Contact:
Kathleen Achtenberg, MEDC
517-489-0557
[email protected]
Chris Long
Board Member – Grand Rapids Bike Polo Club
[email protected]
248.756.3013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 5, 2023
$41,500 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative
LANSING, Mich. – Highland Park in Grand Rapids is undergoing a massive revitalization effort and amongst that effort is the project to complete new multi-sport courts at the park. The courts will be completed through the anticipated success of a crowdfunding campaign. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department, the Highland Park Neighborhood Association, and Grand Rapids Bike Polo Club announced the campaign today, which is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.
If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $41,500 by Dec. 25, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: patronicity.com/hpcourts.
“This project will create year-round recreation opportunities at a beloved community park,” said MEDC Regional Prosperity Managing Director Paula Holtz. “We are pleased to support and provide resources for this project through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”
Highland Park is being enhanced as part of the City of Grand Rapids’ Parks and Recreation Strategic Master Plan. A large component of this plan is to activate an underused space within the park by creating two multi-sport courts, providing the community with new access to two outdoor, enclosed areas designed for hockey, bike polo, basketball, soccer, futsal, shuffleboard, and more. The pavement for this new park feature has been poured by city contractors, and all that’s left to complete the space is the dasher boards that surround each court.
“The PSCP matching grant is critical in our effort to finish the new multi-sport courts at Highland Park. The grant helps our generous donors double their contributions to push us over the finish line to acquire two state-of-the-art dasher board systems by Becker Arena Products,” said Morgan Tinney, President of the Grand Rapids Bike Polo Club. “This grant also speeds up our timeline in getting these dasher boards purchased, delivered, and installed by next spring, allowing the community to benefit for decades to come starting in 2024!”
Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity, in which local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.
“The Michigan Municipal League is a strong supporter of placemaking projects happening around our state,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and Executive Director of the League. “These multi-sport courts will enrich the Grand Rapids community and improve the human experience of all who utilize them. This is what placemaking is all about.”
The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of October 18, 2023, the MEDC has provided more than $12 million in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 363 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with nearly $13.9 million raised from 67,734 individual donors. Communities have a 97 percent success rate in achieving their goals and earning matching funds.
About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.