Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Planning Manager Tim Kelly emails a weekly GR Forward update to the project Steering Committee. Here's this week's communication:

Good Morning Everyone:

Another busy week for GR Forward activities. Our consultant team was in town, and we held a host of meetings, including focus groups on diversity and inclusion, art, and infrastructure. In addition, we reconvened both the Downtown and River Corridor Steering Committees for a review of the feedback from the second public forum, and discussion on some of the finer points related to River access and Downtown development. Please find slides from the Steering Committee presentations at the bottom of this page for your information. It is exciting to see the plan and recommendations start to take shape, and I am looking forward to sharing more information with you and the public in the coming weeks.

Web Numbers

The latest web and social media numbers are below. Things have slowed a bit since our last public forum, so be sure to continue to share the links below in your network so everyone can stay up to date with GR Forward activities.

This article describing innovative approaches to river restoration in The Netherlands is really interesting. Similar to many of the discussion we are having in Grand Rapids, in Nimjgen they are exploring opportunities to leverage improvements to the River Waal as a way to revitalize the city. Instead of simply raising walls to control flood events, they are also looking for areas to install multi-functional infrastructure that add amenities and access so people can better use the river and experience nature. The improvements are leading to increased development on the banks of the River, and transforming the city.

One of the local Alderman, Bert Velthuis captures the opportunity nicely when he says, “This truly is a turning point, one that a city encounters only once every few hundred years.” I think that is a good bit of inspiration for us all to consider when it comes to the Grand River restoration.

As always, let me know if you have any questions. Otherwise, enjoy your weekend and have a safe and happy Memorial Day.

Steering Committee Presentation