Tag Archive | Friends of Grand Rapids Parks

FGRP hosting Southtown Clean Up & Tree Pruning

Apr12

On Saturday, April 16 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks invites neighbors to meet at Gerald R. Ford Middle School to clean up trash and prune trees as part of its Mayor’s Greening Initiative the Southtown neighborhood! The first 30 people to registere here will receive a free lunch.

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is committed to engaging our community in the betterment of our city’s
parks, trees, and green spaces through volunteerism, park activation, philanthropy and urban forestry. Learn more about them here.

Live in Burton Heights? Help FGRP plant trees!

Sep10

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is planting more than 250 trees in one weekend. That takes lots of people working together. They’d love for you to be one of them. CAN YOU LEND A HAND?!
Mayor’s Greening Initiative
October 8 & 9, 2021
Burton Heights Neighborhood
SIGN UP NOW! →

Volunteer for a 3-hour shift and help plant 250+ new trees along neighborhood streets. Trees will be planted in open spaces between the sidewalk and road (don’t worry – they won’t interfere with power lines, driveways or walkways!).

3 OPTIONS: Friday, Oct. 8, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, 10-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, 2-5 p.m.
PICK YOUR SHIFT →

Join OKT and FGRP for Movies in the Park

Jun17

7 p.m. Friday June 18
MLK Jr. Park
900 Fuller Ave. SE 49506

OKT will be tabling with information on our programs and the Southeast Area Farmers Market during Friends of Grand Rapids Parks’ Movies in the Park on Friday June 18 at MLK Jr. Park. FGRP is excited to bring Movies in the Park, the free, family-friendly summer series, back to five neighborhood parks this summer!

Feel free to bring along lawn chairs, blankets and snacks, but please no alcoholic beverages.

schedule for each event:

7:00 PM – Community partners will be providing yard games, music, dance, entertainment, as well as recreational activities for all ages

9:00 PM – Movie starts! (Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse)

2021 SCHEDULE OF MOVIES IN THE PARK:

  • June 18: Martin Luther King Park
  • July 17: Sullivan Field
  • July 31: Roosevelt Park
  • Aug. 7: Plaster Creek Family Park
  • Aug. 21: Highland Park

¡Friends of Grand Rapids Parks se complace en traer Movies in the Park, la serie de verano gratuita y familiar, de regreso a cinco parques del vecindario este verano!

Siéntase libre de traer sillas de jardín, mantas y aperitivos, pero no bebidas alcohólicas.

horario de cada evento:

7:00 PM – Los socios de la comunidad ofrecerán juegos de jardín, música, baile, entretenimiento y actividades recreativas para todas las edades.

9:00 PM – Comienza la película  (Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse)

The Movies in the Park series is generously supported by Lake Michigan Credit Union, the Grand Rapids Police Foundation, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Kent Count Health Department, Aligned Planning, Spectrum Health Healthier Communities, Consumer’s Energy, the Wege Foundation, the Community Media Center, and the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department. .

Plant trees with Friends Friday and Saturday

Oct5

Help plant trees with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
Friday, Oct. 9: 2-4 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 10: 9-11 a.m., 12-2 p.m. and 3-5 p.m

Register here by 5 p.m. Wednesday!

Friends of GR Parks believes that every person should have equal access to beautiful outdoor spaces and experiences, and is working hard to make this a reality in GR. You can volunteer with them for the Mayor’s Greening Initiative this week. Together with volunteers (in a socially distanced fashion), they are add 400 trees to the Garfield Park neighborhood.

There is a role for you, whatever your skill level or age. Whether you plant a tree, clean tools, run registration or move trees, YOU can make a long-lasting impact in your community by lending a hand!

TREE PLANTING: Plant 1-2 trees in Garfield Park or surrounding neighborhood during your 2-hour shift. 

SITE LEADER: These key volunteers are assigned a specific area to oversee during the event. This includes greeting volunteers assigned to work in the area, demonstrating tree planting, distributing and collecting tools, and communicating with Friends staff.

CLEAN-UP: Clear registration area, put away tools and supplies, and assist FGRP staff.

Friends of Grand Rapids Park sharing resources at Saturday’s market

Jul22

Southeast Area Farmers Market:  11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday July 25 
MLK Jr. Park, 900 Fuller SE 49506

friends

In addition to local, fresh organic produce from Groundswell Farm, home baked cakes, and craft items, this Saturday’s market hosts Friend of Grand Rapids Parks. Stop by and chat with them about free trees, how to plant and care for trees, and why trees are such an important Grand Rapids infrastructure.

