Millennium Park (Grand Rapids)

Millennium Park
The beach at Millennium Park
Type	Public park
Location	Grand Rapids, Michigan
Area	1,500-acre (6.1 km2)

Millennium Park is the largest urban park in West Michigan, located on the southwest side of Grand Rapids. Millennium Park connects four of the major cities in the area together, including Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Grandville, and Walker. When completed, the park will be twice as large as New York City's Central Park, at approximately 1,500 acres (6 km²).^[1]

The project began in 1998 when the Parks Department director Roger Sabine began planning for an expansion of Johnson Park. Sabine expanded the Johnson Park expansion into the 1,500 acre (6 km²) park project. The project was finally submitted to the Secchia Millennium Commission (SMC) later that year and later approved the project by which the Kent County Board of Commissioners named the park Millennium Park. The park celebrated its grand opening in July 2004.^[2]

The park is built on the former location of gypsum mines and gravel pits,^[3] including the former location of the Domtar mine.

Park features

• Beach and splashpad
• Boardwalk^[4]
• Boating center^[5]
• Fishing dock^[6]
• Picnic shelters
• Trails^[6]

Norovirus outbreak

In July 2010, more than 120 visitors contracted norovirus. An epidemiologist stated that there were "reports of stomach illness, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, from people who were swimming [at the park]."^[7] Tests by the Kent County Health Department confirmed that norovirus was the causative agent.^[8]

References

1. ^ "Kent County Millennium Park". County of Kent. http://www.accesskent.com/CultureLeisureAndTransit/MillenniumPark/. Retrieved 3 February 2011. 
2. ^ "Millennium Park Officially Dedicated". Green Places. Kent County Parks Department. Fall 2004. http://www.kentcountyparksfoundation.org/pdfs/Green_Places_Fall_2004.pdf. Retrieved 19 August 2010. 
3. ^ "Millenium Park, Kent County, Michigan". http://www.ocba.com/millennium%20park.pdf. Retrieved 2 February 2011. 
4. ^ Wood, Deborah Johnson (July 1, 2010). "Hansen Nature Trail opens in Grand Rapids' Millennium Park". Rapid Growth Media. http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/hansen0701.aspx. Retrieved 19 August 2010. 
5. ^ "Boat house plan for Millennium Park approved". The Grand Rapids Press. August 4, 2010. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/08/boat_house_plan_for_millennium.html. Retrieved 19 August 2010. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Veselenak, David (June 25, 2010). "Grandville family celebrates new Millennium Park trail". The Grand Rapids Press. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/06/grandville_family_celebrates_n.html. Retrieved 19 August 2010. 
7. ^ LaPlante, Lisa (July 22, 2010). "More than 120 Complaints of Norovirus from Millennium Park". FOX 17. http://www.fox17online.com/news/landing/fox17-norovirus-millenium-park,0,6647235.story. Retrieved 19 August 2010. 
8. ^ Stembol, Megan (21 Jul 2010). "50+ more ill after Millennium Park swim". WOOD TV8. http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/kent_county/50-more-ill-after-Millennium-Park-swim. Retrieved 19 August 2010. 

External links

• Millenium Park webpage

Coordinates: 42°56′21″N 85°44′40″W / 42.93921°N 85.74434°W / 42.93921; -85.74434