Let's go for a walk... to The Future!

The city has entered phase#2 of drafting the Community Master Plan that will define the vision of how our city will grow and develop over the next 20 years. The plan will address topics such as equity, housing, environmental justice, and economic development.

Please join us for a Move & Talk session.

Join us at: Intersection of Emerald & Malta

Saturday August 19th, 10:30am

This highly interactive, small group workshop will dive deep into planning at the neighborhood level. We will be exploring the past, present, and future of our neighborhood. This workshop will have three components about the neighborhood: storytelling, auditing what currently exists, and envisioning the future. The walk will last approximately 1-1/2 hours. A light snack will be provided, and participants are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.

The entire route has sidewalks & ramped curb-cuts.

Have any questions? E-mail hpnagr@gmail.com or TXT/Call 616-259-4421.

RSVPs very much appreciated.

Board Meeting 2023-08-15

When: 2023-08-15, 6:30pm

Where: Emerald Flats Auditorium ■ 750 Eastern Ave NE (use the west entrance)

Minutes 2023-07-18: http://bit.ly/3GcZNnt

Agenda 2023-08-15: http://bit.ly/3hNV5UV

Proposed calendar of events for 2023 is as follows:

  • August 19th, Walk-n-Talk (Master Plan)

  • September 16th, Park Cleanup

  • October 17th, Annual Meeting

  • October, Dumpster Day

Board meetings are scheduled for: 2023-09-12, 2023-10-17, 2023-11-21. These are the third Tuesday for every month except September when the meeting occurs on the second Tuesday.

Board Meeting 2023-07-18

When: 2023-07-18, 6:30pm

Where: Emerald Flats Auditorium ■ 750 Eastern Ave NE (use the west entrance)

Minutes 2023-06-20: http://bit.ly/3hNwoIf

Agenda 2023-07-18: http://bit.ly/3PYNyiD

Proposed calendar of events for 2023 is as follows:

  • September 16th, Park Cleanup

  • October 17th, Annual Meeting

  • October, Dumpster Day

Board meetings are scheduled for: 2023-08-15, 2023-09-12, 2023-10-17, 2023-11-21. These are the third Tuesday for every month except September when the meeting occurs on the second Tuesday.

Call For Artists

Call for Artists Highland Park Pollinator Garden Project

*APPLICATION CLOSED*

About

The Highland Park Neighborhood Association is seeking an artist(s) to create site– specific original artwork to activate Highland Park and our neighborhood in general. The Highland Park Pollinator Garden project will consist of two permanent pieces to be completed by one or two artists. 

The selected artist(s) will receive $450 upon completion of their piece(s). In addition, HPNA will provide artists with a materials stipend of $200 (all materials must be approved by HPNA prior to purchase) + the canvas for the project. 

This opportunity is open to artists living in the city of Grand Rapids, with priority given to Highland Park neighborhood residents.

Solicitation and Project Schedule:

*installation in Highland Park will occur following Art Completion Deadline and is in collaboration with the City of Grand Rapids Department of Parks and Recreation.

Entry Requirements

  • Applications can be completed and submitted at: https://forms.gle/vGfJDC7U9UVYkq3N7

  • Provide a one paragraph statement describing your intended concept for this work 

  • Provide resume or cv (PDF)

  • Provide link to portfolio, art Instagram, or minimum 5 samples of previous work (jpg/3mb)

  • Selected artists will need to be able to produce design concepts in accordance with the provided timeline

  • Artists must be over the age of 18 and a resident of Grand Rapids, Michigan

Selection Process

Artists will be reviewed and selected by majority vote by the HPNA board of directors.

