MUSKEGON, Mich. — Two years ago, Muskegon implemented paid parking at Pere Marquette beach and other parks. Now, the money collected is making it's way back into the community.
Reese Playfield will get $365,000, while Beukema Playfield will get $220,000 for new playgrounds.
And Dan Vanderheide says that's just a drop in the bucket from what the paid parking lots have earned over the years.
"It's been up to about a million dollars a year," he says.
Vanderheide says while it may have been an unpopular move when the paid parking was implemented, he believes its been worthwhile in the end.
"We're taking advantage of those community assets that we have, the beach and some other launch ramps and other things," says Vanderheide. "Allowing us to put that investment back into the community as a whole."
Reese's playground is set to begin construction next week and be completed in four to six weeks. Beukema's will take a bit longer, but is expected to be done before the summer.
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