PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A park in Plainfield Township is getting a major facelift.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the revitalization of Grand Rogue Park was held Wednesday.
The 66-acre park is located at 6400 West River Drive between Jupiter and Northland Drives and opened in October 2020.
The township closed the park to the public on Sept. 24 after it received the necessary permits from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to begin work.
The two-phase, $1.75 million project aims to add accessible recreational features to the park, including:
- ADA-accessible walkways to water features
- A large pond
- A lake
- Grand River
- Rogue River
- Two ADA-accessible kayak/canoe launch gangways/docks
- Rogue River
- The lake
- Playground equipment and picnic facilities
- Two community pavilions
- One adjacent to the playground
- One overlooking the Rogue River
- Bioswales for stormwater management and rain gardens
- In partnership with the Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW)
- Natural shoreline restoration along a portion of the Rogue River
- Paving the park entrance drive and a service drive to the Rogue River
- Paving the current gravel parking lot and adding new parking areas
Cameron Van Wyngarden, supervisor of Plainfield Township, said the park will remain a natural area.
"We're striving for a balance between developed area to allow greater access to the park, while we're maintaining those undeveloped areas that have that natural feel," he said.
The township said the vision for the revitalization stemmed from community input that was gathered at the 2020-2024 Parks and Recreation Master Plan update. There were also public hearings held to ensure residents had a say in the project.
In August 2018, Plainfield Township purchased the former Rogue River Campground property for $1 million, using an $863,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund.
Two additional grants from the fund totaling $600,000 will help fund the $1.75 million revitalization project. The other $1.15 million will come from Plainfield Township's general fund.
If all goes to plan, the project should be completed in June 2025.
More information on the project can be found here.