Is GR Michigans West Coast ?

[PortCity 0]

Perhaps we need to discuss if it is realistic to mislead the public that Grand Rapids is Michigan's West Coast. The city of GR is at best 37 miles from the coast of Lake Michigan and is actually a landlocked city. Cities such as Holland, Grand Haven and Muskegon are truly West Coast cities located on the shores of Lake Michigan.Perhaps GR needs to call itself Michigan's River Town and promote what the Grand River can do for it's community.

[GRDadof3 3408]

Perhaps we need to discuss if it is realistic to mislead the public that Grand Rapids is Michigan's West Coast. The city of GR is at best 37 miles from the coast of Lake Michigan and is actually a landlocked city. Cities such as Holland, Grand Haven and Muskegon are truly West Coast cities located on the shores of Lake Michigan.Perhaps GR needs to call itself Michigan's River Town and promote what the Grand River can do for it's community.

 

Did you start this thread to start trouble PortCity? C'mon, be honest. There's a term for that in discussion board world...

 

Actually, from the border of the city proper of Grand Rapids near Lincoln Country Club to the big lake is 23 miles. I do think that some Grand Rapids promotional organizations do tend to overplay their hand when it comes to Lake Michigan, but in the grand scheme of "metro areas," Lake Michigan is well within the boundaries of what most people think of in a mid-sized metro.

 

Plus, Lake Michigan is a huge natural resource. I don't think even Grand Haven, Muskegon or Holland should "lay claim" to it. We're all stewards of it. It will be here for millions of years after we have all left.

[MJLO 728]

From a statistical standpoint Lake Michigan does fall into the area, since Kent and Ottawa counties are part of the same metro.   Usually I hear it referred to as Grand Rapids AND Michigan's West Coast.    I don't see anything inherently wrong or misleading with that.     Sounds like someone from Muskegon just doesn't like Grand Rapids. 

[GR_Urbanist 652]

I do and don't think it is.

 

Do because it is right there. I was able to see the sun reflecting off of downtown building in Holland Twp., so we cant be that far away from the lake to the point where it has nothing to do with GR. We certainly get plenty of frozen lake water here in the winter.

 

Don't because the lake isn't accessible to most people here without a car. And even with one it isn't really a trip that people will make more than a couple of times a year unless you have to go back and forth. Without a way to get there, the lake might as well be the Pacific Ocean.

 

Maybe one day when we have some sort of rail or bus link to the lake (HINT), then there wont be a question.

[arcturus 216]

Funny, the lake was much closer growing up in Chicago's near western suburbs but it never felt that way.

 

Maybe they're missing out on some good PR ... 'Come to 'Illinois' Northeast Coast!'  

[RegalTDP 415]

Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo are the biggest local markets for Lake Michigan tourism.  Are there any studies on how much Lakeshore towns benefit from money from Kent/Kalamazoo counties?  I couldn't find any, but I would still guess Lakeshore towns aren't in any position to complain.

 

Just some perspective - my residence is within Los Angeles city limits, but it takes me longer to get to the beach from where I live than it would if I lived in downtown GR.

[GRDadof3 3408]

I hear these statements once in a while in regard to Grand Rapids making this claim. I don't think it's a statistical thing, but it's more of a "pride" thing for Holland, Grand Haven and Muskegon to claim their autonomy from Grand Rapids. I also think there's some hatred for Grand Rapids in the Grand Haven area because of the sewage overflows in the Grand when there are heavy rains (even though the volume has been reduced by over 90% in the last 10 years).

 

But they have to realize that Grand Rapids is leading the State in economic and population growth, and even making headlines nationally for its job growth. It only helps them.