Cranes in the sky always are a good sign for a city and Grand Rapids is lucky to be boasting these pillars of investment. Many areas of downtown are undergoing transformations and we spoke to Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. about some of the projects it is currently helping spearhead.
From a new coffee shop at the recently renovated Veteran’s Memorial Park to plans to overhaul a parking lot in the Monroe North neighborhood and create a temporary skate park to the Whitewater Restoration Project, these investments will set the stage for several downtown adventures in the very near future.
October also is the month you’re likely to bust out the crockpot and start spending more time in the kitchen. So, we rounded up recipes from local food bloggers, a cookbook author and folks in our community who just love to cook. Tackle these recipes this month and share the final images with us on our social channels.
In this issue, we also talk with Ben O’Connor of O’Connor’s Home Brew Supply about how to make your own hard cider, we share our top five fall treats with you and we meet Daryl Reece, whose annual Stock da Bar party raises money for local charities.
We also find out why actor Dean Cain was in town over the summer — spoiler, he was filming part of a movie here focused on homelessness.
In this issue, I’m also happy to introduce you to Graci Harkema, of Graci LLC. Harkema provides diversity, equity and inclusion training and her calendar has been full this year as businesses and organizations seek out her services in the wake of the national protests and anti-racism efforts. Harkema has an incredible story that starts in a mud hut in the Congo and leads to a childhood spent in a Grand Rapids suburb, followed by a career based here in Grand Rapids. She shares her personal experiences to help others understand systemic racism and how to work toward stopping the unconscious biases we all hold.
Get cozy and enjoy this issue!
Charlsie Dewey
Managing Editor, Grand Rapids Magazine
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