Millennium Park (Grand Rapids)

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).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.The park is built on the former location of gypsum mines and gravel pits, including the former location of the Domtar mine.Park featuresBeach and splashpadBoardwalkBoating centerFishing dockPicnic sheltersTrailsRecreational FishingThe park offers a unique fishing experience in an urban community. With a very short commute from downtown Grand Rapids, fishermen are able to enjoy a plethora of fishing locations and many off-season parking lots, which are free of charge. The lakes are home to a variety of panfish, both large and smallmouth bass, and even the occasional northern pike. The park offers boat rentals in the summer that can help fishermen reach their desired trophy fish. With very few visitors in the early spring,the area is a delicacy for anglers during the most ideal season to seek out largemouth bass.