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Meetings set for “The Grand Strategy”

Posted at 4:12 PM, Oct 13, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-13 16:12:24-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Do you want to have a say in “The Grand Strategy”? You can make your input next week.

Communities along the Grand River in Kent County, including Grand Rapids, could potentially secure hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant money. The funding was set aside by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2014 to help areas hit by natural disasters between 2011 and 2013.  The historic flood along the river in 2013 qualifies our area.  Nearly $1 billion is up for grabs.  The Grand Rapids region is just one of 40 communities nationwide—and the only in Michigan— that remains in the running for the funds. Nationwide, sixty-five communities were originally in the running for the grant.

“The Grand Strategy, is a collaborative project between the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Kent County, the city of Grand Rapids and Downtown GR Inc. to establish a regional approach to river renewal and restoration.

The two public meetings are next Tuesday, October 20th.  At 5:30pm, there is a meeting at DeVos Place in the Chase Boardroom on the 2nd floor.  At 7:00pm, there is a second meeting at Plainfield Charter Township Hall in Belmont, Michigan.