Spring officially begins Tuesday, March 19, but signs of new life are already showing at Buck Creek Nature Preserve in Wyoming.
This reporter spent her lunch break wandering the Buck Creek trail and basking in the sun streaming through leafless trees. The air – unseasonably warm for a Michigan March afternoon – stirred bare branches and fallen leaves.
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Trilling birds and a bubbling creek lent a peaceful ambiance to the preserve. Flowers stretched their stalks and unfurled their petals while bushes flaunted brightly colored buds.
Wyoming residents can enjoy Buck Creek Nature Preserve, as well the other 20+ parks scattered throughout the city, as Michigan begins to bloom!
View a draft of the Wyoming parks master plan and share your thoughts (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council recognized a need to improve the community’s parks and recreation options and promote the City as a quality sustainable place to live and play.
As part of this effort, they have chosen to develop a new Five-Year Parks & Recreation Master Plan. This document is intended to serve as a planning tool over the next five years for the Commission and City Officials to make decisions related to future park and recreation amenities and improvements.
After seeking community input, a draft of the Five-Year Master Plan was created and can be reviewed on the City’s website here.
(Courtesy, Wyoming Parks and Recreation)
The Master Plan draft recommendation highlights include:
Improved ADA accessibility
Marquette Park redevelopment
Improving and expanding current park and recreation programs
Pickleball courts
Playground improvements
Walking trails/pathways
Pavilions
Restroom facility improvements
Focus on maintaining exist parks and new facility development
Safety improvements
Please share your opinion
Your opinion on the park priorities matters. Please let us know what you think of the plan, all feedback is requested by Dec. 21.
Click here to leave the Parks & Recreation office a note. Call the Parks & Recreation office at (616) 530-3164. Email the Parks & Recreation office at Parks_info@wyomingmi.gov. Give feedback in person at:
Planning Commission Meeting November 21, 7 p.m. City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW
City Council Work Session December 11, 5:30 p.m. City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW
Parks Commission December 13, 7 p.m. City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW
Sheri Toth, Stacy Potter, and Amy Stiles enjoy a round of golf at Maple Hill Golf Course (Courtesy, Deborah Reed, WKTV)
League golfers Sheri Toth, Stacy Potter and Amy Stiles enjoy an evening out at Maple Hill Golf.
Located at 5555 Ivanrest Ave. SW in Grandville, Maple Hill Golf has a variety of options for golfers of all experience levels. An 18-hole course, driving range, simulators, fitting center, and golf repair are all amenities to be found at this local venue.
Kentwood Parks and Recreation’s Senior Strong Fitness class has nearly quadrupled since instructor Judith Bryant took over. (WKTV)
By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer
In quoting Albert Einstein, instructor Judith Bryant said “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
This is a philosophy that fits well with Kentwood Parks and Rec instructor Bryant’s Senior Strong Fitness program, which gives community members opportunities to connect with each other and form a more active lifestyle.
“I was retired in 2005 and I was just so bored,” Bryant said with a laugh. “I had been walking…even doing some 5Ks until I tore my meniscus.”
Unable to walk long distances any longer, Bryant joined Senior Strong Fitness.
When the class was in danger of being shut down due to a lack of leadership, Bryant stepped in as instructor.
“Our previous exercise instructor took very ill, and she could no longer teach,” Bryant said. “The staff was trying to keep it going, and they have so much to do with everything else going on at the rec center it was getting really hard.”
After seeing the Activities Center’s ad for a fitness instructor, Bryant thought to herself, “I can do that.”
Senior Strong Fitness class instructor Judith Bryant (far left) leads the class of Kentwood Parks and Recreation participants three times a week. (WKTV)
Bryant creates her own routines for the class, researching senior exercises and then working them into a routine.
“I write it down, then I try it out…I make sure it fits within an hour, add or eliminate,” Bryant said.
Each class includes low impact stretching and exercise that focuses on balance and strength. Participants are led through a warmup, cardio exercises to get their hearts pumping, and then a cooldown.
Bryant also encourages members to keep moving at home.
“I try to give them tips on what to do at home and if they are having a hard time doing something, I’ll take a minute or so to show them.”
From 7 to 28 members
Under Bryant’s instruction, Senior Strong Fitness has increased in numbers over the last few years.
“We used to have seven or eight real regulars,” Bryant said. “Now we have 28 regulars, plus people drop in. And they stay.
“It’s a fun group of people. The participants are coming in earlier so they can sit in the lobby and talk with each other.”
Class members enjoy each other’s company, even meeting outside the Activities Center for an annual summer picnic and other activities.
Forming bonds within the community is an important aspect of the class for Bryant.
“This is the only (social) outlet for some of them,” Bryant said. “I have four people in their 90s, and it is amazing to see how much they can do.”
Bryant revealed that was another reason she took over as instructor.
“I really didn’t want (the class) to fold because it was their only social outlet.”
One member confided to Bryant that the Senior Strong Fitness class was her only means of visiting with other people since most of her friends have passed away.
