HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – Holland Civic Center’s renovation could include your great idea, if the project’s steering committee stays true to initial plans. The general idea is to link Holland’s downtown district to Kollen Park and Lake Macatawa.
Greg Weykamp, president of the St. Joseph-based Edgewater Resources, told the 16-member committee on Tuesday the best design will serve a wide array of Holland residents, especially those with young families. Edgewater is the design consultant hired by city officials to shepherd the project.
“What we do with our process is a lot of listening, a lot of engagement, a lot of feedback opportunities,” Weykamp said. “We explain how we’re making decisions that we’re making and what we hope to hear in the end is ‘Hey, I participated in this thing from the beginning. I had a lot of feedback. I certainly didn’t get everything I wanted, but I understand the process and I’m supportive of it.”
Weykamp asked for at least 10 public meetings before city council adopts a final design in mid-March. A bond sale would ensue, with construction starting late next fall and wrapping up within a year.Since 1985, Holland officials have debated the 60-year-old Civic Center’s future. An anonymous donor fueled the latest effort by promising $2 million in seed money for what could be an $11 million renovation.
This time, Weykamp said, “we’ll get it done.”Weykamp said his company will make a website and Facebook page so residents can easily find and share project ideas and information.The steering committee’s next meeting is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 23 and is open to the public. Weykamp would like to meet at the Civic Center.Mayor Nancy DeBoer wants to hear suggestions from as many Holland residents as possible. Email, she said, is probably the best way to share ideas. She can be reached at n.deboer@cityofholland.com. She suggested using “Holland Civic Center Idea” in the email’s subject line.
