classic rock to smooth R&B, country to high energy dance music and everything in between. The band also has won Revue Magazine’s Best of the West Cover Band for the past three years.
If you can not make Tuesday night’s performance, the group will be back in the area Aug. 1 to perform at the Kentwood summer concert series, which is at 7 p.m. on the lawn behind the Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Rd. SE.
Before the Wyoming Concerts in the Park show, there will be free Zumba. Food vendors will be available as well. For a complete list of the Wyoming Concerts in the Park, visit the Facebook page by clicking here.
Spring is finally here and to celebrate, Wyoming’s spring carnival is coming back again this year.
West Michigan families are invited to come out to Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St SW, and enjoy carnival rides, food, and games April 26 – May 5. The carnival will be open Monday through Thursday from 4–8:30 p.m., Friday from 2– 8:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon–8:30 p.m.
“What says family fun like a spring carnival?” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “The carnival is a great opportunity for the community to come out and celebrate the change in seasons in a fun and exciting atmosphere.”
Proceeds from the carnival support City of Wyoming parks and recreation services and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance or GWCRA. Funds raised support youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. The GWCRA distributes funds to the community through their annual grant awarding process.
The carnival will include various rides, games and food options. There is sure to be fun available for all ages.
About Wyoming Parks and Recreation
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is a key service area of the community services department and is committed to providing leisure and recreation opportunities by developing and maintaining green spaces, facilities, and programs to enrich the quality of life for the citizens of Wyoming and the greater metropolitan area. For more information about Parks and Recreation programs and events please contact the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164 or parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or visit our web site at: www.wyomingmi.gov.
It’s time to get the kids together and pull out your favorite costumes because Pumpkin Path is right around the corner!
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is excited to once again host the 15th annual Pumpkin Path – a free event for kids and families on Saturday, Oct. 13, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will host spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies.
About 6,000 children, parents, and grandparents attended the Wyoming Pumpkin Path last year.
“Pumpkin Path was created to be a fun, safe, family-friendly event for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Pumpkin Path gives families the perfect opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying the outdoors, Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
Not only should children expect to receive treats, they should also look forward to a DJ and dancing, jumping in the bounce house and games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or in regular clothes.
In previous years, Pumpkin Path has welcomed over 65 local businesses and organizations, and more than 6,000 children, parents, grandparents and friends.
Delilah DeWylde brings her high-octane rockabilly sound to the next Wyoming Concerts Tuesday, June 12.
Starting at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW, DeWylde and her band the Lost Boys will take the stage. The performance is free.
A veteran of the West Michigan music scene and an alumna of rockability institution DangerVille, DeWylde has an out-sized stage presence that is the centerpiece of the show where as one minute she is singing sweetly and the next slapping her bass into submission.
Rounding out the group is Lee Harvey on electric guitar and Johnny HiWatt or F.B. on snare drum.
As part of the fun for this year’s Concerts in the Park, each night will have a theme. Those who participate in the theme will be eligible to enter a drawing for a gift card that will be given out at the end the concert. The June 12 theme is to decorate with flowers.
The Wyoming Concerts in the Park series are put together by the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission. The concerts are every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park through Aug. 7. The concerts are rebroadcast on WKTV Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m.
It’s time again to grab a chair, a cooler and head to Lamar Park for the City of Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park.
The annual event is set to kick off at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, with its Kids’ Night featuring The Porters. The Grand Rapids-based group, which includes Matt Porter, Lynn Porter, Barbara Weatherhead, and Pete Weatherhead, performs interactive music and movement for children.
As part of the fun for this year’s Concerts in the Park, each night will have a theme. Those who participate in the theme will be eligible to enter a drawing for a gift card that will be given out at the end the concert. The June 5 theme is to dress like your favorite Disney character.
A deaf interpreter will be at the June 5 show as well as the June 19 show which will feature The Adams Family.