Senior Strong Fitness is available for community members ages 50 and up. The class meets three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1-2 p.m. in the Kentwood Activities Center gym at 355 48th St. SE.
To find out more about Senior Strong Fitness and other senior class offerings at the Kentwood Activities Center, click here: Senior Programs
South Kent Community and Senior Expo is set for Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE.
By WKTV Staff joanne@wktv.org
Community members of all ages are invited to the fifth annual South Kent Community & Senior Expo on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
The free event, hosted by the City of Kentwood and Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, is set for 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. It will feature a variety of products and services from more than 35 local businesses, as well as health screenings, flu shots, door prizes and free food.
The free health screenings will include blood pressure, spine alignment and more. The flu shot clinic will be provided by Walgreens from 10 a.m.-noon. For individuals without qualifying insurance, the cost will be $35.99 for a regular-dose flu shot for ages 64 and younger, or $65.99 for a high-dose for ages 65 and older.
“The South Kent Community & Senior Expo provides community members with a great opportunity to connect with a broad range of businesses and organizations in southern Kent County,” said Bob O’Callaghan, president/CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce. “We look forward to this event each year and showcasing local products and services.”
The City of Kentwood is proud to partner with the Chamber on the expo, said Recreation Program Coordinator Ann Przybysz.
“There’s something for everyone at this fun community event,” Przybysz said. “We encourage residents, businesses and organizations to join us for a great lineup of activities.”
Touchdown sponsors of the football-themed expo are Consumers Energy, Estate Information Services, Inc., St. Ann’s Home and United Healthcare. Field goal sponsors are Baldwin House of Grand Rapids, HealthBridge Post-Acute Rehabilitation, Mission Point Healthcare Services, Priority Health and The Care Team.
One of the most popular events in the City of Wyoming is taking place this weekend, the Trick of Treat Trail. The event is set for 4 – 6 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW.
About 2,500 children are expected to attend to the annual free event which has local businesses, such as Weller Self Serve, Bloom Credit Union, Godwin Plumbing and Hardware, and Hom Flats, handing out candy. WKTV also will be there filming fall greetings from area children on different seasonal backgrounds.
There is no pre-registration for the event, with families encouraged to come. With that in mind, we caught up with Wyoming’s Special Events and Marketing Programmer Corey Stamps to get the scoop on a few things you should know before you go.
The community comes together at Wyoming’s Trick or Treat Trail. (Supplied)
Entering and Parking: Participants should enter from the Byron Center East gate (see map above). This is also where they can park.
Costumes: Costumes are not required but encouraged to add a little more fun to the event. Parents can dress up as well.
Adult supervision: Children must have a supervising adult with them to participate.
Event time: The event will start right at 4 p.m. and go until 6 p.m. There is no additional time before or after the event.
The pathway: Once participants park they will be directed to the path. The actual path goes in a complete loop around the Lamar Park parking lot. Along the way participants will be greeted by our table host and be able to participate in different activities.
Kids Area: There will be a kids area with crafts, face painting and tattoos.
Social distancing and Mask wearing: Since there will being a large number of participants, we encourage everyone to try and keep a safe distance from one another. Masks are not required at this event but participants are more than welcome to wear one.
What if it rains?The event will take place rain or shine. Please pay attention to our Facebook page if there happens to be a weather concern.
For more information about Parks and Recreation programs and events please contact the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation team by calling 616-530-3164, emailing parks_info@wyomingmi.gov, or visiting www.wyomingmi.gov
Residents go over an existing master plan for Marquette Park with designers from the architect and landscape company MCSA. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
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.
The keywords that came from the first meeting.
The keywords from the second meeting.
At the two meetings, attendees were asked to write down a word or two that best described what they wanted at Marquette Park. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
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.
Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt talks to residents about ideas for Marquette Park. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
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.
The nonprofit Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) care provider, the Susan Mast ALS Foundation, invites West Michigan residents to sign up for their “PedALS” bike ride and walk on Sept.25-26. Participants can register and pledge online at https://pedalsforals.com.
PedALS enables Susan Mast to provide critical support services and wheelchairs to nearly 100 ALS families across West Michigan. In 2020, the foundation offered 3,058 respite hours, $11,000 in meals, and 500 hours delivering medical equipment.
Susan Mast ALS Foundation Executive Director Julie Snelling believes that participation in the PedALS event will allow the organization to further extend its reach in the community.
“Our mission is to walk alongside families with loved ones experiencing ALS,” Snelling said. “PedALS gives us the chance to pay tribute to individuals with ALS, honor those who have meant so much to us, and make new memories in a fun, family-friendly environment.”
Cyclists will enjoy participating in one of a variety of rides. Options include a 25- or 50-mile road ride, 25-mile gravel ride, a 10-20 mountain ride, or a 10-mile fun ride. Runners and walkers can sign up for a 5K or 1-mile walk.
The third annual event, sponsored by generous local businesses, will feature live music from the Freddy Jones Band. Attendees can choose to attend the entire event or show up only for the concert afterparty.
