The City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department has activated a new gear library to provide more equitable access to outdoor activities. The library, which sits on the first floor of Roosevelt Park Lodge, offers free lending of outdoor equipment such as camping, croquet, sledding and snowshoe gear, among other items.
"We knew for certain that all Grand Rapids young people deserved to have quality experiences outdoors, but we knew that not all had equitable opportunities to experience the outdoors on a repeated basis," Shannon L. Harris, Executive Director of Our Community’s Children, said.
The library is part of the Thrive Outside Initiative focused on reversing the declining trend of outdoor engagement by working at the grassroots level, empowering communities to make outdoor recreation an accessible lifestyle for all. The Initiative awards multi-year, capacity-building grants to diverse communities to build and strengthen networks focused on providing children and families with repeat and reinforcing experiences in the outdoors.
Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington, Superintendent of the Grand Rapids Public Schools Dr. Leadriane Roby, Our Community’s Children Executive Director Shannon L. Harris, Parks and Recreation Director David Marquardt, Chair of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Ron Yob, Community Outreach Coordinator of the Cook Arts Center Esme Garcia, and Gear Library Supervisor Sam Truby, cut a ceremonial ribbon opening the library on Monday, October 11 in observation of Indigenous Peoples Day and National Thrive Outside Day.
"I didn’t go camping or hiking until I was in my thirties. It wasn’t because my mother didn’t want me to; It was because we could never afford to. Who could spend money on an outdoor tent when you had to focus on keeping the literal roof over your head?" City Manager Mark Washington recalled, "...To experience nature and do it in a way that allows all of our residents to do it without barriers, it's a great day,” Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington said.
Funding and gear for the project was provided by the Outdoor Foundation, Wolverine Worldwide, Merrell, Moosejaw, Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus and UGQ Outdoor, LLC.
The gear library will be open 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays and 10:00 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
