In 2026, the Ottawa County Parks Foundation proudly celebrates 10 years of Bridging Community to Nature. Throughout the year, we’re sharing special reflections from members of the Foundation’s founding Board of Directors.
This month, we’re featuring Marjie Viveen, who served on the Foundation Board from its founding through 2022.Marjie helped shape the Foundation during its formative years and has also been instrumental in preserving the rich history of the lands that are now part of Ottawa County Parks.
What did the first meeting look like?
“What I remember most about the first meeting was the people around the table…a force of dedicated, park-loving folks including Alice Hoban, Tim Stoepker, Tom Workman, Cathy Feyt, Shelly Stephens, and Brian Stauffer, each offering a unique set of skills, generous with their time and resources, who wholly united with the park mission.“
What motivated you to start the Foundation?
“Clearly, the need for additional funding. At that time, numerous projects, especially along the Grand River Greenway, were undone or not even fully conceptualized. At the same time, opportunities for land acquisition would arise and send us scrambling to fund. Ottawa Sands is a case in point. Perhaps as important was the fact that parks’ values were consistent with my own.”
What is your personal passion for parks?
“I have two obsessions: hiking and local history. It turns out that parklands uniquely satisfy both interests. With over 150 miles of trails, across seasons and with good company, it’s easy to keep each hiking experience new. Trails are well-maintained, well-marked, and safe. And a bonus for me is that many OCPs are located along rivers, lending themselves to the fur trade, lumbering, early recreation locales, and settlement.”
What did you personally get from starting the Foundation?
“Meeting great people, including staff, volunteers, and donors with whom I share common values and interests. Learning…about park structure, funding, nature, and county government.“
What is your favorite park and why?
“Hands down, it is Eastmanville Farm! It’s not the most beautiful park, nor the newest with all the bells and whistles, but I am fascinated by the history of that property, more specifically, by residents once occupying the old Ottawa County Poor Farm. The common denominator within that population was the inability to live independently, largely due to age (too young or too old), illness (physical or mental), or poverty. And, while it was/is too common a practice to stereotype these people, a closer look at individuals mirrored many of us…one check from poverty, vulnerability to accidents/illness, homelessness, drug/alcohol abuse, loneliness. And like us, everyone was somebody…had a family, job, dreams, and a personal history of successes and failures. It’s you and me, just one crisis from downfall.”
“The Poor Farm provided care and respite. It wasn’t perfect (though Ottawa County’s Poor Farm was rated one of the best and longest-lasting in the state), but did provide adequate food and shelter, restore dignity through meaningful work to the degree one was capable, established a sense of community, and provided nonresidents opportunities to serve. I could go on…so…read the storyboards, walk the cemetery, imagine the past, restore to serve current needs for recreation and community.“
Who invited you outside to enjoy nature?
“Who influenced me…John Scholtz…a visionary and wonderful friend, Ken Larson, founder of GHPS Outdoor Education Program in which I participated for years.“