Tribute signs honoring loved ones with ALS are available for a $100 purchase.
Participants are encouraged to sign up as a PedALS Pledger on the PedALS website. Pledgers commit to bringing in a specific donation amount and recruit a team to raise the funds needed.
Dr. Phil VanderLugt, an optometrist and PedALS committee member, will host the first day of the event at his home. Known affectionately as “Mr. PedALS,” VanderLugt said he is excited to celebrate the event’s best year yet.
The Grand Rapids-based Susan Mast ALS Foundation is named after Susan Mast who was the executive director of Faith Hospice. Mast passed away in 2014 from ALS.
Have an idea for a program you would like to see the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department offer? Cannot live without adult softball? Now is the time to share your opinions.
Do residents enjoy participating in pickle ball? The Wyoming Parks and Recreation is asking for residents’ opinions on what the city should offer. (Supplied)
This week, the city’s Park and Recreation Department has released a survey seeking input from residents on what type of programs they would like to the see the city offer.
“We really want to get a better idea of what residents love and can’t live without and what programs they would like to see the city add,” said the city’s Recreation Supervisor Krashawn Martin.
The survey is 19 questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Questions includes what programs residents find valuable such as adult kickball, adult softball, youth dance, youth gymnastics, pickle ball, ceramics, line dance, tumble and play and special events such as Trick or Treat Trail, Daddy Daughter Dance, and the Candy Hunt. Other questions ask what programs residents would like to see for different age levels.
Martin noted the Parks and Recreation Department has not had such a survey in awhile with city officials wanting to learn what residents would like to see.
“Do they want the leagues or maybe they want more special events such as the Trick or Treat Trail,” she said. “This is to help us plan what we will be doing and where we will be going.”
Residents have until Aug. 16 to complete the survey, which can be found here. The results of the survey will impact the 2022-2023 season, Martin said, adding that the city is already in fall program mode.
In fact, registration for fall programs officially has open. For more information on fall programs, click here.
The Kent County Parks Department has completed a series of land acquisitions that will expand the county’s Chief Hazy Cloud Park into a 395‐acre natural preserve which will include woods, wetlands and three miles of frontage along the Grand River.
Leaders from Kent County, Ada Township, the Kent County Parks Foundation, and others shared details at the park on Tuesday morning. Chief Hazy Cloud Park is located on Pettis Avenue in Ada Township and expanding it has been part of the Kent County Parks Master Plan for more than two decades. A shared goal of the partnership is to continue conservation efforts to preserve the Grand River and nearby upland and wetland habitats.
“The past year has reinforced the importance of having spaces where people and families can enjoy outdoor activities,” said Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter. “For years, we’ve been committed to expanding this park to offer more opportunities for residents and we now look forward to giving people the chance to see this beautiful, natural green space for themselves.”
Chief Hazy Cloud Park was originally established in the late 1920s. By the early 1990s, it had grown to 24 acres and Kent County Parks began considering expansion plans for the property. Now, with 395 acres, most of the property is largely undeveloped but currently allows excellent opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing.
A series of acquisitions of additional property near the current park were recently completed and represent another successful public‐private partnership as the funds for the land acquisitions came from Kent County, Ada Township, private investors and a series of Michigan Department of Natural Resources grants. The long‐ term vision for the expanded 395‐acre park is to transform the land into a major regional park, continuing to preserve the Grand River and upland and wetland habitats with the trails and natural areas eventually connecting, via a pedestrian bridge, to Roselle Park, a 240‐acre park located on the opposite side of the Grand River.
The trails and natural areas will eventually connect, via a pedestrian bridge, to Roselle Park, a 240‐acre park located on the opposite side of the Grand River. (Supplied)
“We’re excited about the idea of a future bridge connecting these two remarkable parks with each other and with the township and county trail systems – allowing interconnected access to more than 600‐acres of park and trails available to residents and visitors alike” said Ada Township Supervisor Ross Leisman. “Our township residents recently passed a millage to grow and maintain our trail system, and we look forward to continuing to partner with Kent County on developing and connecting this unique, natural outdoor area.”
“Kent County will develop and run a master plan process to give the community an opportunity to provide feedback on the development of the park,” said Kent County Parks Superintendent Dan DeLooff. “We are excited about the opportunities this park has to offer, and we look forward to hearing resident ideas on how to develop the green space.”
In 1928, the Park’s name was changed to Chief Hazy Cloud from Grand River Park to commemorate the great Indian Chief Mnobbinnakizhick, or Hazy Cloud. He and his tribe worked and traveled the banks of the Thornapple River and Grand River, and their tribal home was near where the Thornapple River enters the Grand River.
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department has announced round two of its Rec at Home Kids which will be handed out Thursday, June 11 from 12:30 -1:30 p.m. at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW.
The kits will consist of fun activities for your children to do at home. In order to receive this kit, each child must be registered on the Wyoming Parks and Recreation website. Click here to register.
There are about 300 kits available and they are expected to go quickly so register soon.
