A volunteer effort led by a group of young professionals in Grand Rapids will work to beautify a green space and help prevent flooding. About 20 govern:GR members along with other city employees are taking “personal” time today to plant perennials on the city’s west side.
“It just shows the commitment that the staff members are willing to go out on their own to beautify and help protect the area from flooding.”
Carrie Rivette is the City of Grand Rapids Storm water manager. She says volunteers will be out today at the Tremont Green Space site replanting native plants. Govern:GR is a group of young professional Grand Rapids City employees. They’re heading up the effort, helped by others with the city.
"And kinda show what Grand Rapids staff members are like, and how we care about the community, not just because it’s where we work.”
Rivette says they created the green space in 2002 after repetitive flooding issues caused the City to raise homes that were previously on or near the site. A FEMA grant helped with that. And now, with govern:GR stepping up… native plants donated by Environmental Services will not only beautify the space, but will help manage urban storm water run off.
“The water filters through those plants as it comes through the basin, so it does help to clean and anything we can absorb at the spot where it falls then that will keep it and make it travel slowly to the waterways as opposed to pouring into the storm water system and going almost instantly into the river.”
Officials say the plantings will also help remove standing water, reduce mosquito breeding and create a habitat for birds and butterflies.
