Making a splash

Benton Harbor officials discuss potential Hall Park upgrades

By LOUISE WREGE

HP Staff Writer

BENTON HARBOR — Plans are in the works to give Hall Park in Benton Harbor a much needed facelift, which is expected to add a skating rink, splash pad and children’s playground.

On Monday, city commissioners heard the tentative plans to spend $1 million on the park if the city receives a Spark Grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The grant would not require matching funds.

But that money will only start the project, which has an anticipated price tag of more than $3 million, said Benton Harbor Assistant City Manager Alex Little.

“(The money) will come in parts as grants are made available, and then we fit it together,” Little said.

Renovating Hall Park is part of the bigger project of revitalizing Ox Creek, which runs along the west side of the park.

Little said the Ox Creek project is projected to cost $20 million.

He said the Hall Park project should be done fairly quickly because the grant money is coming from the federal government through ARPA funds, meaning it needs to be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024, and spent by Dec. 31, 2026.

“This is music to my ears,” said Commissioner Ron Singleton. “I grew up on Thresher (Avenue) right above the park, too. I have some great memories there. ... I’m looking forward to seeing that project completed.”

During the presentation, Craig Borum, an architecture professor at the University of Michigan, said a team of federal, state and local officials has been working for more than a year to put together tentative plans for Hall Park and Ox Creek. He said they talked with local residents over the summer about what they would like to see in the park.

“Nothing is fixed or set in stone, but based on a lot of discussions and community outreach and input from citizens and many of you, we’ve developed an approach at least of a basic outline for the park,” Borum said.

He said the park, founded in 1911, has several historic structures, including stone stairs and little gathering areas where people can look over the park.

If the city receives the Spark Grant, Borum said the first phase of renovations is expected to include the ramp from Hull Street into the park.

“We want to make sure there’s accessibility coming

See HALL PARK, page A2

Plans have been introduced to spend $1 million on upgrades to Benton Harbor’s Hall Park if the city receives a Spark Grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Photos by Don Campbell / HP staff

Stone steps wind through Hall Park in Benton Harbor on Tuesday.

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down to the park along that hillside,” he said. “As you know, it’s a pretty steep grade.”

The money would also be spent removing dead plants and invasive species, cleaning up the landscape and establishing a paved walking surface around the park.

“As part of that, we’ll be restoring three of the stone stairs in the park, making them accessible, walkable and safe,” he said.

In addition, he said they plan to add a parking lot off of Highland Avenue that will tie in with the walkable loop around the park.

“We plan to replace and expand the basketball courts – two full courts with more permanent seating,” he said. “At the end of that, a permanent stage. Right now, there’s a temporary one that’s built. We’d like to formalize that.”

Borum said they are seeking other funds for public restrooms.

Other future plans include restoring the baseball field and adding a children’s playground, skating rink and splash pad.

The state DNR expects to release $65 million in Spark Grants in three rounds between January and the summer of 2023.

City Commissioner Juanita Henry said she would like to see more activities made available for children in the first phase of the project.

Mayor Marcus Muhammad said the plan needs to go through the city’s Public Safety & Recreation Committee to be vetted.

Contact: lwrege@TheHP.com, 932-0361, Twitter: @HPWrege

Swings sit idle at Hall Park in Benton Harbor on Tuesday.

Don Campbell / HP staff