The rest of the Wyoming Concert Series’ performers and themes are:
June 12: Delilah DeWylde with the theme of flowers
June 19: the Adams Family with the theme of retro
June 26: the WY-FI concert with Valentiger and Kari Lynch with the theme of patriotism
July 10: Cabildo with the theme of wear your bright colors
July 17: Soul Syndicate with a beach theme
July 24: Blue Soul Express with a Mardi Gras theme
July 31: Matt Gabriel and wear you cowboy hat
Aug. 7: the National Night Out with Yellow Brick Road, Elton John and Billy Joel dueling pianos, with a super hero theme
All concerts, unless noted, start at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, located 2561 Porter St. SW. Free parking is available at Lamar Park. All the concerts will air on WKTV 25 Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and again Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. For all details and up-to-date information, visit www.facebook.com/wyomingcec.
Kentwood Summer Concert Series
The Kentwood Summer Concert Series kicks off the following week on June 14 with The Adams Family. The Kentwood series is every Thursday (except for June 28 and July 5) through Aug. 2 The event takes place at 7 p.m. on the lawn behind the Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Rd. SE. The series is free with participants encouraged to bring their own lawn chair and drinks. Food trucks will be at each show.
Wyoming’s celebration of spring, its annual carnival at Lamar Park, is wrapping up its final days. The carnival runs through Sunday, May 6. The carnival features entertainment for all ages, including games, prizes, and carnival fare favorites. A spectrum of rides will be available for carnival-goers, from crowd pleasers, such as a carousel and Ferris Wheel to the adrenaline-inducing Mega Drop and Wipe Out.
Buff up those wooden shoes and head toward Holland as the city gears up for the annual Tulip Time festival. There will be Dutch dancing, parades, a carnival, an artist market, performances of all kinds, five million tulips in bloom, and more Dutch dancing. The official activities kick off Saturday, May 5, and run through May 13.
‘Dust Off’, the precursor to the annual Metro Cruise, kicks off this Saturday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s become a favorite tradition, with car owners revving up for the summer car show, finally being able to show off what has been stored under those tarps.
30th anniversary edition of Lighthouse Map now available
Lighthouse lovers, get ready to plan your next lighthouse adventure! The West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) is excited to announce the release of the 2018 Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map & Circle Tour. This is a free poster-sized publication which details all of the lighthouses located on the shores of Lake Michigan, as well as the Circle Tour driving route to guide motorists around the lake.
Live Mermaid to return to Grand Rapids Public Museum
Admission to Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids is $12 for adults, $7 for children, $9 for Kent County resident adults, $4 for Kent County resident children, and $2 for all Museum members! Tickets include general admission to the Museum, and can be purchased online at grpm.org or by calling 616.929.1700.
It’s time to celebrate spring, which the City of Wyoming plans to do by hosting its annual spring carnival at Lamar Park.
The carnival opens on Friday, April 27 and runs through Sunday, May 6, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Carnival times are Monday through Thursday from 4 – 8:30 p.m.; Friday from 2-8:30 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from noon – 8:30 p.m.
“What says family fun like a spring carnival?” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “The carnival is a great opportunity for the community to come out and celebrate the change in seasons in a fun and exciting atmosphere.”
The carnival will feature entertainment for all ages, including games, prizes, and carnival fare favorites. A spectrum of rides will be available for carnival-goers, from crowd pleasers, such as a carousel and Ferris Wheel to the adrenaline-inducing Mega Drop and Wipe Out.
Proceeds from the carnival support City of Wyoming parks and recreation services and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance or GWCRA. Funds raised support youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. The GWCRA distributes funds to the community through its annual grant awarding process.
The spring carnival is made possible through the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. For more information, call the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164.
Gezon Park is not the only City of Wyoming park property that will be seeing some improvements in the near future. At its Monday night meeting, the Wyoming City Council approved work to three city parks, Ferrand, Buck Creek, and Lamar, totaling about $624,366.
All of the improvements were part of the city’s 5-Year Community Recreation Master Plan, with one project falling under the 2017 approved library millage proposal for .16 of the .39 library millage money tube used for park improvements.
Ferrand Park was one of four parks that was part of the 2017 library millage. Gezon Park and its master plan process was another park under this proposal along with Ideal and Jackson parks. Ferrand Park is a small pocket park located off of Byron Center Avenue that serves a very dense residential area, according to city staff. Staff added that the park has not had any improvements or new equipment in a number of years. It currently has no shelter, pathways or swings and outdated play equipment.
At its meeting, the Wyoming City Council unanimously approved a contract for $344,376.70 to the lowest bidder, Denny’s Excavating, Inc., for work on the park. This work would include accessible pathways, shelter, new and expanded play equipment that would include swings, and improved turf conditions.
