Nate Pilon
Friday, October 17, 2014
$25,000 goal to secure matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative
Lansing, Mich. – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the city of Adrian, Adrian Kiwanis Club, and the Adrian Kiwanis Foundation today announced a new crowdfunding campaign through Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity. The campaign will support a new park connecting the Kiwanis Trail to Downtown Adrian.
“The Kiwanis Trail is an asset to the community, and this project will provide new recreational opportunities in addition to enhancing Downtown Adrian,” said MEDC President and CEO Michael A. Finney. “The Public Spaces Community Places initiative, one of the first of its kind in the country, is a great opportunity for residents, businesses, and others to pool resources and actively engage to transform public spaces in their communities.”
If the campaign attains its crowdfunding goal of $25,000 by November 28, MEDC will provide a $25,000 matching grant. For project details and to contribute, please visit: https://patronicity.com/project/kiwanis_trailhead.
Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity where local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of transformational projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, non-profits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.
“Adrian is very excited to be part of the MEDC/MML/Patronicity crowdfunding effort,” said City Administrator Shane Horn. “We are proud of the Kiwanis Trail, and the opportunity to connect the trail to our historic and growing downtown is the perfect community project. We have been working with the Adrian Kiwanis Club to complete this trailhead park for several years, but like communities across the state, have struggled to fund important public projects. The MEDC match and the willingness of the community to support this project will enable us to build this beautiful entrance to our downtown.”
The Kiwanis Trailhead Park will provide trail users access to the trail and Downtown Adrian. It will have new landscaping, benches, trees, lighting, pathways, signs, and will showcase the western entry to the historic downtown. While the Kiwanis trail is heavily utilized, there is no clear way to transition to and from the trail with downtown, and this project will provide that transition point and also provide an attractive location for residents and visitors to gather.
"Communities that engage in place making, like Adrian, are positioning themselves for long term success,” said MML CEO and Executive Director Daniel P. Gilmartin. “We're thrilled to see this project supported through the Public Spaces Community Places program and MEDC."
The city, the Adrian Kiwanis Club, and the Adrian Kiwanis Foundation have committed $105,000 of the $155,000 required to complete the project.
About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.
