ADA, Mich. — Community leaders in Ada set their sights on a new development, this time focused on community green spaces.
On Wednesday the Community Connection Campaign revealed plans to create a new downtown park to expand public spaces along the Thornapple River. The Covered Bridge Park will include the existing green space that houses Leonard Field at the East end of the covered bridge, along with property on the West side of the river purchased by the village in 2023.
The Village of Ada is also purchasing 15 acres across the Thornapple River from Legacy Park.
That will make nearly the whole stretch of the Thornapple River from the covered bridge to where it joins the Grand River publicly owned land.
The idea started with Cheri DeVos, who says she started seeing the riverfront area differently once the redevelopment along Ada Drive.
"I suddenly looked at Leonard Park and I saw it differently," DeVos told a small crowd on Wednesday. "I saw a green space that could become so much more than it was being utilized as. And here it sets the green space in the middle of a booming and growing Ada village."
Village leaders took the idea and set up a campaign team to develop it further. Now they've raised $7.3 million for the land purchase and development. The goal is to collect $8.5 million in total for the new park.
Along with the riverside access, the new park will feature a new pedestrian bridge over the Thornapple River, boardwalks along the river, a kayak launch, picnic area, dog park, veterans memorial, playground, splash pad, and pickleball courts.
"We are so thankful for the community that's here," said Josh Hulst, co-chair of the Community Connection Campaign. "That is the core of what we want this to be. This is a community or a campaign to connect this community even more than it already is."
The campaign is now publicly asking for donations to reach the $8.5 million goal.
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