O-A-K Superintendent Michael Schneidt walked the site at Canal Park with Kristin Pfauth, Engineering Project Manager for the City of Grand Rapids, 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.

Canal Park is one piece of the larger Grand River Greenway, 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, bringing experience working along the river and navigating the code requirements that come with it. The public can expect to enjoy the new space starting late fall 2026.

Video by Taproot Pictures.

O-A-K is packing up the table and hitting the road this fall, with our team showing up at career fairs across Michigan, Florida, and Colorado.

Where to find us

• University of Florida | September 10
• Ferris State University | September 22
• Western Michigan University | September 23
• Michigan State University | September 24
• Michigan Tech University | September 29
• Colorado State University | September 29
• Florida International University | October 6
• Florida Gulf Coast University | October 6
• Louisiana State University | October 23

Why stop by our table

A conversation at our table is a chance for us to actually get to know you, not just your resume. Tell us what you're studying, what kind of work excites you, where you picture yourself in five years. We're listening, and we remember. That connection is what turns into a real interview and, for a lot of students, a real career.

Last summer, twenty-eight interns joined O-A-K across our Michigan and Florida offices, working out of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Naples, and Fort Myers. They didn't sit on the sidelines. Each was welcomed onto an active project and put to work from day one, alongside on-the-job training, weekly lunch and learns with company leaders, and a built-in community of fellow interns from across the states we serve.

The pathway is real

An internship at O-A-K isn't a summer detour, it's often the start of a career. Over the past decade, at least fourteen former interns have grown into full-time roles with the company. Brian Filipek interned in 2015 and is now a Project Manager. "The company's reputation initially attracted me to the internship, but it was the people and culture that convinced me to stay," Filipek said.

"O-A-K's internship program is designed to give students meaningful, real-world experience that simply can't be replicated in a classroom," said Jim Hopper, Florida Division President. Our interns become real members of project teams, working through problems and building relationships with clients and trade partners along the way.

What sets O-A-K apart

People-First Culture: At O-A-K, people are the driving force behind everything we build. We choose to do what's right, bring a can-do attitude to every job, and show up for each other, not just the project. Here, you're valued as a person, not reduced to a title or a task list.

Full Responsibility: When you join O-A-K, you become part of a company that's 100% employee-owned, so your success is directly tied to ours. You'll have the mentorship, training, and resources to do your best work, plus a real stake in the results. It's been our formula for growing careers, and the company, for more than 130 years.

Safety is Personal: At O-A-K, safety isn't a policy, it's a promise we make to every person on the jobsite and every community we build for. Our procedures are grounded in real field experience, not just paperwork, because protecting people always comes before schedules or deadlines.

If you're ready to build something that lasts, come find us on the road. We'd love to meet you. Have questions before then? Reach Camila directly at camilag@oakmi.com.

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O-A-K is glad to welcome Kylee Haywood as Business Development Manager, bringing more than twenty-five years of relationship and business development experience to the West Michigan team.

Kylee's career spans client services, commercial construction, manufacturing, and workplace design, and one thing has stayed constant across every stop: she builds relationships that last well past the first deal. Ask her about her career and she will point back to the people behind it, the clients she got to know, the trust she built, and the partnerships that grew from there.

Relationships have always come first for her, going back to the beginning of her career. "I really got started in business development through sales," Kylee says. "Early in my career, I learned that my strength wasn't just selling a product, it was building relationships, connecting with people, and finding opportunities where I could bring value. As my career progressed, that naturally evolved into new business development. I found that I really enjoyed opening doors, making connections, and turning those relationships into long-term partnerships and business growth."

"We're constantly looking for ways to better connect with our clients and partners - both existing and new." says Josh Szymanski, Chief Strategy Officer at O-A-K. "Kylee brings a long history of building trusted relationships in West Michigan.  As we grow in multiple regions, Kylee helps us make sure we also focus on continuing to serve the Grand Rapids area commercial market."

Kylee holds a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University. She stays active in the West Michigan community as a board delegate with CREW West Michigan, where she also serves on the programs committee.

Kylee likes to sum it up simply: "Treat people well, listen to what matters to them, and take the time to genuinely get to know them. Build trust first, do the right thing, and let the relationship lead the business." We couldn't agree more, and we're glad to have her in our court. Welcome, Kylee!

More on Kylee Haywood.