​​Project Details

Piece one - Placer Marker: Vibrant artistic expression serving as a place marker of the Pollinator Garden located in Highland Park. Must contain the text “Pollinator Garden adopted and maintained by Highland Park Neighborhood Association (with “pollinator garden” larger than remaining text”) 24in x 36in - wood canvas

Piece two - Guide: An artistic illustrated guide to the contents of the garden. An artistic illustrated guide to the contents of the garden. Must contain text and illustrated interpretations of the below pollinators - may also contain text descriptions / up to artist interpretation. 20in x 20in - wood canvas or open to other consideration

  • Black Eyed Susan

  • Garden Phlox

  • Butterfly Bush

  • Lamb’s Ear

  • Mexican Sunflower

Media

Various mediums are welcome, subject to approval based on ability to withstand the elements in an outdoor environment

questions

Please send any questions to hpnagr@gmail.com and include “HPNA Arts Call” in the subject

Board Meeting 2023-05-16

When: 2023-05-16, 6:30pm

Where: Emerald Flats Auditorium ■ 750 Eastern Ave NE (use the west entrance)

Minutes 2023-04-18:  http://bit.ly/3YHMX9b

Agenda 2023-05-14: http://bit.ly/3YQ7FDR

Proposed calendar of events for 2023 is as follows:

  • June 17th, Park Cleanup

  • July 15th, Party In the Park

  • August, Dumpster Day

  • September 16th, Park Cleanup

  • October 17th, Annual Meeting

Board meetings are scheduled for: 2023-06-20, 2023-07-18, 2023-08-15, 2023-09-12, 2023-10-17, 2023-11-21. These are the third Tuesday for every month except September when the meeting occurs on the second Tuesday.

Board Meeting 2023-04-18

When: 2023-04-18, 6:30pm

Where: Emerald Flats Auditorium ■ 750 Eastern Ave NE (use the west entrance)

Minutes 2023-03-21: http://bit.ly/3WZl1vR

Agenda 2023-04-18: http://bit.ly/3WJAYG4

Proposed calendar of events for 2023 is as follows:

  • April 22nd, Park Cleanup

  • June 17th, Park Cleanup

  • July 15th, Party In the Park

  • August, Dumpster Day

  • September 16th, Park Cleanup

  • October 17th, Annual Meeting

Board meetings are scheduled for: 2023-05-16, 2023-06-20, 2023-07-18, 2023-08-15, 2023-09-12, 2023-10-17, 2023-11-21. These are the third Tuesday for every month except September when the meeting occurs on the second Tuesday.

Board Meeting 2023-03-21

When: 2023-03-21, 6:30pm

Where: Emerald Flats Auditorium ■ 750 Eastern Ave NE (use the west entrance)

Minutes 2023-02-21 http://bit.ly/3vyAkjr

Agenda 2023-03-21: http://bit.ly/3hMqmHU

Proposed calendar of events for 2023 is as follows:

  • April 22nd, Park Cleanup

  • June 17th, Park Cleanup

  • July 15th, Party In the Park

  • August, Dumpster Day

  • September 16th, Park Cleanup

  • October 17th, Annual Meeting

Board meetings are scheduled for: 2023-04-18, 2023-05-16, 2023-06-20, 2023-07-18, 2023-08-15, 2023-09-12, 2023-10-17, 2023-11-21. These are the third Tuesday for every month except September when the meeting occurs on the second Tuesday.

The Future of Disc Golf & Highland Park

At the HPNA board meeting on 2023-02-21 [Minutes] we met with Shea Abbgy, owner of Great Lakes Disc, and current treasurer of Disc Golfers United in Charity (a local disc-golf related 501c3 org).

The 18 hole disc golf course is one of the least utilized courses in the city; primarily due to the lack of tee pads and signing. In light of this Mr. Abbgy proposed five different scenarios for the future of the course.

The HPNA board felt that the second proposal was the best fit for the park. The second proposal is for a smaller youth and beginner oriented nine hole course. The city does not currently have a beginner oriented course. Given the significant amount of construction and additional amenities in the near future of the park the board felt this proposal created the least conflict with other uses.

Diagram of the proposed nine pitches for proposal #2.

You can view all of Mr. Abbgy’s proposal as well as coarse utilization statistics here.

Board Meeting 2023-02-21

When: 2023-02-21, 6:30pm

Where: Emerald Flats Auditorium ■ 750 Eastern Ave NE

Minutes 2023-01-17 http://bit.ly/3vdeOjS

Agenda 2023-02-21: http://bit.ly/3C0vy1C

Proposed calendar of events for 2023 is as follows:

  • April 22nd, Park Cleanup

  • June 17th, Park Cleanup

  • July 15th, Party In the Park

  • August, Dumpster Day

  • September 16th, Park Cleanup

  • October 17th, Annual Meeting

Board meetings are scheduled for: 2023-03-21, 2023-04-18, 2023-05-16, 2023-06-20, 2023-07-18, 2023-08-15, 2023-09-12, 2023-10-17, 2023-11-21. These are the third Tuesday for every month except September when the meeting occurs on the second Tuesday.

