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DOLLARS ARE GOING TO PAY FOR
PARKS.
SO HOW IS ONE GRAND RAPIDS
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING TO PAY FOR
THEIR NEW PARK?
"24-HOUR NEWS 8"'S JOE OWE IS
LIVE ON GRAND RAPIDS' SOUTHEAST
SIDE WHERE THE PARK WOULD BE
BUILT.
JOE?
SEE, THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT
IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING TO
FOOT AT LEAST PART OF THE BILL.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE PLANS FOR
THE PROPOSED PLEASANT PARK HERE
FOR MADISON.
A NICE, GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD
PARK, A LOT OF TREES AND GREEN
OPEN SPACE.
THE SITE IS NOW OCCUPIED BY A
PARKING LOT THAT USED TO SERVE
THE OLD VHS BUILDING DOWN THE
STREET.
REPLACING BLACK TOP WITH GREEN
FIELDS IS A POPULAR NOTION IN
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ARE SO EXCITED THEY WILL
MAKE A CHANGE AND IT WILL BE A
GREEN SPACE.
JOYCE LIVES AROUND THE CORNER
FROM THE PROPOSED PARK.
BECAUSE THERE IS NOT THAT
OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE KIDS OR
THE GRANDKIDS SOMEWHERE.
IN THE OLD DAYS BEFORE TAX
DOLLARS DRIED UP, BEFORE THE
TERM TRANSFORMATION, A
BUREAUCRATIC WORD FOR WE HAVE TO
LEARN TO ROAM THE CITY WITH LESS
MONEY AND STILL PROVIDE THE
SERVICES RESERVICE RESIDENTS EXPECT, THERE
WASN'T MUCH MONEY.
THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS.
WE HAVE A PARKS DEPARTMENT
THAT'S ABOUT 60% SMALLER THAN IT
WAS 10 YEARS AGO.
STEVE FABER HEADS UP FRIENDS
OF GRAND RAPIDS PARKS, A
CITIZENS GROUP WORKING WITH THE
CITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND
THE PARKS.
THEIR LATEST IDEA, HAVE
NEIGHBORS PICK UP PART OF THE
COSTS FOR THE PARK.
SO FAR, ALL THE INDICATIONS
IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS
SUPPORTIVE.
A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT,
$50 TACKED ON TO THE TAX BILL OF
NEARLY 400 PIECES OF PROPERTY
NEAR THE PARK OVER THE NEXT TEN
YEARS IS THE IDEA.
THE NEARLY $200,000 RAISED BY
THAT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT WON'T
PICK UP THE ENTIRE PRICE TAG BUT
WILL HELP SECURE MATCHING FUNDS
FROM OTHER SOURCES.
THIS ASSESSMENT WOULD FUND A NEW
PARK, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NEEDS
OF EXISTING PARKS?
PROPERTY OWNERS SEE A SPECIAL
ASSESSMENT TO OPEN LAWNS -- MOW
LAWNS OR OPEN POOLS AT THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
IT COULD BE AN OPTION.
IT'S TAKING A NEIGHBORHOOD
LEAD.
IT'S UP TO NEIGHBORHOODS TO
DECIDE IS THIS A STRATEGY WE
WANT TO USE.
WHAT IF YOU AS A PROPERTY
OWNER DON'T WANT TO BE ASSESSED
BY THIS IF YOU'RE IN THIS
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT.
THE ANSWER WILL COME AT A PUBLIC
HEARING WHERE YOU CAN VOICE YOUR
OPINION ON DECEMBER 18th AT