The Grand River?! You mean GR has a River?

[RegalTDP]

13 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

My only annoyance with GRWW and the overall river restoration / riverfront activation is that I want it to happen NOW.  I don't think it needs to be "bigger". I think it's pretty ambitious as is. 

Joe

Well it's not like Des Moines' restoration is happening tomorrow .  The article isn't clear, but it doesn't seem like they've started raising money yet.

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, RegalTDP said:

Whoa, whoa, I wouldn't characterize it that way.  I agree with the ^^^others that Des Moines benefits from its status as a capitol and largest city in Iowa, while GR has to compete with other cities taking up the oxygen in our state.

But it's also worth pointing out that Michigan and Iowa do not have equal tourism industries.  Michigan has the Great Lakes and a robust network of natural inland lakes and streams.  We already have a well-established outdoor recreation scene that draws vacationers from out of state.  GR White Water's project is limited to Downtown GR and would complement all of this.

Iowa as a state has far less inland water, and much of they do have was formed by dams. They have a bigger project because they are trying to bring more outdoor recreation to the region as a whole. It costs more because it will take a lot more engineering to do it.  They are playing catch-up.  More power to them; I don't think it's anything for us to be insecure about.

Iowa Tourism (2017):

• Visitor spending: $8.5 Billion
• Travel-related jobs: 69,570
• State Revenue: $507.1 Million

Michigan Tourism (2017):

• Visitor spending: $24.7 Billion
• Travel-related jobs: 224,476
• State Revenue: $2.7 Billion

Does GRWW need to be a bigger project?  If so, let's talk about what it's missing.  We shouldn't necessarily be jealous that other regions are trying to do something bigger - Michigan is blessed with a lot already!

If the rapids are restored as they are talking about and the River for All waterfront parks are completed, I can't imagine what else we could hope for. It'd be phenomenal. 

[WMrapids]

Looks like the dredging proposal is dead

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/dnr-rejects-proposal-to-dredge-grand-river/

[thebeerqueer]

4 hours ago, WMrapids said:

Looks like the dredging proposal is dead

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/dnr-rejects-proposal-to-dredge-grand-river/

Dead in the water?? 

[Allison Slater]

 

20 hours ago, thebeerqueer said:

Dead in the water?? 

That plan was a wash.

[GR8scott]

That’s too bad, hopefully they’ll come back with something more compelling. Not sure why there would be money put aside to do an environmental study and then not do it? It sounds like most people are against this for environmental reasons, however they still somehow support the Whitewater project? I feel like these would complement each other and clean the river up. Not many cities have the natural infrastructure to do something like this and don’t Do anything.

[organsnyder]

27 minutes ago, GR8scott said:

That’s too bad, hopefully they’ll come back with something more compelling. Not sure why there would be money put aside to do an environmental study and then not do it? It sounds like most people are against this for environmental reasons, however they still somehow support the Whitewater project? I feel like these would complement each other and clean the river up. Not many cities have the natural infrastructure to do something like this and don’t Do anything.

Friends of the Lower Grand River gives a number of reasons it was a bad idea:

https://friendsofthelowergrandriver.org/

I don't understand what you mean when you say it would "clean the river up". It's a river—not a canal.

[demhem]

37 minutes ago, GR8scott said:

That’s too bad, hopefully they’ll come back with something more compelling. Not sure why there would be money put aside to do an environmental study and then not do it? It sounds like most people are against this for environmental reasons, however they still somehow support the Whitewater project? I feel like these would complement each other and clean the river up. Not many cities have the natural infrastructure to do something like this and don’t Do anything.

A dredging project is much different than a dam removal/river restoration project. They are the polar opposite environmentally. One seeks to modify the river while the other seeks to remove the modifications and restore the river more closely to its original natural state. The later is environmentally beneficial, especially for wildlife. 

[GRDadof3]

5 hours ago, GR8scott said:

That’s too bad, hopefully they’ll come back with something more compelling. Not sure why there would be money put aside to do an environmental study and then not do it? It sounds like most people are against this for environmental reasons, however they still somehow support the Whitewater project? I feel like these would complement each other and clean the river up. Not many cities have the natural infrastructure to do something like this and don’t Do anything.

Money was set aside for a study by legislator Arlan Meekhof for his friend the developer without ever talking to any of the people along the river or any of the municipalities who would be responsible for its upkeep and security. It was a really snaky backdoor deal. They had no financial plans for future dredging, navigation buoys, erosion, police patrols, rescue, all of the things that would be needed for this project. 

It was also really poorly thought out. They talked about dredging a 50' wide channel for 22.5 miles. If you've ever been boating, a 50 foot wide channel with two way traffic is way too narrow for boats to travel at full speed. It would be a 22.5 mile no-wake zone. To get a boat slow enough to not cause any wake behind you means you could probably walk faster. No one in their right mind would go 22.5  miles in a no-wake zone, you'd go crazy (and so would your kids and the pet dog on the boat). It'd take you probably 4 hours in the mosquito infested heat to get from Grand Haven to downtown. 

People would do it once and never do it again. "Not again Dad, it's so booorrrinnnngggg!!!" haha. 

This dredging pipe dream is NOTHING like the rapids restoration (which I believe is only a mile long). 

[GRDadof3]

This is cool. Looks like the city has secured enough private and local funding to go for a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant to pay for this badly needed connection, from downtown to the White Pine Trail and Musketawa Trail. So visitors could stay downtown and bike up to Rockford, Cedar Springs, or even out to the ridge area, without ever going on the road. 

