After years of community visioning, one snowy winter, and the long goodbye to a beloved park building, Martin Luther King Park is ready for its next chapter.
For generations, the modest building at the heart of MLK Park—known simply as The Lodge—hosted everything from boxer training sessions to neighborhood meetings. It even pulled double duty as a makeshift office during the filming of Block Party, a Juneteenth comedy by Grand Rapids producer Lisa Mathis, while crews worked nearby in the park. But as the years passed, the centrally located structure near the community pool fell into disrepair, making way for something new.
That “something” is finally here.
The City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department will celebrate the grand opening of the MLK Community Center, 900 Fuller Ave SE, with a free community event on Saturday, Feb. 21 from 2 to 5 p.m. Doors will open at 1:45 p.m.
The celebration will feature family-friendly activities, giveaways, and a chance to explore the brand-new facility. The first 100 guests will receive free GR Gold tickets, and light refreshments will be available for the first 200 guests.
“This new community center represents what Grand Rapids is all about—bringing people together,” Mayor David LaGrand said. “I invite everyone to join us on Feb. 21 to celebrate this incredible space and the opportunities it will create for Grand Rapids residents and our Third Ward neighborhoods.”
At nearly 25,000 square feet, the new center marks a major milestone for both Martin Luther King Park and the King Park neighborhood. Programming will kick off in March with classes including Line Dancing, Pilates, and Hip-Hop Step, along with youth dance classes, open gym hours, and an after-school program for teens. The department’s free Fitness Gold program—focused on low-impact fitness—will also be offered at the center beginning in March. A full schedule will be released closer to the opening.
The path to this moment began back in 2019, when neighbors came together through the MLK Quality of Life Study to shape a shared vision for their park. Long-term goals included increased activation, updates to the then-existing lodge, and flexible, rentable space for the community.
To help determine next steps, a community stakeholder group selected Isaac V. Norris & Associates, P.C. (IVNA) to conduct a feasibility study and environmental assessment of The Lodge. Those findings were shared with residents, who were then surveyed on whether they preferred renovating the building or starting fresh. The community voted by majority for a complete rebuild that would honor the park’s cultural and historical significance.
“We wanted this project to be guided by people who would use the space the most,” said Laura Cleypool, director of parks and recreation. “After years of engagement starting back in 2019, we’re excited to finally open the doors and celebrate with the community.”
Community input directly shaped the final design by IVNA, which includes multipurpose rooms, a gymnasium with multi-use sports court lines for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball, rentable event space, and improved access to year-round programming.
That feedback also resulted in a brand-new pool house, an expanded parking lot, a fitness loop with outdoor exercise equipment, and the relocation of the playground from busy Fuller Avenue to the corner of Benjamin and Alexander streets, creating a safer place for kids to play.
The MLK Community Center will also house administrative space for Our Community’s Children and King Park Neighbors, the area’s neighborhood association.
Altogether, the community center and accompanying park improvements represent a $19.7 million investment in the neighborhood. Funding came from the City Capital Fund, the parks millage, the Third Ward Equity Fund, a Michigan Economic Development Corporation grant, and the City’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation.
