The East Grand Rapids City Commission voted to put a bond millage request on the November ballot asking residents to approve up to $9 million financing a three-story parking structure. Third Ward Commissioner Laura Schwartz:
“Putting this on the ballot lets residents decide if they value these improvements for the city, and I’ll respect that decision either way.”
The proposed structure includes around 240 parking spaces. The project would be funded through a partnership between the city and East Grand Rapids Public Schools, with both the public and students using the ramp.
Resident Scott Damon doesn’t believe students will utilize the deck if it creates gridlock at the end of the school day.
“Commissioner Groff bringing up the fact that it could be potentially 30-45 minutes to unload. Let’s just be ultra conservative and call that 20 minutes. You think high school students are going to hang around for 20 minutes? You’re going to have yourselves a bridge to nowhere. It’s going to be a complete embarrassment.”
Other residents, like Jerry Anderson, questioned the need for a new parking structure after the top level of an existing deck was demolished last year.
“Two years ago, this commission approved razing a parking deck less than a tenth of a mile away from the one that we’re now saying that we may need to fund.”
City officials said the school district could move forward with plans for the parking structure regardless of the election outcome, but it’s unclear if the district has the funding to pursue the project without city assistance.
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