Greetings! Summer has officially ended, and what a summer it was. We, again, saw near record numbers at all of our parks this season!
The cooler weather offers a great opportunity to hit the trails with your family, or have a picnic under the falling leaves!
Please remember that as the days grow shorter, so do our park hours. Our parks are open from 7am to sunset. Please make sure you head out in time to give our park staff the time they need to clean and lock up.
Though our parks officially close at the end of October, this year we're going to make an effort to keep restrooms and other facilities open a bit longer. Our goal is to keep things open until the end of November, or until the first hard freeze, whichever comes first. The Kaufman golf course will be open as long as weather permits. Keep checking the website for more info!
Thanks! Kent County Parks Staff
|
|
|
|
Kent County Parks Office Upgrade |
If you've ever visited the Kent County Parks Office, you could likely guess that our current situation (in a double-wide trailer, to be precise) was probably not our long term plan. And you'd be right!
We moved into "the trailer" in the Fall of 2002, with plans to move into a shiny new office in Spring 2003. Well....plans changed. The economic downturn meant that we ended up staying a BIT longer than anticipated. But now, nearly 20 years later, we are finally, ACTUALLY, getting our shiny new office! Our new building will be located just a few hundred yards down Butterworth, and will feature an upgraded Volunteer Services area, a large space for classes and department events, and REAL offices for staff. We're pretty excited! We hope to be able to welcome you into our new offices sometime in late winter 2022. Know anyone who needs a trailer?
|
|
Recreation Spotlight: Fall Color Tours |
There are so many beautiful spots in the Kent County Parks to experience the splendor of a Michigan autumn: hiking around the lake at Pickerel Lake Park, enjoying a brisk fall evening around the campfire at Wabasis Campground, or kayaking down the Flat River at Fallasburg Park. What about a visit to Fisk Knob? What is Fisk Knob, you ask?
|
|
Fisk Knob is a small park to the north that just happens to be located on the highest point in Kent County: Fisk Knob sits at an elevation of 1,072 feet. On a clear day, a visitor can expect to see up to 20 miles! As such it's a great destination to view fall color. The picture above was taken earlier this week, but in the coming days we expect the vista to brighten considerably as fall colors reach their peak! Click here for more info and directions to the park. |
|
Like many businesses in the service industry, the Kent County Parks department has had a difficult time in the last year finding enough staff to maintain our parks and greenspaces. That's why we especially want to thank all of the people who have worked for us during this summer season! We couldn't do what we do without our seasonal staff. You guys are the absolute best! Thank you so much for all the hard work you put in all season, thank you for all the good times and laughs, and we hope to see you again next year!
If you know of anyone who will be looking for a job next summer, keep us in mind! We have jobs in park maintenance and customer service, no experience required! We usually post job openings to the Kent County website in February. Why not make your favorite park your office for the summer?
|
|
Camping Cabins at Wabasis
|
|
|
|
Ever since the cabins in the primitive area were introduced about a decade ago, it was clear we needed one thing: WAY MORE CABINS!!
To meet this need, we are turning our former "Hike-In" camping area, into a mini-cabin area. These cabins are smaller than our existing cabins, but will still accommodate a family of four. Each will have a heater/AC unit with beds and seating. There are currently three new cabins going in, with plans to possibly add more in the future.
No word yet on how much they will cost to rent, or the exact interior layout, but we hope to have them open sometime in the 2022 season. STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO!
|
|
Meet our New Staff Members |
|
|
|
Jared comes to us from the snowy tundra that exists above the Mackinac Bridge. Jared was originally hired to be the Assistant Park Manager for the Douglas Walker/Caledonia region, but has since accepted the position of Maintenance Specialist. His most recent job was at the Fayette State Park where he kept their historic structures from falling into disrepair. That's why we know he'll be great at keeping our somewhat less historic park facilities up to snuff! Welcome to the team, Jared!
|
|
|
|
Tony is a native Michigander who has spent the last several summers fighting fires out west. He has great experience in team leadership under stressful conditions, and that's why he'll be a perfect fit for Millennium Park! Tony is one of the two Assistant Managers at Millennium, and has already shown that he is eager to learn and ready to accept the challenges of his new position. Thanks for joining us, Tony! |
|
|
Connect with Kent County Parks
Here are some other great ways to connect with The Kent County Parks Department: Follow us on Facebook, visit the park's website, or send us your thoughts, suggestions, or questions by email!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
