Redesigned hillside park near Medical Mile memorializes cancer survivors

It's just under an acre in size, but a tiny spot of hillside greenery near Grand Rapids' Medical Mile is where many people find respite from the concrete, traffic and noise of the surrounding neighborhood. And now elements within the park will honor cancer survivors.

Crescent Park, nestled against the south side of Van Andel Institute (VAI) at Bostwick and Crescent streets, is a city park recently adopted by a nonprofit group called The Friends of Crescent Park and renovated in conjunction with the VAI's current expansion. The VAI established the nonprofit to raise the funds needed to renovate the park and pay for ongoing maintenance.

Cancer research is VAI's primary research focus. The new Crescent Park is dedicated to cancer survivors and features concrete pavers, stone slabs and granite benches purchased by donors and engraved with the names of cancer survivors.

New plantings have revitalized the hillside and include "close to 3,000 new shrubs, ground cover and other plants," says Bill Culhane, VAI spokesperson. "We planted about 35 new trees and added 20 new benches and six new picnic tables. And we added general lighting and accent lighting in the park, where before there was only lighting from nearby street lights."

A central feature is a new circular plaza atop the hillside, overlooking downtown. Flowering walls cascade in steps down the hill below the plaza. When in bloom, the walls will create a living waterfall effect says Culhane.

"The park was donated to the city with the caveat that it always be a park," says Culhane. "It will be used by the VAI scientists and visitors, and historically, it's been heavily used by Spectrum Health staff and by visitors who have loved ones in the hospital, and by GRCC students."
 
The park will open in spring 2010.

Source: Bill Culhane, Van Andel Institute and Culhane & Fahrenkrug Consulting

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Photograph by Jeff Dykhouse