STANTON, Mich. (WOOD) — Montcalm County was forced to close its parks because of budget problems, but families and businesses are coming together to volunteer time and money to maintain the parks.
Each park has different people stepping up with different ties to the park, unlocking the gates for future generations.
The volunteers will care for all of the county’s seven parks: Artman Park in Howard City, Bass Lake in Richland Township, Carl Paepke Flat River Nature Park in Montcalm Township, Krampe Park in Winfield Township, McCarthy Park in Montcalm Township and Schmeid Park in Lakeview.
“We just kind of looked at each other about the exact same second and said you know we ought to go adopt that park,“ said Pete Larsen.
“It was a simultaneous thing,” said Tom Smith.
“It was freaky,” said Larsen.
Larsen and Smith live and work in Montcalm County. They’ve raised their kids here and spent lots of time at McCarthy Park in Montcalm Township, which is located north of Greenville.
“My family lives across the street and my son got married just down by the river,” said Larsen.