395 Acre Property Along Grand River To Become Part of Major Park

Kent County has been busy procuring properties to increase the size of it’s Chief Hazy Cloud Park in Ada Township. It now has a total of 395 acres with 3 miles of Grand River frontage. Their dream is to turn this area into a large regional park, and they are looking for public input.

MLive reports

“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.” While vast, the park at 150 Pettis Ave. NE features little amenities at present; it currently consists of a gravel parking lot with a short trail network.

They have long term plans for this regional project, they plan to build a pedestrian bridge across the Grand River to connect the newly expanded Chief Hazy Cloud park with a 240 acre park across the river known as Roselle Park. There are limits as to what can be done because much of the land is on a floodplain. Some projects currently in planning are adding more trails, building playgrounds and restroom facilities. They are also looking to provide more access to the water for viewing and fishing.

Newsbreak reports

“This is a cool private-public partnership is what’s happening here,” said County Administrator Wayman Britt. “I mean, we couldn’t have asked for a better partner in Ada Township, they’ve been wonderful to work with. “The people in this community are very giving and supportive of the natural resources in the area and I think we’ve got a winning combination to make this a beautiful opportunity for all citizenry in the county.”

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This park has quite a bit of history since it was established back in the 1920s. They wanted to honor Chief Mnobbinnakizhick, also known as Hazy Cloud. The name of the park was changed in 1928 because His tribe worked and lived near where the banks of the Thornapple and Grand Rivers came together. Over the years more and more land has been added to the park. Chief Hazy Cloud Park has a bright future thanks to this great partnership.

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Filed Under: Chief Hazy Cloud Park