Board Meeting 2023-01-17

When: 2023-01-17, 6:30pm

Where: Emerald Flats Auditorium ■ 750 Eastern Ave NE

Minutes 2022-11-15 https://on.wmmi.net/3meUn1z

Agenda 2023-01-17: https://bit.ly/3WFJaHl

Proposed calendar of events for 2023 is as follows:

  • April 22nd, Park Cleanup

  • June 17th, Park Cleanup

  • July 15th, Party In the Park

  • August, Dumpster Day

  • September 16th, Park Cleanup

  • October 17th, Annual Meeting

Board meetings are scheduled for: 2023-02-21, 2023-03-21, 2023-04-18, 2023-05-16, 2023-06-20, 2023-07-18, 2023-08-15, 2023-09-12, 2023-10-17, 2023-11-21. These are the third Tuesday for every month except September when the meeting occurs on the second Tuesday.

What should the associations goals & objectives for 2023 and the future be? E-mail us at hpnagr@gmail.com

Letter From The Chair

Hello,

Welcome to 2023! I’m Adam Tauno Williams, and the current chair of the board of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association (HPNA). The last few years have been challenging for everyone in different ways; including our small all-volunteer neighborhood association. I’m am grateful for all my fellow board members and volunteers who stuck it out. Today, this new year feels to me like a time of returning, of coming back. In that spirit I hope you will indulge me for a little bit of a retrospective before some news about what we, as a neighborhood, are looking toward in 2023.

After roughly a decade without an active association HPNA came back online in 2019; with our first board meeting held that May. There were aspirations! We had some really great conversations, and some well attended meetings.

First Board Meeting

HPNA’s first official board meeting

For those who attended I want you to know those conversations have not been forgotten, I still have photos of our whiteboard. We will be coming back to some of these priorities in the next paragraphs.

Priorities white board

Our first meeting’s white board of priorities

Then, of course, the biggest event to happen was the COVID-19 pandemic. None of that was what anyone expected. The canceled meetings and events were discouraging. From aspiration to pause.

Yet, things still happened during the pandemic years.

One of the topics which came up early and often in our 2018/2019 conversations was the preservation of The Gulch. Long time residents are undoubtedly familiar with this area: the ravine between Hubert St and Cedar St which runs from College Age to the end Carrier Creek Blvd. For newer residents I recommend you check it out; there is a quasi-official path [Carrier Creek Trail] which runs east from Union Ave to Carrier Creek Blvd. Especially during wild flower season this is a beautiful area.

The majority of the parcels which make up The Gulch have long been owned by the Kent County Drain Commission - and while challenging to develop due to the topography and wetlands - their future was uncertain. Then in 2021 a deal was completed to sell these properties to the City of Grand Rapids Parks Department. While The Gulch is not yet a park that future seems nearly certain. With the Parks Department’s acquisition of this property ~10% of the Highland park neighborhood is park land; not many neighborhoods can say that! 😎

A map of The Gulch parcels sold to the Grand Rapids’ Parks Department

A new Master Plan for Highland Park (the park) was also developed in 2021.

The new plan addresses both the need for expanded recreational opportunities and the neighborhood’s concerns about accessibility and safety. Envisioned in the new plan are lighted pedestrian paths connecting College Ave to Grand Ave as well as to the park’s amenities area. It leaves intact the natural area along Coldbrook Creek which is a favorite place of many residents.

A tip for newer residents: the slope in the north east corner of the hill is an excellent sledding hill. The top of this hill is accessible from a path you can find on the south side of Lydia St, across from Benson Ave.

Highland Park

Highland Park Master Plan

In 2021 - 2022 the Association partnered with Caroline Cook (Grand Rapids Running Tours) and the Grand Rapids’ Neighborhood Match Fund to produce a 50 (fifty) minute documentary on the history of the neighborhood: The Story of Highland Park Neighborhood. As the pandemic faded we were able to screen it on June 4th (2022) in the Emerald Flats Auditorium. You can view this documentary online @ https://vimeo.com/732768043

The Story of Highland Park

The Story of Highland Park

2022 also saw the installation of the Boulder Wall in Highland Park; a collaboration between the Parts Department and the Grand Rapids Boulder Project. This collaboration created a one-of-a-kind amenity which was also an Art Prize entry.

