The program for Friday included two presentations:   First was from Jennifer Gwinnup, Art instructor at SL High School, as introduced by Past Pres. John Nash.   Jennifer reported on the success of a social program, utilizing art and language, to help young people be more considerate of others, whether having obvious physical or adaptive challenges.   Oftentimes it is not unusual behavior for a young student to bully, defame, and verbally and sometimes physically abuse another person.   The point of THE CHALK BOARD PROJECT is to replace belittling words and acts with providing encouraging, respectful words.  

The Project was presented a grant from Spring Lake Rotary for $500 to help with the costs of spreading the Project to other schools in the area, and in some cases well outside of Michigan.   This involves having a piece of paper with a message on it encouraging awesome respect for all, especially those the target of verbal abuse and ridicule, and hanging the paper in the student hallways of the school.   Sometimes upwards of 50 messages are on the school walls.

 

Jennifer had her daughter with her, who is beginning high school, and the impact of the now 15 Projects in other schools is having on these schools and their students.     Students want to avoid stigma and bigotry, and it appears that announcing that to other students spreads the effort of the Project.   Many thanks to John and Jennifer for highlighting the success of the Project, and the intended results.

 

A reminder that pledges can be made to support our two sky jumping dare devils this coming Saturday at GH Airport.   This event is sponsored by Rotary District 6290 and is a fundraiser for JUMP FOR POLIO which will use the funds to help eradicate polio.   Because of Covid, some areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and perhaps Africa are experiencing a rebound in the number of Polio cases.   Rotary International, and the Gates Foundation and some other groups, are redoubling the efforts to eradicate polio in the World!   Contact Lisa Ashcraft to commit to a pledge to support Jacque and Barbara in their thrilling jump this Saturday morning between 9am and noon.   Our Best Wishes are with them and we are just short of the $1000 entry fee for each, so help with your pledge if you can...

 

Second part of the program was from our own Stefanie Herder, the DDA Director of the Village of Spring Lake.   Stefanie is nothing if not Enthusiastic about the developments in the Village.  She noted that since Chris Burns has been the Village Manager, there has been a doubling of the Village administrative staff to be able to keep up with the growth and programs in the Village, especially the Downtown Development Authority District (DDA).   From a bit of History, when Eric DeLong was Village Manager, and President of SL Rotary, he implemented the establishment of a DDA.  It slowly began to capture some capital from the additional improvements being taxed in the DDA.   The DDA is basically a District extending on both sides of Savidge Street between the Holiday Inn on the West end and Rotary Drive on the East end.  For the uninitiated, Rotary Drive leads past Ace Hardware into Central Park, which has several improvements funded by SL Rotary.

 

When Ms. Van Kampen started her restoration projects, the DDA began to experience the power of suggestion and construction in its District, primarily in the main business area near the Village Hall.  A partial listing of the noteworthy matters, as described by Stefanie, will follow.   The mission of the DDA is to champion the business establishments located within the DDA for the residents of the Village, and visitors to our area. Notable officers and board members include Doug Heins, Rotarian par excelon, and 8 other Board members having a business in the District.  Many have connections to SL Rotary.

There is a major emphasis on eye-appeal for buildings, and art work.   There are several murals within the District, plus new facades on older buildings, and new buildings replacing older removed structures on better sites.  Also note the sculpture pieces in and near Tanglefoot Park, and soon on the new store at the corner of Lake and Savidge.  The Clock Tower functions as intended at the corner of Jackson and Savidge, with the stores across the street having received new facades.

 

In no particular order, an assist with a grant has helped with a fire suppression system at the Lilley Mansion on Exchange and Park;

; Street Signage has been improved with new visual effects for easier reading; EV Charging stations are in place at the Clock Tower; Bike Racks (that look like the old time horse hitching post) are installed, Wayfaring Signage is being designed and will be installed at the entrances to the village, along Savidge Street, with nearly a reintroduction of the famous 'Nature Smiles...' slogan; Tanglefoot Park is up and running, along with boat mooring spaces, art work, picnic areas inside and out, viewing areas, a kayak launch mechanism that permits safe launch of a kayak, along with short term kayak rentals.   The Village has a social district so walking around the social district:  from just east of the Village Hall to just west of Wesco, and north and south a block or so, will help give the Village more ambience. Stop at Tanglefoot to see the Donor Roll as it lists many who helped raise the funds to redo the Thumb property from a limited use seasonal trailer park to a year around venue for lots of events and activities.   Check with Stefanie if you would like to reserve for a family reunion, reception, picnic, special graduate, and would like to be part of the new DDA activities.   Note the fireplace outside which is lit to 10 pm in the evening.   The splash pad will keep the grandkids and kids jumping, along with the occasional high stepping mom, dad, and grandparents...

 

The DDA investment in the last 4 years has been over $10,924,500.  Some new professional dental offices are in the District, along with Seven Steps Up (the former Masonic Lodge), Lilly Cares headquarters (Ed and Janet's former law office), a new retail complex behind Wesco with a bait and tackle shop, a marketing office (Wise Bear), several shops (upscale) in Epecurean Village such as a Bridal Boutique, Gift Shop, Hair Haus, Restaurants and more planned..  There is a new restaurant at the West end of Savidge, plus a day spa is planned in the area.  

 

We concluded the presentation with a summary of new events, such as special recognition days for promotion within the DDA, Social Saturdays, childrens events at Easter and Halloween plus adult activities at the same area, Central Park Player presentations, School homecoming activites (Red and Grey Days) plus other community focused events.

Future planned projects include a redo of Mill Point parking lot and area to fix the damages from earlier flooding; upgrading of Street Ends into Spring Lake and the Grand River; creating a nice trailway through Spring Lake to be known as Trail Town Trailway, EV Charges as demand increases, some really fast; marketing of the DDA area, and capturing of the increased value being created for all occupants of the DDA.  Stefanie gave a succinct description of the property tax benefit of the DDA:   If you build they shall come...not quite.   If a property is improved which had a pre improvement value of $100 and an after improvement value of $1000, then $900 of new tax base is created.  The DDA captures the new value received in taxes from the $900 and that new value tax of say $50 is dedicated to public improvements in the District (see above as to what is being improved in the District).  The capture of this new tax revenue sunsets and the school district receives tax funding from the State of Michigan so it does not lose money on the new DDA improvements.  

Feel free to spend a few days at the website springlakevillage.org /budget for DDA to review all the financial records and anticipated expenditures for the DDA.