Kalamazoo approves ARPA money for Arcadia Creek
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — At a board meeting Monday night, Kalamazoo County Commissioners approved $1.65 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to redesign the Arcadia Creek Festival Site.
After a lot of heated discussion and public comment, the measure passed 5-2.
It comes after pushback forced commissioners to separate the Arcadia Creek project from the original city budget. Some residents were concerned that the site’s $1.6 million redesign would install fencing with locking gates to keep out the unhoused using it for shelter.
Assistant City Manager Rebekah Kik shut down those concerns during a Feb. 5 meeting, saying that was never the plan. Instead, Kik explained that the fencing is temporary, storable and city-owned, all as a cost incentive for event planners wanting to use the Arcadia Creek Festival Site.
Kalamazoo holds off on Arcadia redesign over homelessness concerns
According to Kik, short-term goals for the 20-year-old site would also address failing infrastructure, including demolishing the pedestrian bridge, given its maintenance is behind schedule. The site’s redesign would include perimeter seating, creative play area, an amphitheater near the creek’s waters, mixed use housing and a pavilion.
Commissioners like Don Cooney previously expressed concerns over priorities.
“We have $1.6 million here,” he said. “Do I want to vote to put it into this or do I want to vote to put it into the homeless? That’s my dilemma.”
Cooney and commissioner Stephanie Hoffman were the two “no” votes Monday night.
But others were for it, like city commissioner Chris Praedel.
“What do we want to say to everybody who’s coming to our community? Is this a place you want to visit, or live or whatever, is this a place that we take care of a lot of the challenges and are a vibrant place to live?” Praedel said. “I think that’s what we want to show the world: that we can do a lot of hard things simultaneously.”
If construction goes on as scheduled, Kik said phase one should be completed by April 2026.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
