Original story: http://woodtv.com/2018/01/25/grand-river-greenway-taking-shape
A trail that will take nature lovers along the Grand River from Grand Rapids to Grand Haven continues to take its shape.
The $40 million Grand River Greenway project recently got a big boost in fundraising from the private sector. Earlier this month, the Bill and Bea Idema Foundation pledged $2 million towards the project and the Wege Foundation pledged another $860,000.
When completed, the trail will run along the Grand River from Kent County’s Millennium Park to Grand Haven.
It also signals a big change in the public’s attitude towards the river from just a few decades ago.
“The Grand River was a resource that’s kind of been neglected for a long time,” said Curt TerHaar, Ottawa County Park Planning and Development Coordinator. “Now that you don’t hear about sewer overflows and that kind of thing, I think people really see it’s a positive part of the community.”