The current restroom facility at the Buck Creek Nature Preserve.
Also unanimously approved by the city council was a bid for $136,990 by by low bidder Vancer Kodde Construction for the replacement of the more than 30-year-old restroom at the Buck Creek Nature Preserve. The Buck Creek Nature Preserve entrance is located just north of the Burlingame and 44th Street intersection on Burlingame Avenue. The city had initially budgeted about $115,000 for the new restroom, adding another $64,290 to the over budget — now totaling $189,290 — to help cover the difference plus other costs associated to the project.
The city staff noted in its report that the city was able to save money on the project by re-using the architectural plans for the Frog Hollow restroom. Those plans, which were designed by Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber, Inc., were modified for construction in a floodplain. The facility will be converted from wood to brick to ensure a longer life as well as reducing a fire hazard. The new restroom also will meet ADA requirements and will be located in the general footprint of the current building.
The city council also approved a bid of $143,000 for LED sports lighting equipment to Musoc Sports Lighting, LLC. The lighting will be for the north softball field at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. By going through a national bid process, the city was able to save about 15-20 percent on the purchase of the lights. However, staff is expecting an increase in costs for installation as “contractors are busy.” The overall cost for the project is estimated to be around $362,730. A bid process is underway for the general contractor to install the lights.
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 meetings are broadcast live on WKTV Channel 26 and rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.
It was a beautiful night to visit a park, have some ice cream and attend a Wyoming City Council meeting, which is what several people did on Monday evening at Lamar Park.
For the first time, the Wyoming City Council moved its meeting outdoors to the park in an effort to connect more with the citizens of Wyoming, according to Mayor Jack Poll. Those who attended were treated to an ice cream.
“This is just great,” Poll said from the stage as about the fourth citizen made his way up to the podium to speak. “This is just the type of forum we were hoping for.”
More than half a dozen residents made comments at the end of the meeting from thanking the city for help with such projects as the new light at 44th Street and Burlingame Avenue and working with the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission on the Concerts in the Park programs to discussing topics of concern such as the Paris Accord, a concern over a home being rented out, and the condition of West Lake and West Pond.
“This is like a dream come true for me,” said Councilor Dan Burrill, who added he has enjoyed looking out from the stage, to the sights and sounds of the park while at the meeting.
“It is a great opportunity for us to get into our community,” Poll said, acknowledging that many people don’t always want to head indoors for a meeting, especially on a nice summer day.
The council followed its normal meeting procedures, starting at 7 p.m., with Poll explaining each segment, like he does at the regular council meetings. The council went through its regular agenda which included approving tax exemptions for GR 1001, LLC, which is taking over the former Klingman’s/Rogers Department Store and for Advantage Sales & Marketing which is planning to move its operations into the building around the beginning of 2018.
The council meets every first and third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at its chambers in Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. The meetings are broadcast live on WKTV Channel 26 and rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
The Wyoming City Council will host two more outdoor meetings this summer. The next is scheduled for July 17 at 7 p.m. at Southlawn Park, 4125 Jefferson Ave. SE. For more information about city activities, meetings, and events, visit www.wyomingmi.gov.
The Wyoming City Council is taking its meeting on the road, heading to Lamar Park this Monday.
“This is the first time we’ve taken our council meetings on the road and we’re excited to provide an opportunity for residents to meet their council members in their own neighborhoods, while taking part in the local government process by attending one of the our council meetings,” said Assistant City Manager Megan Sall.
Mayor Jack Poll, Mayor Pro Ten Sam Bolt, and Council Members William VerHulst, Marissa Postler, Robert Postema, Dan Burrill, and Kent Vanderwood and city officials are scheduled to be at the park around 6 p.m. Ice cream also will be served at that time. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. with it being broadcast live on WKTV Channel 26.
“Our council members are excited to expand the physical walls of our council chamber to encompass the whole City,” Sall said. “They look forward to meeting residents, visiting different neighborhoods, and hearing about the issues tat affect our community the most.”
Lamar Park is located at 2561 Porter St. SW, near the corner of Byron Center Avenue and Porter Street. In the event of inclement weather, the meeting will be at City Hall, located at 1155 28th St. SW.
