Read the Kent County Parks Department's Quarterly Newsletter

If you’re feeling that same excitement, you can read all about what’s coming up in our parks this season—including the opening of Kaufman Golf Course, Wabasis Campground, and Millennium Beach. You’ll also find information about many of our programming opportunities, including the second year of our highly successful Nature Neighbors program in partnership with Blandford Nature Center, the ever-popular Summer Wonder program with Kent District Library, and our own Discover! Millennium Park nature event along the Hansen Nature Trail.

Warmer weather also means our shelters and picnic areas will soon be coming out of hibernation. With seven enclosed shelters, 18 open shelters, and 55 designated picnic areas, we have something suitable for nearly every event. If you’re interested in hosting a gathering in one of our parks, you can explore all of our options on our website.

Spring also marks the return of construction season. While road work may add a little time to your commute, construction in our parks and along our trails means new amenities will soon be ready for everyone to enjoy. Below, you can read about several sections of the Grand River Greenway that will be breaking ground, progress on the highly anticipated mountain bike trail system in Johnson Park, and when you—and your furry friends—might be able to enjoy the new 10-acre dog park at Wahlfield Park.

To keep up with all of this and more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram, where we're always sharing the latest news and updates about our parks. I hope to see you in a park or on a trail soon!

Ben Swayze
Director

For our four-legged friends, we are incredibly excited to add our first enclosed dog park to this popular destination. The new 10-acre park will feature a 1-acre small dog area, a 2-acre open activity field, crushed stone walking trails through natural areas, and a 1-acre swimming pond complete with a dog beach and jumping dock. Visitors will also find a four-season family-style restroom with a dog wash station, along with an additional restroom that will serve the nearby hiking and mountain bike trail network.

We broke ground on this project in late spring 2025, and progress has been swift. The entire 10-acre park has been graded, planted, and fenced, with most features already installed. Work on the restrooms continued over the winter, and final construction will wrap up this spring. It’s important that we allow the turf and landscaping time to fully establish before opening the park, so our canine visitors will need just a little more patience. We anticipate an early summer 2026 grand opening.

We're currently wrapping up permit requirements with the Michigan Department of Transportation with groundbreaking planned for early spring. Construction will take place in several phases, with completion anticipated in late fall 2026.

Cannonsburg Trail – This section of non-motorized trail will connect the Northland Drive trail currently under construction to the future Pettis Avenue trail. The project is divided into two segments—Northland Drive to Chauncey Avenue and Chauncey Avenue to Pettis Avenue. Both segments are expected to go out for bid this spring, with construction anticipated to begin in early summer 2026 and continue through late fall 2026.

Pettis Trail – This project includes 3.5 miles of separated non-motorized trail through the rolling hills of Cannon and Ada Townships. Once completed, the trail will connect the Cannonsburg Trail to existing Ada Township trails at Knapp Street and Pettis Avenue, near the Forest Hills Eastern campus. Our team hosted several public meetings earlier this year, and the project will go out for bid in early spring 2026. We anticipate construction beginning by early summer 2026.

Knapp Street Bridge – This project will include new sections of asphalt path, several raised boardwalks, and a steel non-motorized bridge attached to the existing vehicle bridge on Knapp Street across the Grand River. When completed, this critical crossing will connect miles of trails in Ada Township and Grand Rapids Township directly to the Grand River Greenway. The project also includes the permitted relocation of the federally protected snuffbox mussel, which will take place in early June of this year. Construction will ramp up following the relocation, but due to the complexity of the project, completion is expected in mid-2027.

Designated as the west Grand River Greenway Trailhead for Kent County, Johnson Park continues to gain attention with several improvement projects underway, including a four-season family style restroom, an updated playground, new covered gathering spaces, and construction of a comprehensive adaptive mountain bike trail system.

Thanks to fundraising efforts by the West Michigan Mountain Bike Alliance, along with increased grant funding from Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, we’re excited to share that the mountain bike trail system has grown from six miles to eight.

While the winter months slowed down development, our builder should ramp up construction this spring with trails ready for riding by late summer 2026. The rest of the improvements are getting ready for bid this summer

Looking ahead to spring 2026, we're taking on one of the largest restoration efforts yet: the installation of 150 larger-caliber native trees at Dwight Lydell, Millennium, and Douglas Walker Parks. Part of the Michigan DNR Urban and Community Forestry initiative, these trees will provide long-term benefits for canopy health, shade equity, biodiversity, and climate resilience. However, we can’t do it without you!

Come help us plant, mulch, and water these trees and be part of this meaningful work in our parks. We hope you'll also consider joining us for several spring-cleaning events across our parks and, of course, our usual invasive species control workdays.

