New Ballroom completed at historic downtown Grand Rapids landmark

On Monday, October 19, the City of Walker and Kent District Library (KDL) officially opened the new Walker Library. Hundreds of community members gathered on the City Hall campus for a 9:30 a.m. ribbon cutting, and the doors opened to the public as soon as the ribbon was cut.

Mayor Gary Carey and KDL Executive Director Lance Werner kicked off the morning with remarks. Werner shared that the new library had been a topic of conversation for his entire 15-plus years with KDL. Pat Callahan of StudioGC and Josh Szymanski, PE, Chief Strategy Officer at O-A-K, also spoke, and the ceremony included a special thank-you to Meijer for its $1 million gift.

Opening day was also a homecoming for library staff, who spent 19 months serving patrons from a temporary location during construction. The celebration now carries on throughout the week, giving the public a chance to explore the new library, grab a bite to eat at one of the food trucks, and participate in activities like crafting and scavenger hunts.‍

Thank you to the City of Walker, KDL, StudioGC, Mathison | Mathison Architects (MMA), Meijer, and everyone who came out to celebrate opening day.

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East Riverfront Park is reconnecting Grand Rapids with the Grand River. O-A-K Superintendent, Michael Schneidt, and Mike Staal, Project Manager for the City of Grand Rapids, walked the park to see how the former industrial site is taking shape.

Located just west of the Acrisure Amphitheater on the city's former public works site, the project broke ground in August 2025 and marks the first significant public green space investment on the Grand River's south side in generations. Phase One cut down the flood wall along the river's edge and replaced it with a gentle slope, inviting people to step closer to the water. The work adds 4.5 acres of green space, a half-mile non-motorized trail, seating areas overlooking the river, water access for recreation, and new trees and native plantings that support biodiversity and help manage stormwater. It also creates a direct connection to the Acrisure Amphitheater and leaves room for future public art.

"We are taking what was a very industrial site and creating an inviting space for the community to be here," Staal said.

Phase Two, now underway, brings universal access down to the river and a new kayak launch, giving everyone a way to reach the water, whether they come to paddle, walk, or simply take in the view.

East Riverfront is also a vital link in the Grand River Greenway, an 85-mile network of parks and trails connecting communities across Kent and Ottawa counties. For neighbors in Heartside, Black Hills, Roosevelt Park, and across the city, it becomes a new front yard on the river.

As Staal noted, East Riverfront is one of six projects reshaping the Grand River, and O-A-K is proud to be part of three of them. Together with the City of Grand Rapids and Viridis Design Group, our teams are also building Canal Park, opening late fall 2026, and recently completed the Grand Rapids Public Museum Riverfront.

Special thanks to Taproot Pictures for bringing this story to life on video.

O-A-K Superintendent, Michael Schneidt, walked the site at Canal Park with Kristin Pfauth, Project Manager for the City of Grand Rapids - Engineering, touring the different areas of one of downtown's most significant riverfront transformations.

Located at 905 Monroe Ave NW, the project broke ground in April 2025 and continues the Grand River Greenway, extending the city's riverside trail network. The half-mile renovation raises the site for improved river views and includes a River Story playground inspired by Anishinaabe design and culture, a multi-purpose plaza with an enclosed pavilion available for rent, scenic river overlooks, and a fully accessible kayak and canoe launch. The design, led by City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation and VIRIDIS Design Group, also strengthens flood protection along the Grand River.

The Grand River Greenway is a decades-in-the-making effort to connect West Michigan communities to the Grand River from Lowell to Lake Michigan. Once complete, the Greenway will offer more than 60 miles of trails, anchored by the Idema Explorers Trail linking Grand Rapids to Grand Haven. Canal Park falls within the stretch that Grand Rapids envisions as a regional recreation hub, connecting Millennium Park to Riverside Park just north of downtown.

"This has been a great partnership," Pfauth said of working with O-A-K. "They understand what it is like to work along the river and what the code requirements are, and working with all the officials to not only keep the river safe and clean, but construct these new beautiful parks that will allow the public to enjoy it."

O-A-K has been on site at Canal Park for nearly a year. As Pfauth noted, O-A-K is involved on several of the city's riverfront projects, including East Riverfront Park in front of Acrisure Amphitheater and the Grand Rapids Public Museum Riverfront. The public can expect to enjoy the new space starting late fall 2026.

Thank you to our video partners at Taproot Pictures for helping us tell this story.