WALKER, Mich. — The City of Walker is midway through an ambitious planning process that could transform how residents and visitors experience part of Standale connected to Walker Community Park.
Paula Priebe, planning director with the city of Walker, said the Walker Downtown Development Authority is leading a sub-area planning process focused on revitalizing the space between Kinney and Cummings avenues, extending to Community Park.
The planning effort comes after the DDA recently completed a major project installing new pedestrian street lights along Lake Michigan Drive. The upgraded lighting includes space for banners and hanging plants designed to beautify the district.
The city hired ROWE, a design, engineering and planning consulting firm, to guide the process. So far, the team has completed a market analysis, community survey, and held a public open house at Fire Station 2 to gather resident input.
Early feedback reveals clear community preferences, Priebe said.
"The park and recreational activities are the number one feature the community has expressed interest in, as well as things like a food truck court or a farmer's market to activate some of these currently large empty parking lots," she said. The parking lot behind the fire station is particularly underused, when it could be a good place for neighbors to park and walk over to the stage for one of the regularly scheduled concerts in Walker Community Park.
Housing development ranked lower on residents' wish lists, though some mixed-use housing could be appropriate in multi-story buildings if redevelopment occurs, Priebe said.
The planning process addresses what Priebe describes as a "livability and sense of place" challenge.
"The Standale DDA is not your traditional downtown. Lake Michigan Drive is very busy for a main street, and it can separate the DDA, the Standale area, in a few different dimensions," she said. "So we don't really have a community gathering place in the DDA outside of Community Park."
With about six to nine months remaining in the planning phase, the DDA board will soon review compiled recommendations and prioritize projects before presenting a final plan to the public for additional feedback.
Funding for improvements comes primarily from tax increment financing captured from businesses within the DDA district, supplemented by city support and grant opportunities.
Some projects could move forward quickly through partnerships with organizations like Grand Valley State University and The Rapid, which operates a Laker Line stations at Lake Michigan Drive and Cummings. Longer-term initiatives will require more extensive planning and funding.
"There might be some low hanging fruit elements that could happen sooner in partnership with the city or other organizations," Priebe said.
Residents who want to influence the planning process still have opportunities to participate. A second public open house is planned once priorities are finalized, and community members can submit feedback directly to city staff.
"If you're just hearing about this project for the first time, there's still going to be opportunities to get involved," Priebe said.
She can be reached by email at ppriebe@walker.city or through the city's main office number.
The revitalization effort aims to better connect the large parking areas to Walker Community Park, especially during popular events like concerts, while creating reasons for people to visit local businesses and spend time in the district.
"How can this area be a bridge between the businesses on Lake Michigan Drive and the very active, very beloved Community Park?"
The city is also moving forward with other park improvements, with new playground equipment potentially going out to bid soon for several city parks, including Community Park.
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