Jump to content

Crescent Park to get makeover


GRDadof3

Recommended Posts

The Van Andel Research Institute is requesting an agreement with the city to take over upgrading and maintaining Crescent Park, while still maintaining its "public park" status for public use. The plan is to institute the new "Friends of Crescent Park" to help raise funds and support for the park, to start at about the Phase II completion time of Dec. 09.

Included with city's packet is this schematic proposal for the park changes. The most notable is eliminating the existing staircase, adding a lookout area and landscaped terraces, with the new stairs moved to the North and curving down along the glass curtain wall of the new Phase II cafeteria area:

2682807510_9d2382d802_o.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 68
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Bring back the fountain!

This was my first thought! I remember seeing it on some of the old postcards I was looking through at Eastown Antiques. I just checked and it doesn't appear I bought one of those though, or I'd scan it in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Press has picked up the story, with a few more details.

Van Andel Institute sees value in Crescent Park

I hope the hospital patients don't mind mingling with a few homeless people once in a while. :whistling:

And wow, that article says that VAI will employ 750 when finished. I was thinking it was about 600. I believe 750 would be the largest employee count of any single office building downtown.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope the hospital patients don't mind mingling with a few homeless people once in a while. :whistling:

Do they hang out there? It's my favorite park in the city but every time I go there either no one is around or they are just walking past on the sidewalk.

I did take some pictures there at 4am about a month ago and the first thing I did was check to see if any of the benches were occupied, they weren't.

BTW: I agree with the rest of you about bringing back the fountain. Maybe we can start a petition to let the VAI know that's what the public wants.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do they hang out there? It's my favorite park in the city but every time I go there either no one is around or they are just walking past on the sidewalk.

I did take some pictures there at 4am about a month ago and the first thing I did was check to see if any of the benches were occupied, they weren't.

BTW: I agree with the rest of you about bringing back the fountain. Maybe we can start a petition to let the VAI know that's what the public wants.

Occasionally during the day, picking through the trash cans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BTW: I agree with the rest of you about bringing back the fountain. Maybe we can start a petition to let the VAI know that's what the public wants.

Or at least what a few opinionated citizens on an online message board want. :P

BRING ME A FOUNTAIN, OR BRING ME DEATH!

In all seriousness, I would love to see more fountains around our fair city and it would be an awesome historical nod towards what was once there. There could even be a little display of the city skyline that you could see from there, pointing out what each of the buildings are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or at least what a few opinionated citizens on an online message board want. :P

Shhhhh! Don't let them know that this forum doesn't speak for all area residents!

I think it would be cool to have a fountain there with the same design the original had. On the other hand it could also be a barrier free fountain like the one in Gaslight Village, but with signs that say "please do play in the fountain"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I think it would be cool to have a fountain there with the same design the original had"

Yes! Bring back the fountain!

Also the park is not always deserted...go there around lunch time. Quite a few nurses, construction workers, Students and others eat lunch there during the summer. I also saw a very ambitious jogger running up and down the stairs one morning...talk about a workout!

I will be sad to see the stairs go (despite the fact they are so steep) because it would destroy some of the symetry that the park has currently (or historically). But hey...Improvement sometimes means change, and if it is good change...I am all for the improvements.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awesome! Back when I was at GRCC 11 years ago, I often used to eat my Double Whoppers while reading the Wheel of Time books on those benches. Great memories of that park, I'm glad it's getting it's makeover. :thumbsup:

So whom do we write to urging the construction of a fountain?

Maybe Steve Heacock or David Van Andel at VARI. They were the ones quoted in the articles. Although, it looks like they are looking to spend about $1 - $1.5 Million, which is probably not enough to include a fountain. Can't hurt to petition though, and/or volunteer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe Steve Heacock or David Van Andel at VARI. They were the ones quoted in the articles. Although, it looks like they are looking to spend about $1 - $1.5 Million, which is probably not enough to include a fountain. Can't hurt to petition though, and/or volunteer.

Do a Habitat for Humanity kind of thing - pitch in time, effort, material. Oh, money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.