GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — Grand Haven is investing in its downtown area with a new initiative aimed at creating more attractive and functional spaces for both residents and visitors.
The city recently received a $15,000 grant from the state to help fund their Vibrant Spaces Initiative. The first round of funding will add new benches, banners and wayfinding signage to the downtown area.
WATCH: Grand Haven is investing in its downtown area with a new initiative aimed at creating more attractive and functional spaces for both residents and visitors.
"We've gotten a lot of feedback from the community and people that visit here who talk about wanting more seating, more gathering spaces, more activities, more community gathering experiences downtown," explained Chandi Pape, Grand Haven Main Street Director.
The grant is just one component of a larger project that will unfold over the next year and a half. In that time the city will spend between $175,000 and $190,000 on the project. The initiative will eventually include easy-to-read maps, new bike racks with repair stations, tables with chess boards, improvements to landscaping, and new lighting for trees.
"People really want to spend more time down here. We've got a lot of benches and seating throughout the area, but we want more. We want people to hangout and linger," Pape said.
One goal of the project is to better connect downtown with both the Center Town and Hill Top districts.
"We'll start here in the first three blocks and then hopefully be able to raise money and get other grants that will help us move the project down along through center town," Pape said.
Local business owners are optimistic about the changes. Tiffany Balk, owner of Blueberry Haven, has operated her downtown storefront for 15 years and welcomes the improvements.
"Hopefully it will bring more people," Balk said.
She appreciates the city's efforts to enhance the downtown experience for everyone.
"It's great that they're working and they're working hard to bring people into the downtown... and it's nice that they're working to make it a better place for everyone that lives here as well," Balk said.
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