ADA Playground at Grand Ledge’s Jaycee Park

In May 2026, the Grand Ledge community gathered to celebrate the ribbon cutting for a new universally designed, fully ADA-accessible playground in Jaycee Park in the heart of downtown. The $1.3 million project, part of the City of Grand Ledge Parks and Recreation Master Plan, replaced the original playground’s decades-old equipment and addressed its lack of ADA amenities, creating a welcoming, inclusive space for everyone to enjoy.

“Grand Ledge has always been a community that values connection and looks out for one another, and we wanted this playground to reflect those values,” said City of Grand Ledge Mayor Keith Mulder. “From the beginning, our vision was much bigger than simply replacing aging playground equipment. We wanted to create a destination where children and families of different ages and abilities could play, participate and spend time together. That is especially meaningful at Jaycee Park because it sits in the heart of our community, along the Grand River, connected to our Riverwalk and just steps from downtown. When families come here, they aren't experiencing just a playground; they're experiencing Grand Ledge.”

Accessibility and ADA features at the new Jaycee Park playground include a concrete switchback from River Street into the playground area and park, ADA access into the playground structure, poured rubber and artificial turf surfaces and a ground-level spinner that is wheelchair accessible. The new playground complements another universally accessible area of Jaycee Park, the GL Splashpad, which opened in 2018.

A Welcome Change

The new playground at Jaycee Park was made possible with support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). In May 2025, the MEDC awarded $25 million in funding from the Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) program to applicants across the state, including over $2.2 million for the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP). With the grant award, LEAP announced plans to distribute the funding to revitalization projects in 12 communities, including $250,000 for the playground at Jaycee Park, through its Community Enhancement Grant (CEG) program. The CEG program funds public art, façade improvements and placemaking projects in the region.

“The $250,000 Revitalization and Placemaking grant awarded through LEAP was a critical investment in this project,” said Mayor Mulder. “With a total project cost of approximately $1.25 million, that funding represented a significant portion of what we needed to turn an ambitious vision into reality. For a community our size, taking on a $1.25 million playground project is a major undertaking. The support from MEDC and LEAP helped us continue our community-driven pursuit of an inclusive, high-quality destination rather than simply replacing what was there.”

Mayor Mulder said the investment also helped create momentum for additional funding. Along with support from the MEDC and LEAP, the playground was funded through a combination of public investment, business sponsorships and individual donations, including support from the City of Grand Ledge’s Downtown Development Authority, an Eaton County Community Parks Grant and the Healthy Kids Initiative.  

“The MEDC and LEAP didn't just help us build a playground; they helped us create a lasting community asset that strengthens our downtown, improves quality of life and welcomes families from throughout the region.”

A Walk in the Park

In the time since the new playground’s unveiling, Mayor Mulder says the response has been tremendous as children of different ages and abilities are able to play together in a shared space, with the best measure of success being Jaycee Park full of families spending time together at the playground and around Downtown Grand Ledge.  

“There is something incredibly rewarding about watching a community space come alive like that,” said Mayor Mulder. “So many people had a hand in making this project possible, and now the entire community gets to enjoy what we built together. Investments in quality of life are also investments in economic development. When you create places where people want to live, visit, gather and raise their families, you strengthen your downtown, support local businesses and make the entire community more attractive for future investment. Jaycee Park is a great example of what can happen when local commitment is matched by regional and state support. Together, we were able to create something that will serve Grand Ledge and families from throughout the region for generations.”

Read more about the Jaycee Park playground’s grand opening from LEAP, and learn how the MEDC supports the vibrancy of communities across the state.