07/23/2026
Smith Park Improvement Project Update – July 23, 2026
I wanted to provide everyone with an update on the Smith Park Improvement Project now that construction is well underway with Dan's Excavating.
As many of you know, the City of White Cloud was incredibly fortunate to receive a Spark Grant through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and CMF that was announced in the fall of 2024. Those funds are helping make a portion of our Parks & Recreation Master Plan become a reality.
What many may not realize is that this project was developed through extensive community planning and public engagement that took place during 2022 and 2023, long before the EGLE water drawdown requirements and GEI's feasibility study. Since then, circumstances have changed. I know many residents have expressed their vision for Smith Park have changed as well, particularly regarding water recreation. I want you to know that City staff and the City Council hear you, and we share that desire. We want our children and families to have opportunities to enjoy the water, play together, and make lasting memories right here in White Cloud.
Once the grant was awarded, only minor modifications to the approved plans could be made. Large engineering changes simply were not allowed under the grant requirement/obligations.
I understand there are residents who wish this project looked different today, and I completely respect those feelings. If the circumstances surrounding the Mill Pond had been what they are today when this project was originally planned, the conversations and priorities may have looked much different. While we can't change the path that brought us here, we can choose how we move forward. My hope is that we continue building upon this investment together, using it as the foundation for future improvements that reflect our community's vision and create a park our children and families can enjoy for generations to come.
Here's the exciting part... This project is laying the groundwork for the future.
While you may not immediately see every amenity people now hope for, this project includes critical infrastructure such as parking, storm sewer, sidewalks, utilities, and site preparation that will make future improvements much more affordable. Those infrastructure pieces are often the hardest, and most expensive to fund. Because those investments are being made today, future projects become much more achievable.
This project does include the new infrastructure for those added features plus a nice covered pavilion, renovated basketball court, small/large dog park and walking paths.
I truly believe that over the next few years we will continue building on what is being completed now. Whether that becomes a natural swim area, a splash pad, another creative water feature, or something we haven't even imagined yet, I believe new opportunities and funding will come.
We are doing our very best with the resources we've been blessed to receive, and I am incredibly grateful for the organizations that have invested in White Cloud through this grant.
Good news! We had enough contingency funds remaining in the project budget to completely replace the basketball court concrete and install brand-new basketball poles, backboards, rims, and nets that will be installed in the coming weeks. These improvements will create a safer and more enjoyable space for families for years to come.
Construction continues to move forward, and we anticipate celebrating a ribbon cutting in mid to late September!
Thank you for your patience as we continue navigating challenges, difficult decisions, and circumstances that no one anticipated.
It hasn't always been easy, but if there's one thing I know about White Cloud, it's this... We don't quit. We work together. We find solutions. We keep moving forward. And somehow, we always find a way to make lemonade out of lemons.
I truly believe the best days for Smith Park and for White Cloud are still ahead. While I have your attention...
Please join us next Tuesday, July 28, from 4:00–5:00 p.m. for our Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Open House. This is your opportunity to review the complete draft ordinance (also available on our website), ask questions, and provide input before the public hearing begins during the Planning Commission meeting at 5:00 p.m.
This project has been nearly three years in the making and represents the final major milestone toward achieving full Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) Certification through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). Once that certification is complete, we'll begin leveraging those tools and resources to place an even greater emphasis on downtown revitalization, supporting our small businesses, encouraging redevelopment, and creating new opportunities throughout our community, while continuing to pursue opportunities to move the dam and Mill Pond Park project forward.
Thank you for your continued support, your patience, and your belief in our community. It truly is an honor and a privilege to serve as your City Manager. I don't take that responsibility lightly, and I'm grateful every day for the opportunity to serve this community that I love.
Here's to building an even brighter future together.
~April Storms, City Manager
“Let’s look for something positive in each day even if some days we have to look a little harder.”
*This public recreation space was created through a partnership of the City of White Cloud and the Department of Natural Resources as part of the Spark Grant Program administrated by the Council of Michigan Foundations. We also thank our regional partner for their support: The Fremont Area Community Foundation.