You may have seen FGRP Green Team youth caring for trees around town. This paid summer youth employment program in collaboration with the City of Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Urban League, employs four youth from the Roosevelt Park area to help water nearly 300 trees planted by Friends and volunteers during the 2019 Mayor’s Greening Initiative.

 

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks’ guide breaks down “Parks, Pools & Playgrounds” proposal

Oct31

friendsElections are right around the corner! The Friends of Grand Rapids Parks have developed the following guide to help break down the “Parks, Pools & Playgrounds” proposal voters will see on the ballot.

A quick guide to the parks millage proposal

  • This millage would be in place permanently, providing reliable and on-going funding (the parks millage passed in 2013 expires in 2020).
  • The new rate would increase the average homeowner’s payment by about $1.38 per month.
  • If passed, the City will receive $5 million per year to invest in our parks.
  • Funds will be used to continue capital improvements (such as those accomplished through the 2013 millage), keep all GR pools and splash pads open, provide recreational programming, and allow for more consistent maintenance.
  • Friends of Grand Rapids Parks receives no millage funds for its projects or operations – we will still rely on donor support!
  • We will continue to work with residents to identify and recommend improvements to the City and the Parks Advisory Board, which develops the proposed Parks and Recreation budget annually.

Visit Yes GR Parks campaign site for more information. If you’d like to join the advocate for parks and trees, join FGRP at 9:35 a.m. Nov. 2 to help canvas neighborhoods and provide voters with literature about the proposal. More info here.

Has your neighborhood park made huge leaps since the 2013 millage was approved? How do you imagine our city parks transforming? Share your thought by emailing info@friendsofgrparks.org.

Share your thoughts on the Park Millage with GR commission Tuesday

Jul22

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Mooney Park, before and after. Read about more park transformations here.

On July 23, you can tell City Hall to tell City Commissioners how much the current Parks Millage has done for our parks and community, and why it’s vital that Grand Rapids voters have the opportunity to vote on this renewal.

Here are 3 keys reasons why this Parks Millage Renewal is important:

  1. It will ensure funds to continue improving park infrastructure, such as playgrounds, splashpads, courts, and bathrooms.
  2. It will provide new funds for much-needed park maintenance and free youth programming, which were not possible under the current millage.
  3. The proposed new millage would accomplish #1 and #2 through a $14 increase, from $50 to $64 annually.

The City Commission will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. next Tuesday, July 23, to listen on this issue– and hopefully give the community the opportunity to vote it,

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is asking for you to come and share your stories. “Stories of great community park plans coming together, projects that have activated your park, cleaner and greener parks, open pools and new splash pads – and the projects yet to be done. Bring the kiddos! We need them to share what they love about their parks, pools, and playgrounds, too.”

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2019/02/grand-rapids-taxpayers-dedicated-parks-millage-producing-better-grades-so-far.html

Shop the Farmers’ Market, then stop by OKT’s table before the Movie in the Park Saturday!

Jul19

moviesFriends of Grand Rapids Parks in collaboration with the Grand Rapids Police Department, Urban League of West Michigan, and City of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation Department, will be hosting free family friendly movies in our neighborhood parks this summer. On Saturday July 20, the event takes place at MLK Jr. Park, the site of the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market!

Come to the farmers’ market between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and then spend the rest of the afternoon at the Urban League Park Party. At 7 p.m., community partners will host yard games, music and dance, entertainment, and recreation activities for all ages. The movie will start at 9 p.m.. Friends of Grand Rapids Park will serve water and popcorn, provided by Celebration Cinema, Bring along lawn chairs, blankets and snacks, but please no alcoholic beverages.

Free Fruit Tree Management Workshop March 22

Mar3

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks Urban Forest Project is partnering with the Kent and Montcalm Conservation Districts to present a workshop on  growing, maintaining and pruning fruit trees. The event takes place 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday March 22 at Sietsema Orchards,  8540 2-Mile Road in Ada.  

Although the setting for this event is a production fruit farm, the programming will target small-scale, urban and backyard fruit growers. Topics include selecting appropriate varieties, watering and fertilization, tree biology, insects and disease and tree pruning with an outdoor practical.

Space is limited. If you are interested in attending this class, RSVP to Lee Mueller at 616 389 4687 or lee.mueller@friendsofgrparks.org.