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Residents eagerly participate in open house for new state park in Flint

Featured photo: 6th Ward Councilperson Tonya Burns with Michael Cobley and fellow artist Abbott Kelly

Written by Tanya Terry

Flint community members came out to learn about and give feedback on plans for a new state park in Flint at a public open house Tuesday, Oct. 4. The event was at the Mott Park Clubhouse.

The proposed project will connect five parks with new construction utilizing the Flint River.

Ron Olson, chief of Parks and Recreation for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, talked to the Courier about the park project and what makes it so exciting for Flint residents and visitors.

He expressed many Michigan residents are looking forward to making access to the Flint River more accommodating at various locations around it. He pointed out some access points exist, but they aren’t very accommodating and will hopefully be improved. Olson hopes the state park will also enhance the “in-river” situation.

Olson said the hope is to create better gathering spaces and eliminate older cement walls. The project involves opening some areas and adding artwork. It also involves adding lighting for security in the evening. Olson expects a unique playground in Chevy Commons will be a signature gathering spot for kids.

Olson pointed out the community has talked about updating and refurbishing the riverfront for many years. He said the concept began when the previous governor formed a Blue-Ribbon Committee to look at the future of the state park system. One of the elements that came out of that was to have more presence in urban communities.

Discussions took place a few years ago, leading to a Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund grant to the city of Flint. The grant allowed the city to acquire Chevy Commons from General Motors.

“Fast forward to the opportunity that Governor Whitmer decided to make a proposal out of the American Recovery Act funds to not only put forward $250 million to renovate the state park system, but there was a carved-out amount of $30.2 million to rehabilitate the riverfront and create a state park in Flint,” Olson said. “The Mott Foundation has been involved in this, as well as the Genesee County Parks. We’ve collaborated on that and developed an approach and a plan to develop a state park and do a visioning of what that would look like. We worked with the City of Flint staff to figure out what it would take to create this. Once the funding was adopted, the governor announced it, and the legislature approved the funding, which set the reality into motion.”

6th Ward Councilperson Tonya Burns attended the open house for the state park. Burns said she grew up camping and was excited about all aspects of the park. She was especially intrigued by the idea of having a “bicycle garden” where parkgoers could ride bikes while looking at colorful murals.

“This is really a phenomenal project because parts of the downtown have fallen into despair, and some of our parks had through emergency management,” Burns said. “But having this park and them investing over $30 million is wonderful!”

For 11 years, Flint residents have taken care of Mott Park. Burns pointed out the residents will no longer have to do this because the caretakers will be the state.

“It takes a burden off the residents who have committed themselves to making sure that they kept the 6th Ward beautiful,” Wards added. “It will bring families to our area. It will help strengthen our neighborhoods to stabilize our neighborhoods. It will invite new families into Flint because we’ll have a state park where you can walk. You can walk, play, live in Flint; that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Michael Cobley, an artist and local business owner, created art for the bicycle garden, along with his friend and fellow artist, Abbott Kelly. According to Cobley, young residents have already been skateboarding in the bicycle garden.

Flint residents Walt and Antionette Green also expressed their enthusiasm about visiting the park at the open house.

Local residents Walt and Antionette Green

“From barbecuing to getting in the water to fishing, there’s nothing I won’t do that’s fun,” Antionette Green said.

“It will be nice to be able to do it from home,” she added.

Walt Green thinks the state park will be great if there is enough police presence.

He and his wife have been going to out-of-town county parks for fishing and other recreational activities.

He hopes the state will maintain the park year-round so he and his spouse can enjoy it with their grandchildren.

Residents gave feedback about many components of the park. They also suggested names for it at the open house.

Olson said if everything goes well with getting the proper permits, they hope to be out to bid by the early part of 2023 and to start some construction next year.

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