How We Work: Case Studies
Case Study: Garfield Park, Grand Rapids Michigan
Local community activists prevent the City of Grand Rapids from selling part of historic parkland to become a private Salvation Army community center.
Challenge
When Charles Garfield gave a park to the City of Grand Rapids in 1906, he stipulated in the deed that it must be maintained and owned by the City as a public park. This didn't stop the City Council from beginning secret discussions with the Salvation Army to turn several acres of the park over to the private religious organization for a new community center. The center would be owned and operated by the Salvation Army and the land that was supposed to be set aside forever as a public park would then be in private hands. A majority of the City Council was in favor of the plan, and the Salvation Army came out with very strong declaration that if the City did not sell them part of Garfield Park for the center it would get no center at all.
Strategy
Local citizens created a very well organized effort to stop the sale of the park. Their organizing effort was aided by a very effective website, email distribution lists, and regular content with members of the news media who gave lots of attention to the story. This allowed park proponents to get large groups to attend city council meetings and voice their concerns. The citizens group also began evaluating their legal options for preventing the sale of the parkland and made their intentions very clear. Despite all of this, the majority on the Grand Rapids City Council pressed to move ahead with plans to sell part of Garfield Park to the Salvation Army. When Defense of Place was contacted by Friends of Garfield Park, the Friends group were not aware of the fact that by law if any part of a park received money from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and any part of that park was going to be sold, it would need to be replaced by a similar resource of equal size in a nearby location. The City Council was counting on the proceeds from selling part of Garfield Park to go into their coffers and there was not space available nearby that could easily replace part of Garfield Park. Defense of Place provided the background information regarding the Land Water Conservation Fund to the Friends of Garfield Park who immediately and strongly conveyed the restrictions to the City Council.
Result
After learning of the Land Water Conservation Fund restrictions on Garfield Park, the City Council immediately conveyed their concerns to the Salvation Army. With the need to replace city parkland nearby, the project quickly became infeasible at the Garfield Park location and the Salvation Army dropped Garfield Park as a potential site for the community center.
Lessons Learned
When working to save a place, learn everything you possibly can about all of the restrictions on the title, restrictions from grants, and obscure laws and rules that might prevent it from being sold.
Links
www.savegarfieldpark.com
www.friendsofgarfieldpark.com
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