Grant Request for City of Rochester’s All Abilities Park Receives Approval in the Amount of $797,000

ROCHESTER, MI, March 18, 2022 – The Memorial Grove All Abilities Park (“The Grove”) is specifically designed to bring together children, families, and loved ones of all ages and ability levels to enjoy the many benefits of outdoor play and recreation.

“The Grove” will be a community within a community, where individuals can experience the simple, everyday joy of outside play. The playground aims to address the lack of accessible recreation opportunities for children with disabilities.

Earlier this month, Rochester was awarded a $797,000 grant by the House with bipartisan support. This grant award was one of ten (10) Representative Elissa Slotkin advocated for that will receive direct federal funding. Slotkin received over 50 submissions from Michigan’s 8th District, making this grant award all the more prestigious.

“The City Council and I are very excited and grateful to learn that Rochester’s All Abilities Park request was approved. Receiving these federal dollars makes this project possible,” said Mayor Bikson.

The timing of this grant is especially apt, considering that March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) celebrates the abilities and contributions of people with developmental disabilities throughout the month of March.

Late last year, 2021, the City of Rochester also received a $225,000 Development Grant by the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF), and this, in addition to the federal dollars, will go towards making the All Abilities Park a reality.

“This is a game-changer for us,” said Assistant Finance Director Marcy Moriwaki. “Without the support provided by this funding and other grants, “The Grove” would have not been possible at this time.”

The award of these federal dollars, which totaled more than $16 million, was one of two bills passed by the House. Other communities in Michigan’s 8th District received grant funding for projects like a water treatment facility, a new library building and a mobile healthcare learning initiative project.

“We expect these bills to be signed into law shortly, and our team will be working closely with our colleagues in local government to get the funds to our communities as soon as possible,” says Slotkin.

For questions regarding “The Grove,” visit rochestermi.org or please contact City of Rochester’s Finance Department.

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Mar 20, 2022 City of Rochester and Rochester.Life Staff