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2021/01/grand-rapids-planning-636m-trail-connector-along-grand-river.html

[joeDowntown]

Update on river restoration. If permits get filed / approved, they could start some construction in July of 2022:

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/restoring-the-rapids-project-still-on-track-but-it-wont-be-quick/

[WMrapids]

8 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Update on river restoration. If permits get filed / approved, they could start some construction in July of 2022:

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/restoring-the-rapids-project-still-on-track-but-it-wont-be-quick/

Finishing in another 15-20 years? Oof.

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, WMrapids said:

Finishing in another 15-20 years? Oof.

I read it a bit different. I think it could take years for all phases, but they’ve also been working on it for ten years. I’m sure we’ll start to see some whitewater in the next few years. Sounded like they will start on the lower portion first?

Joe

[wingbert]

3 hours ago, WMrapids said:

Finishing in another 15-20 years? Oof.

Which will be completed first - restore the rapids or reskin the Amway Grand?

[cstonesparty]

3 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

I read it a bit different. I think it could take years for all phases, but they’ve also been working on it for ten years. I’m sure we’ll start to see some whitewater in the next few years. Sounded like they will start on the lower portion first?

Joe

I was guessing the lamprey barrier would be first thing.  

Without going back to look it up, seems like there was a mussel that needed to be relocated too before work in the river.  Those environmental permitting processes, I would think, are the things slowing down the start of work.  

The public will become cynical about this if things don't start to happen though.  And if it drags out for another decade of crawling process, it will REALLY lose people's interest/confidence.

[GRDadof3]

On 5/21/2021 at 10:44 AM, cstonesparty said:

I was guessing the lamprey barrier would be first thing.  

Without going back to look it up, seems like there was a mussel that needed to be relocated too before work in the river.  Those environmental permitting processes, I would think, are the things slowing down the start of work.  

The public will become cynical about this if things don't start to happen though.  And if it drags out for another decade of crawling process, it will REALLY lose people's interest/confidence.

I've been a big supporter of the project and even was part of the "it will happen, just give it time" brigade. But even now I'm having my doubts it will ever get finished. I also don't think all (or any) of the riverfront parks will get finished either. Look at how long Lyon Square has taken. And they still haven't started it. 

[wingbert]

58 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

I've been a big supporter of the project and even was part of the "it will happen, just give it time" brigade. But even now I'm having my doubts it will ever get finished. I also don't think all (or any) of the riverfront parks will get finished either. Look at how long Lyon Square has taken. And they still haven't started it. 

It’s frustrating for sure.  It would seem like such a no-brainer that having a river running through the downtown would present multiple opportunities.  However, GR just seems to spin its wheels and struggle with how to take advantage of this resource.

[joeDowntown]

The way I read it, they have 90% (to 95%) of the funding secured, and it's just wading through the enormous amount of committees, permits and red tape associated with touching anything water (plus flood wall) related. I think the sea lamprey's are also an issue, and I know that finding the endangered snuffbox mussel set them back.

I did see that they have to resubmit paperwork that was rejected because it didn't have enough detail (about certain aspects) and that also caused the Army corp of engineers to pause looking at some aspects of the Sixth Street dam until it is resolved. They are resubmitting in June / July, but it won't even get looked at til at least October.

This is where I wonder if a group like Grand Action needs to get involved. They have deep pockets, and are heavy hitters w/ political clout. I wonder if they could help streamline the process? Let's get 'er done!

Joe

[GRDadof3]

On 5/24/2021 at 10:51 AM, wingbert said:

It’s frustrating for sure.  It would seem like such a no-brainer that having a river running through the downtown would present multiple opportunities.  However, GR just seems to spin its wheels and struggle with how to take advantage of this resource.

I think part of the problem is the "get shit done" people have all retired and/or left the city of GR. And there are lot fewer GenXers to fill those shoes. 

Now every meeting is taken over by "over-woke folk" and nothing ever gets done.  I am glad to see Grand Action back in action because they seem to rise above all that noise. 

[grandrollerz]

Hey hey hey, looks like we have something happening on the River!!  https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2021/07/new-grand-rapids-festival-to-feature-dragon-boat-races.html

Let's get on the water people!

[GRDadof3]

On 8/8/2021 at 11:08 AM, grandrollerz said:

Hey hey hey, looks like we have something happening on the River!!  https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2021/07/new-grand-rapids-festival-to-feature-dragon-boat-races.html

Let's get on the water people!

I saw that, that's pretty cool. I think buried somewhere deep in the archives of either this thread or another one is a discussion about the fire festival in Providence Road, Island, which parlayed into a discussion about dragon boat races. Was probably 15 years ago we talked about it.

[GRDadof3]

I can't read the article, but:

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2021/10/project-bringing-rapids-back-to-grand-river-gets-phenomenal-help-with-7m-from-state.html

[Matchetes]

At long last some public movement on this. There will be a period of public comment on this starting Nov 10th. It's to asses the cultural and historical legacy of the dams which is......okay sure I guess they're historical in the sense that they were built in the past. So not very exciting, but it is at least something public

https://www.facebook.com/grandrapidswhitewater/

NRCS Public Notices

[GRDadof3]

Sounds promising:

https://www.woodtv.com/home/gr-taking-bids-on-rapids-restoration-project/

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Grand Rapids is looking for a construction management firm for the Grand River Restoration project.

The city and Grand Rapids WhiteWater, the group working on a plan to restore rapids to the river, are asking for statements of qualifications for the project, Grand Rapids announced in a Wednesday release.

 

[GRDadof3]

Request for Qualifications is out for the rapids restoration. Anyone want to read all 119 pages?

https://www.woodtv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/51/2022/04/RFQ-_Grand-River-Revitalization-Project_17014.pdf