WALKER, Mich. — Walker Mayor Gary Carey highlighted the city's continued development and economic growth during his annual State of the City address Tuesday night, emphasizing what he called the "five pillars" that define the community.
During a Wednesday morning interview, Carey expressed optimism about several major developments, including the possibility that a proposed aquarium could locate in Walker.
"One of the things the aquarium is a very complex project ... a site with environmental challenges going back decades," Carey said. "The message that we're sending as a city, if it goes there, great ... and if it ends up in another part of the West Michigan community, fantastic as well, because we all benefit from it."
The mayor also touted new development at the former DeltaPlex site, where construction has brought significant job growth. "And what we've changed to now is there's now 165,000 square foot building actually built on that property, on those parking lots, that's bringing about 125 new jobs in the coming years," Carey said.
In his Tuesday address, Carey outlined five key areas that drive Walker's success:
Public Safety: "Public safety is always at the top of the list," Carey said. "We're out in our neighborhoods. We're out in our businesses. We're spotting potential problems or opportunities before they occur and then finding a way to address them."
Economic Development: "Industrial and commercial development is huge because that's the fuel that drives our economy, and it allows us to grow as a city, because those jobs coming in mean everything to us," the mayor said.
Fiscal Stability: "For us, the third, you know, third pillar of fiscal stability, we have to make sure that we are investing and prioritizing in the right areas," Carey said.
Housing: The city has nearly 400 housing units approved or pending construction. "So for the housing inventory right now, there is nearly 400 units that are approved or pending waiting to be built, so we're in a really good spot," Carey said. "That housing inventory is really important, because we have so many new jobs coming here."
Quality of Life: "And then the fifth one for us is the quality of life. And really that's that is a big focus for us ... It just it's a great time to be here," the mayor said.
The city's growth extends to infrastructure improvements, including work on the Fruit Ridge Bridge over Interstate 96.
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