Planners are making a final call for the public’s thoughts about playground equipment preference — folks have through May 13 to weigh in on the final details of a new park in the Benton Heights neighborhood of Benton Charter Township.
The work to transform a vacant 10-acre lot near the intersection of Euclid and Laurel avenues is moving ahead thanks to a $1 million Michigan Department of Natural Resources Spark Grant.
To reach people who have not yet attended public meetings about the project, Benton Township is offering an
online survey, “a chance to shape a park that will serve the Benton Harbor community for years to come,” says Marcy Hamilton, senior planner/deputy executive director of the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission.
More than 1,000 adults and children live within walking distance of the new park site, behind the former Martindale Elementary School. The park will be the first public park in Benton Heights.
The back story: With input gathered at public meetings over recent months, Benton Township’s consultants, MCSA Group, have developed a tentative layout for the park to include a playground, pavilion, walking trail, benches, sidewalks and a parking lot. There is also room to possibly expand the park to include other features such as a splash pad and sporting fields or courts. The design and location of the park came directly from community input, Hamilton says.
“Now the community’s input will help guide the final decision for the playground equipment,” she says. "We want to hear from the residents about the type of playground equipment that is preferred for this park.”
The online survey was organized by a partnership between New Heights CCDA, Benton Charter Township and Berrien Community Foundation. “The Township is excited to invest in the Benton Heights neighborhood,” Hamilton says. “The park will provide a wonderful place for families to gather and enjoy the outdoors.”
Who’s paying: The project is supported by Benton Charter Township, with assistance from the Berrien Community Foundation. The township was one of 29 Michigan communities
to benefit from $24.2 million in Michigan Spark Grants, awarded to areas whose economic opportunities and public health were hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are administered by the Council for Michigan Foundations in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and through the CMF Statewide Equity Fund. The program was established to equitably guide resources to communities and expand access to healthy indoor and outdoor recreation projects where there has been little or no previous parks and recreation investment.
What’s next: The final plans are expected to be completed by August. Construction is scheduled to begin in October, and the park will be completed in early 2026.
Rosemary Parker has worked as a writer and editor for more than 40 years. She is a regular contributor to Rural Innovation Exchange and other Issue Media Group publications.
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