The official agenda for the Monday meeting will be announced here later this week.
Just in time for the 80-degree weather, the City of Wyoming announced this morning that its splash pads will open today.
The splash pads are located at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St SW; Oriole Park, 1380 42nd St. SW; and Southlawn Park, 4125 Jefferson SW. They are open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Labor Day.
The City of Wyoming’s splash pads are one of the many reasons that WOOD TV’s Maranada has kicked off her Park Parties at Wyoming’s Lamar Park for the past several years. According to Maranda, the park also offers excellent parking, wide open space with the park’s splash pad providing a place to help children and families cool off on hot summer days.
Maranda comes to Lamar Park on June 22. She will bring the Park Party to Kentwood July 13 at the East Kentwood High School, 6230 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. The Wyoming and Kentwood events are the only Park Parties scheduled this year for the Greater Grand Rapids area with the rest being in Muskegon, Kalamazoo, and Holland.
Once again, in working with USDA, Michigan Dept. of Ed and local school districts, free lunch will be served to anyone 18 and under starting at 11:30 a.m., while supplies last at all Park Party events. Maranda’s Park Parties have been recognized by the USDA as one of the nation’s largest summer feeding programs.
Park Parties run from noon – 2 p.m. at the dates listed above. Every Park Party also includes free activities, games, entertainment and, prizes.
For more on the Maranda Park Parties, click here. For more about the splash pads and other City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation activities and events, visit wyoming.gov and click the “Living in Wyoming” tab.
The City of Wyoming’s annual Spring Carnival is on track to open tomorrow at a new location, Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW.
“We are excited to return the carnival to its’ historic home at Lamar Park,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of Community Services for the City of Wyoming. “If you visit 28West Place you’ll see all of the orange barrels. It is wonderful to see the new construction occurring in Wyoming’s downtown area. With the redevelopment occurring of the Village Mall, the spring landscaping and final restoration work on tap for the new street, and more, we did not want the carnival location to delay this economic development in any way.”
Rynbrandt said when city officials evaluated other potential sites for the carnival, they sought an area that would be able to accommodate parking and provide for a larger venue.
“By going back to our roots, Lamar Park fits the bill,” she said.
The carnival will be open through May 7 and feature activities for the entire family.
A staple in the city for more than 30 years, proceeds from the carnival will be split between the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance (GWCRA). GWRCA funds support youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Parks and Recreation Department. The GWCRA will also distribute funds to the community through its annual grant making process.
“We hope that the community will join in supporting these two great causes,” Rynbrandt said. “The Parks and Recreation Department and the GWCRA provides services and funding that benefit children, families and non-profit organizations throughout Wyoming.”
The Spring Carnival runs from April 28 – May 7 with its hours being 4 – 8 p.m. Monday – Thursday; 2 – 8 p.m. Friday, and noon – 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The carnival will feature entertainment for all ages, including games, prizes, and carnival fare favorites. A spectrum of rides will be available for carnival-goers, from crowd pleasers, such as a carousel and Ferris Wheel to the adrenaline-inducing Mega Drop and Wipe Out. Unlimited ride wristbands will be available daily for $20.
The Spring Carnival is made possible through the work of the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation and TJ Schmidt. For information, contact the Wyoming Parks and Recreation at 616-530-3164.
Believe it or not it is almost time for every ghost, goblin, and superhero — big or small — to ready their favorite attire in preparation for one of the City of Wyoming’s most popular events: the Pumpkin Path.
Yes, the annual activity that pretty much kicks of the haunting season in the city is set for Saturday, Oct. 8, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter SW. The event is from 4 to 6 p.m.
“We have about 70 to 80 businesses attending who hand out a variety of items, candy, trinkets, coupons,” said Wyoming Recreation Programer Valarie Mester. “We encourage them to bring something for the kids as well as the adults because adults like things too.”
Because this event is free and does not require any registration, Mester said the department can only estimate on the number of people in attendance, which in the past has been around 7,000 people with about 2,000 – 3,000 being children.
“Most people do come in costume,” Mester said. “It is not required, but it is an opportunity to wear them earlier in the season.”
And perhaps no one knows costumes better than Gayle Vaartjes of Wyoming’s Kostume Room, 835 36th St. SW.
