PARCHMENT, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The City of Parchment has been selected as a 2025 Consumers Energy Planet Award recipient.
Funded by the Consumers Energy Foundation, the Planet Awards support projects that positively impact Michigan’s land, water, and air quality.
City officials say Parchment’s winning initiative, Riverfront Park: Restore the Bank; Cool the Corridor, will transform the city’s Kalamazoo River frontage into a natural and recreational asset for the community and the region. The $150,000 grant will support wildlife-friendly landscaping near a new river overlook, shaded picnic areas, and native tree plantings along Commerce Lane, which they says is an important entry corridor into the city.
“This grant allows us to take significant steps toward revitalizing our riverfront with sustainable, community-centered improvements,” said City Manager Nancy Stoddard. “We’re excited to move forward with this vision.”
Planned improvements also include removing invasive species, stabilizing portions of the riverbank, and creating interpretive features to educate the public about native plantings and environmental stewardship.
According to Parks and Recreation Chair Cheryl Lyon-Jenness, the park’s strategic location at the juncture of the river, several major roadways, and the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail makes it an ideal site for demonstrating environmentally sound practices and increasing public access to the river.
Project work is expected to begin this spring.
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