Though parts of the park have been open throughout the improvement process, Deputy Parks and Recreation Director and Project Manager for Kentwood Spencer McKellar, says the East Paris Nature Park is now fully reopened, including the nature trail.
“For this project in particular, we had to shut down a portion of the trail and we definitely had the community asking, ‘How soon will it be ready for us to get back out there?’”
Enhancements to the park include new signage, pet stations, bike repair stations, benches, and new gravel, all paid for thanks to a grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and the voter-approved Parks, Trails & Recreation millage.
“The matching dollars through grants like the Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund are really important to stretch those millage dollars and make as many projects as possible happen.”
Because the park shares a parking lot with Endeavor Elementary School, many students and teachers use the park as an educational resource.
“With these improvements, we actually added some additional signage about invasive species, native species, different plants and animals that people might find within the park.”
The parks and rec department will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the park on Wednesday, September 25th at 2 p.m.