“Star Wars is going to be big this year,” Vaartjes said, adding that this is because of last Christmas’s release of Star Wars:The Force Awakens. “When there is a movie involved, it usually indicates if the costume is going to be popular.”
Another hit is the recently released Suicide Squad, with Harley Quinn, The Joker, and Deadshot being the most popular, she said.
“I have the Batman from the other moves and the other Jokers from the other movies as well,” Vaartjes said. “We have everything.”
For children, Vaartjes said Star Wars will be big along with the princesses and ninjas as well as the classics such as witches and ghosts.
“There are people who love Halloween,” Vaartjes said. “Just like there are some people who love Christmas and it’s their holiday and it’s a time to be someone else and just be creative.”
With the growth of the Pumpkin Path over the years, it is pretty apparent people do love the Halloween season. The Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department has been hosting the Pumpkin Path for about 13 years. “They used to host a Halloween party and that started to have a decline in attendance, so staff began to think about what else they could do,” Mester said. “Something that was out-of-the-box.”
Or at least down the path as patrons travel a paved loop through Lamar Park lined with various businesses stocked with treats to handout. Participating businesses can compete for such awards as most spirited, best costume, and best decorated pumpkin, which are judged by members of the teen council.
“It’s pretty neat,” Mester said. “We have had some pretty cool costumes over the years.”
A few tips Mester offered for those planning to attend:
The entrance to the free event parking is located on Byron Center Ave near where it intersects with Chicago Drive.
You do not need to arrive at 4 p.m. to participate. Actually, Mester said they have the first group that comes around 4 p.m. and they go through with usually a couple of more waves who come through after that. “So arriving around 5 p.m. is fine.”
The Pumpkin Path opens at 4 p.m. and not a second sooner.
For more information on this and other events hosted by the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, visit their website.
Maranda (second from the right) and gang get ready to host the Maranda Park Parties, starting in Wyoming this Thursday.
You know its summer in West Michigan when WOOD TV’s Maranda kicks offer her Park Parties, which once again will start at Wyoming’s Lamar Park this Thursday, June 23.
“We are excited to kick-off the 2016 Park Party at Lamar Park in Wyoming,” said Maranda during a recent interview. “It’s a beautiful park and we love working with the city officials.”
For more than 15 years, Maranda has hosted the annual summer Park Parties event, which run for a couple of hours with all activities being free. This year, Maranda is scheduled to visit six communities, two of which are Wyoming and Kentwood about a month later on July 21. Activities run from noon to 2 p.m. with a free lunch starting at 11:30 a.m. available while supplies last to anyone 18 and younger.
For the past several years, the annual summer event has kicked off at Wyoming’s Lamar Park, 2561 Porter Ave. SW. According to Maranda, the park offers excellent parking, wide open space and the Splash Pad, which helps children and families cool off on hot summer days.
“The community is so supportive,” Maranda said. “We have record crowds each year and the city officials are amazing to work with. The convenient location and warm hospitality keeps us coming back year after year.”
There are a number of contests associated with the event with area children being able to pick activities that will be taking place. At the Wyoming June 23 event, the activity picked was a Zip Line. Also at the Wyoming event, will be the popular Super Slide and a 3D Climbing Wall.
At the Kentwood July 21 event, there was a tie for activities. so both the Zip Line and the Extreme Obstacle Course will be offered along with the Ferris Wheel and the 3D Climbing Wall. The Kentwood event takes place at East Kentwood High School, 6230 Kalamazoo Ave SE.
The Wyoming and Kentwood Maranda Park Parties are the only ones for the Greater Grand Rapids area. The other parties are June 30 at Muskegon’s Smith Ryerson Park; July 7 at Kalamazoo’s Upjohn Park; July 14 at Holland’s Kollen Park and wrapping it up is July 28 at Battle Creek’s Northwestern Middle School.
For more information about the Maranda Park Parties, click here.
Kalamazoo’s Big Boss Blues makes its first Concerts in the Park appearance this year.
After that brief encounter of chilly weather this past week, about everyone’s thoughts have turned to warmer weather. Well here’s something to warm you up: there is only 105 days before Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park returns to Lamar Park.