Bouldering Wall

The bouldering wall in Highland Park

In the near future Highland Park will see a variety of improvements to the south half of the park.

  • Two courts suitable for bike polo will be added to the park; these courts are also suitable for other activities.

  • The parking lot will be reconstructed to accommodate 46 parking spaces and 8 handicapped accessible spaces.

  • Improvements to sidewalks and paths.

Some types of improvements in which people have expressed interest - most notably a pavilion which can be reserved for events - are challenging to fund due to requirements that the space have handicapped accessible restrooms. Without these facilities the park does not qualify for the related grants. Both the Association and the Parks Department are looking forward to a future renovation or reconstruction of the existing facilities in order to be meet those requirements.

While all these big items are important and exciting there have also been numerous smaller tasks and improvements. Such as the installation of a dog poop bag dispenser in Highland Park, trash cans at bus stops, etc... each may be easy to overlook, yet each one improves the neighborhood. And all of them are thanks to a neighbor’s effort and time. If I attempted to name the names I would miss someone, so I won’t do that. 🙂

Now the big question: what’s next? This is a topic the HPNA board is currently discussing. What should our near, medium, and long term goals be? And what are the best approaches to achieving them? So much of what was on that whiteboard in 2019 still pertains. No doubt there are new ideas and new concerns.

For HPNA itself there are board elections; we will have seven board positions elected this fall [nominations open this summer]. We also have a variety of subcommittees open for volunteers: Arts, Mobility, Outreach, Parks, and Quality-of-Life. As a young organization the agendas are very open, so if you have a passion for a subject there are a variety of ways to help us bring great things to the neighborhood. Arts, gardening, cycling, running, water, sustainability, architecture, whatever your passion we need and want your input.

As a neighborhood in Grand Rapids we also face the same challenges as our city; two of those are continuously rising housing costs and accommodating growth. The year 2022 goes into history as the all time high water mark for real-estate investment within the city. 2023 looks like it will not be slowing down. This year the city will begin in earnest the process of updating The Master Plan - a document which will guide the city’s development for the next decade [and possibly longer]. As a neighborhood this is an opportunity to imagine our future and began to lay out the steps to get to that future. I understand that change - or even talk of change - can produce anxiety, yet we should not miss this opportunity to help set the agenda. One of my own guiding principles is best captured in the quote from JRR Tolkein concerning the truth about fences: “The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot for ever fence it out.” We should be the strongest voice for how our neighborhood will change.

908 Union Ave N

While The Master Plan is important it is also a large long-term process and document. More immediately the neighborhood has a new and unique topic to consider: what, if anything, happens at 908 Union Ave N. When development happens the typical process is that a developer buys a property, develops a plan, and then comes to a neighborhood and asks: “How do you feel about what we are going to do?” That process can feel disingenuous... because it is; the question is principally a political performance. With 908 Union - the largest vacant area in the neighborhood - we’ve been asked to participate in an iterative process along side an expert on what is fiscally possible. Then if we - the neighborhood - come together on what we’d like to see that would be used as the template for possible future development. This is a significant departure from the norm. Site layout, type [apartments vs. townhomes], architecture, ... everything is on the table.

Personally I’d love to have sidewalks on Union. A path from Union to Benson - for access to the park from north, avoiding most of Lydia St hill - is my "fantasy map. But that’s just me, what would you like to see? I’d love to hear it. From making an argument for park investments in The Gulch, to supporting neighborhood retail, even helping out the school district (GRPS), this is an enormous and unique opportunity.

There is so much coming in 2023. Our Art subcommittee expects to produce their first project! I hope you will participate along side us in whatever capacity works for you. We have monthly board meetings at Emerald Flats as well as several planned events. You can reach HPNA at hpnagr@gmail.com or (616) 259-4421‬. Check out our website for updates and agendas.

Thanks, I hope to see you - IRL! - in 2023.

Adam Tauno Williams