The Michigan Downtowns Association Annual Conference was held in Muskegon on November 3rd & 4th at the Vandyke Mortgage Convention Center. During the conference, the MDA announced their annual award recipients for economic development, promotions/marketing, partnerships/collaborations, placemaking and more.
The Village of Spring Lake was awarded the Best Placemaking Project Over $ 1 million for the completion of Tanglefoot Park! The Village of Spring Lake’s Downtown Development Authority Director, Stefanie Herder, was in attendance to receive the award.
“We are thrilled to be recognized by the Michigan Downtowns Association for the Tanglefoot Park project. To have us chosen over the many incredible projects that other communities have completed is special and it means a lot to the Village,” said Herder.
At the turn of the 20th century, the Thum Family gifted riverfront land to the Village of Spring Lake with the understanding that the land would be open to public use by all. The Thum family made their riches selling Tanglefoot Fly Paper – thus the name of the park: Tanglefoot Park. During the 1900s, the park turned into an RV park to generate revenue and to attract visitors. However, this made the park only open to those who had seasonal RVs in the park. In 2018 and 2019, the Village hosted community engagement meetings and brought together a focus group of Spring Lake Village residents to see what the interest would be to renovate the park so that it was accessible for all. The vision was to reclaim this waterfront park with gorgeous views of the Grand River and to make it a community space for events, weddings, and more. A capital campaign began for this $3.5 million project. $1.5 million was raised in private donations and the rest was covered by various grants. The project was completed in June and the park has been a hub of activity ever since. A full description of the park can be found here!
Founded in 1980, the Michigan Downtown Association (MDA) is a state-wide, non-profit organization and a driving force in the interest and growth of downtowns and communities throughout Michigan. The MDA encourages the development, redevelopment and continuing improvement of Michigan communities and downtowns. Its members support economic development within the State of Michigan and include:
- Cities, Township, Villages
- Business Improvement Districts
- Principal Shopping Districts
- Chambers of Commerce
- Downtown Development Authorities
- Brownfield Redevelopment Authorities
- Local Development Financing Authorities
- Tax Increment Financing Authorities
- Consultants and Consulting Firms
- Individuals
MDA Mission & Vision
The mission of the Michigan Downtown Association is to strengthen downtowns.
The vision of the Michigan Downtown Association is to be the leader in preserving and enhancing downtowns through education and advocacy.
You can learn more about the Michigan Downtowns Association by going to michigandowntowns.com
If you have any questions or concerns, please call Village Hall at 616-842-1393 and ask for Tyra or email at tyra@springlakevillage.org