O.K., so it is a little more than three months, but to put together a 10-week concert series, the planning has to start almost when the last series ended. The Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission, which oversees the series, has been hard at work, lining up the performers for the 2016 Concerts in the Park and even have begun releasing a few teasers as to who is coming on the Wyoming Concerts in the Park Facebook page.
“We like to say that we are continuing the tradition of good entertainment at Lamar Park,” said Brandon Simmons, who is on the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission. Simmons is referring to Lamar Park’s history of hosting the rodeo at Fort Wyoming which was located at Lamar Park. The site also was host to numerous concerts featuring Bob Hope, The Oakridge Boys, Crystal Gale, and Huey Lewis & the News.
The Concerts in the Park series has done well attracting some of the most popular regional stars with this year’s line-up including the very popular folk/rock band The Crane Wives, Kalamazoo’s Big Boss Blues, Grand Rapids honky tonk group Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys, rock ‘n’ roll group Foolish Plezyer, country group Kari Lynch Band, Tejano/Mexican/Conjunto music group Grupo Viento and The Legal Immigrants.
According to Simmons, more than 10,000 people were in attendance to last year’s fireworks show, always the Tuesday before July 4. This year’s fireworks will be on June 28 and feature two bands, one of which is Foolish Plezyer.
A total of 11 groups will perform over the 10 weeks. Simmons said the complete lineup should be available in March and that there is some big news to this year’s concert series, so make sure to be checking the series’ Facebook page and WKTV’s Wyoming/Kentwood NOW.
Also, the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission hosts the Music & More August event designed to give residents a last summer hurrah with three concerts, food dancing games and activities all in one night. For more on the August event, click here to visit its Facebook page.
Concerts in the Park is free. Lamar Park is located at 2561 Porter St. SW.
Good picnic places are in high demand. Just ask anyone who’s tried to reserve a space at Pinery Park (2301 DeHoop Ave.) and Lamar Park (2561 Porter St.) only to be told that all spaces were booked. Over the past two years, reservations for weekend hours sold out for June, July and August, the prime months for birthday parties, company picnics, family reunions and special events. In fact, the parks are already taking reservations for this season, which runs May 1 through Sept. 30.
Wyoming Community Services recognized the need for more space and has delivered. Pinery has received one new picnic area and Lamar has received two. The cost was less than $1,000.
At Pinery, park-goers will now find two areas that seat up to 50 people, one for up to 125 and one section for up to 150 people. There’s also a lodge that seats up to 100 people. At Lamar, there are now two sections that accommodate up to 50 people, two that seat 100 and one that seats 175, along with a shelter for up to 75 people.
Overall, Wyoming’s Park Services had an impressive 2015 with 11,077 hours reserved and reported reservations attendance of 170,671 people.
There’s even more in store for Pinery Park.
Fitness trail exercise equipment and new lighting for the lodge are coming to Pinery, too.
The Wyoming City Council recently approved the purchase and installation of exercise equipment from GameTime for $26,855.09. The funding will come from a Community Development Block Grant.
“This equipment provides a great opportunity for residents who are looking to improve their health and wellness,” said Rebecca L. Rynbrandt, director of community services. “And Pinery Park’s central location means good access for those who want to use the equipment for exercise.”
In addition to the exercise equipment at the park, new energy-efficient LED lights at the lodge will replace old fluorescent fixtures. The project, which includes removal of the old lights and installing the new ones, totals $4,215, said Jeffrey Anderson, parks and facilities supervisor. Funding for this work is also from a Community Development Block Grant.
The new lighting will save on energy and maintenance costs, Anderson said.
Both projects are expected to be completed May 31, 2016.
For more information, call the City of Wyoming at 530.7272 or visit the City website. Follow the City on Twitter @WyomingCityHall and on Facebook.
The changing leaves and cool wind can only mean one thing; it is time for the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department´s annual free Pumpkin Path event for kids and families.
Pumpkin Path will be held on Oct. 10 at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. This year the event will be held from the spooky hours of 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will haunt spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies.
“The Pumpkin Path was developed as a safe family focused celebration for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Pumpkin Path gives families the perfect opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying the outdoors, Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
While attendees may come for the treats, they should make sure to save time to get a temporary tattoo, jump in the bounce house and play life sized games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or come as they are.
At the 2014 Pumpkin Path event, 70 local businesses and organizations served approximately 5,000 children and parents.
