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Meijer Gardens welcome center

On Jan. 11, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announced the completion of its new welcome center. The new and inviting entryway features an improved ticketing center, expanded coat room, additional restrooms, and a mobility center for complimentary wheelchairs and electric carts. Upgrades to the O-A-K Theater and the Garden Pavilion also were completed.

The designs were created with ideas from award-winning architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.

“Tod and Billie represent the best of everything. They are widely recognized as some of the premier architects of cultural institutions in the world,” said Meijer Gardens President and CEO David Hooker. “The facilities that they have designed for Meijer Gardens show their highly developed talents and will be enjoyed by many generations.”

Meijer Gardens serves between 650,000 and 700,000 visitors annually. The 158-acre property is one of the nation’s most significant botanic and sculpture experiences, and the new welcome center will ease congestion as patrons enter and exit. 1000 E Beltline Ave. NE "The facilities that they have designed for Meijer Gardens show their highly developed talents and will be enjoyed by many generations."

David Hooker

The newly opened Meijer Gardens welcome center.

Park's standout design

Indoor dog park opens

Plaster Creek Family Park won the 2020 Park Design Award from the Michigan Recreation & Park Association. The annual award is given to parks based on criteria involving innovation, local significance, aesthetic quality and functionality.

In early 2020, Grand Rapids Public Schools teamed up with the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department on a mission to create green schoolyards in park-deficient areas. Community involvement was an essential part of the renovation process.

In August, all improvements to the park were completed. The park features a stump forest, log jam and other play objects, which were made from local fallen trees. It also includes an eco-friendly rain garden, meadow planting and community picnic area. 2401 Buchanan Ave. SW

The Pack Indoor Dog Park is now open for business. The highly anticipated dog park, located at 5205 West River Drive, is a 10,000-square-foot space featuring a bar and restaurant, and is Michigan's first off-leash indoor dog park.

Rachel Macqueen is the co-owner of The Pack. She said opening a business during the pandemic was not easy but the need for this concept is what inspired her to move forward with the project.

The Pack is designed to give both the dogs and their owners a safe environment to socialize and relax. “I could not find a place in Grand Rapids where both my dog and daughter could play safely year round. Not to mention the cold weather conditions,” Macqueen said.

Macqueen decided to partner with her mother to create a family-friendly space where both furry friends and pet owners could come together and stay warm.

“Staff is there to monitor a safe dog play experience and to also make sure that the facility stays clean,” Macqueen said. She reminds guests that masks are required along with the guidelines to keep a 6-foot distance from others.

The Pack currently is offering half- and full-day doggie day care — all carefully supervised. There are two different membership options, one being a fivevisit punch card for $30, or the option for an annual membership. Visit thepackdogpark.com.