Kent County Parks Department

🌳 Growing a Healthier Urban Forest 🌳

Thank you to our community for stepping up to plant, mulch and stake 45 new native trees along the paved trail at Dwight Lydell Park!

We welcomed lots of volunteers, including Comstock Park High School science classes led by Mr. Hall and Mr. Peoples, Clark Construction Company, East Grand Rapids Middle School students, Cavallo, Element Materials Technology, Eco EE LLC, Crystal Flash, and dedicated park stewards.

This work helps to create shade from the sun and support climate resiliency efforts through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Urban Forestry Grant.

The annual River Bank Run comes through Walker TOMORROW.

Expect traffic delays & road closures to ensure runner safety, especially in and around Johnson & Millennium Parks on the south end of the city.

THE BELOW ROADS WILL BE CLOSED FROM 8 AM UNTIL NOON ON SATURDAY 5/9:

-Butterworth Drive from the GR/Walker City Limits, west to Maynard.
-Maynard Avenue between Butterworth & Vet's Memorial Drive (NO ACCESS TO MILLENNIUM PARK)
-Veteran's Memorial Drive between Maynard & Butterworth (NO ACCESS TO BOAT LAUNCH)
-Butterworth Drive between Veteran's Memorial & Wilson Avenue (NO ACCESS TO JOHNSON PARK)

** If you are trying to access these areas to view runners, you will be turned away. **

Once ALL runners are clear of these areas, the roadways will reopen.

Lepard Nature Preserve is now officially part of the Old-Growth Forest Network! 🌳

Today’s dedication ceremony celebrated more than just a designation—it honored a shared commitment to protecting this rare, mature forest for generations to come.

From towering tulip trees, mature red oaks, and trails dotted with spring trilliums, Lepard Nature Preserve is a powerful example of what forests can become through thoughtful stewardship and time.

What made today especially meaningful was celebrating alongside the Lepard family, who generously donated this land to our parks system back in 2003 with the vision of protecting it from development and sharing it with the community.

We’re honored to continue caring for this special place, preserving not only its ecological value, but the legacy and vision behind it. 💚

🚧 Road Closure 1 Week Away 🚧

Cranes and closures are coming to Rogue River Road as contractors install a new pedestrian bridge made possible by Kent County.

✅ Closure: Rogue River Road will be closed generally between Verta Drive and Woodwater Drive from May 12 to May 18 (Kent County project work)
✅ Detour: Signs will be posted. The recommended detour is south on Jupiter Avenue, east on West River Drive, and north onto Northland Drive. Local access will be maintained for people who live in the construction area.
✅ Payoff: The 10-foot-wide bridge will span the Rogue River and connect both sections of our new South Rogue River Trail, giving outdoor enthusiasts a whole new experience. For the full project details, click on the link in our comments.

📌 Save & share this post so neighbors can plan ahead!

A portion of the 🌳 Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail 🌳 will be closed for repaving from May 4–15. The affected section runs from west of the Fruit Ridge Tunnel to 4 Mile Road in the City of Walker, Michigan.

🚧 Northland Drive Pedestrian Tunnel 🚧

We hosted a ceremony this morning marking the start of construction on a new pedestrian tunnel under Northland Drive—creating a safer, stronger connection to the emerging South Rogue River Trail and the growing Grand River Greenway.

“This groundbreaking represents more than the start of construction—it’s about connection,” said Kent County Parks Department Director Ben Swayze. “We are connecting communities, parks and people while removing a significant safety barrier along one of the busiest roads in northern Kent County. This project brings us one step closer to a seamless regional trail network that improves quality of life and expands access to the outdoors for residents of all ages and abilities.”.

Once complete, this effort will help link a 23-mile stretch from Millennium Park to Lowell, bringing us closer to the Grand River and to each other.

Thanks to our Kent County leadership and many community partners for bringing this vision—funded entirely through $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars awarded through a Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant to Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.—to life!

Construction will take place in phases, with completion anticipated in late fall 2026.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our Indian Mounds Drive Open House! 🌳

We appreciated being able to chat with you one-on-one about scenarios for improving this unique, 4-mile stretch of road and riverside greenspace. The line may have been long, but you waited anyhow and shared some really important feedback.

Have a great night! We have a feeling you’ll be thinking about this for most of it! 😆

A huge thank you to everyone who made our Douglas Walker Park 🌳 tree planting a success!

From planting large trees to mulching and site cleanup, this effort was powered by incredible groups including Gordon Food Service, Total Package Hockey Academy, E3 Compliance, PwC, Ernst & Young, Farmers Insurance, Barton Marlow, Byron Center North Star students, and Grand Rapids Chair Company—along with many dedicated individual volunteers.

This project was supported by a special DTE Energy Foundation Tree Planting Grant through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, funding 25 trees, matched with an additional 30 trees, courtesy of a donation from the Grand Rapids Chair Company.

Your time, teamwork, and willingness to jump in made a lasting impact on this park and our community. 🙏