Lepard Preserve in Caledonia has been recognized as an Old-Growth Forest, an honor that highlights forests with exceptional ecological value and ensures they remain permanently protected and open to the public.

You're invited to celebrate this milestone with a dedication ceremony alongside the spring ephemerals, followed by a guided nature walk with an expert from the Old-Growth Forest Network and an ecologist:

• Where – 6030 76th Street SE, Caledonia
• When – 9 a.m. Friday, May 8, 2026
• What to Bring – Water, sturdy shoes, and layers for the weather

While not original old growth, this 52-acre park offers a glimpse into forest regeneration and the beauty of mature woods. With this designation, our community will be able to watch Lepard Preserve continue to mature into an Old Growth Forest for generations to come. Register on our website.

• Where – 3493 Riverbend Dr SW, Grand Rapids
• When – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, 2026
• Free Parking – Along Butterworth Dr. or Riverbend Rd.

Hosted in partnership with the Kent County Parks Foundation, this event is led by Master Naturalist graduates and stewards with support from community partners. Attendees will receive a free Discover! tote bag, a native plant to take home, and more. Register on our website.

Nature Neighbors is back for another season in our parks! From early childhood programs like Bumblebee Nature Walks to adult-friendly Introduction to Birding, enjoy these engaging, low-cost adventures rooted in nature and fun for all ages, interests and experience levels. Come explore more with Blandford Nature Center program educators at Caledonia Lakeside Park, Fallasburg Park, Long Lake Park, Townsend Park, Wabasis Lake Park and more! The season starts mid-May and continues through early September, as we make the most of the warm weather ahead. Stay tuned for more information about the program schedule and registration!

We're excited to partner with the Kent District Library (KDL) again this summer for some interactive and educational programs as part of their Summer Wonder series! Combine nature with scavenger hunt vibes as you Find Curi across ten different Kent County Parks, or stop by Millennium Park to join in on singing, dancing, and storytelling outside of the KDL Bookmobile. You'll even have a chance to enjoy a foamy-good evening at four parks during their very popular foam parties, all starting June 1, 2026. Be sure to visit the KDL website for the most up-to-date event listings!

Season passes and smart cards for Kaufman Golf Course are now available! Choose from individual, senior, family, or junior passes, with or without cart. Smart Cards offer 40 rounds for just $800. Spring rates are $48 for 18 holes with a cart and $31 for 9 holes with a cart through May 3. Stop by the Clubhouse at 4807 Clyde Park Ave SW, Wyoming, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for more information and purchases.

Wabasis Campground opens for its 54th season on April 24. With cabins, full hook-up, and electric sites filling quickly on weekends, reservations are encouraged as soon as possible. Primitive sites still have availability, and new themed clothing, blankets, hats, and custom fishing lures will be available at the camp store this season. Last year, the campground set a record with 9,718 total nights stayed—and this year is expected to be even busier!

Millennium Park opens its beach and boat rentals for the season by Memorial Day Weekend (Friday, May 22), if not earlier. Season passes provide unlimited beach access, 10% off concessions, and $2 off boat rentals (discount up to two boats per visit), while day passes are available for individual visits. Beach hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., boat rentals 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day. New gluten-friendly and vegetarian concessions items will be available, and free water safety events are scheduled for June 24 (10 a.m. to Noon) and July 21 (3 to 5 p.m.). While the educational trainings are free through a partnership with Life EMS Ambulance and Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, admission to the beach is still required as normal.

“I love seeing families return year after year and watching kids grow up while continuing to make memories here,” Perkins said.

On the job, she wears many hats—training new employees, making supply runs, welcoming campers, assisting with reservations, and helping keep the park clean and inviting. She also enjoys retelling the legend of Chief Wabasis and sharing a local history book she keeps in the store for curious visitors.

Looking for seasonal work? Perkins encourages anyone who loves the outdoors, meeting new people, and staying active to apply—there’s never a dull day working at Kent County Parks!

Pictured above is Kate Perkins (left) and Hanna Yob (right) during Wabasis Campground's annual trick-or-treat event.

Are you looking for a job that offers flexible work hours, time spent outdoors, and a fun team environment? If so, working for our Parks Department may be the perfect fit for you!

Here's a look at current job openings:

• Assistant Park Manager – $28.23 hourly
• Seasonal Parks Worker – $16 hourly
• Seasonal Parks Worker (Golf Course) – $21.15 hourly

Are you a reporter or member of the media and see something you'd like to cover? Reach out to Christina Anthony, Marketing and Communications Manager, for quotes, interviews, background information, or anything else you may need to tell a great story about our parks:

• Phone: 724-691-5120
• Email: christina.anthony@kentcountymi.gov

Have a story idea, partnership pitch, or cool parks picture to share? We love hearing from the community! Email us anytime—we’re always on the lookout for good stories and fresh ideas to share!