$1 million state grant to city acquire land for Main Street Park

State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz recently voted to fund a grant that will help Chelsea construct a new city park.

The $1,012,500 Natural Resources Trust Fund grant will help fund the city’s purchase of 2.8 acres of land for the new Main Street Park. The city will provide a local match of about $463,000.

“Main Street Park will be a wonderful place where kids, families, and seniors can come together to enjoy recreation, connect with nature, and build lasting memories,” Schmaltz said. “I’m proud to support this project and grateful that state and local leaders could work together to make it a reality.”

The new Main Street Park will transform a portion of the former Federal Screw Works site into a public space featuring a rock-climbing wall, skateboard area, multi-use sports courts, walking paths, a community hearth, a multi-use pavilion, and family-friendly amenities like seating areas and four family-style bathrooms. Plans were shaped by input from Chelsea residents and are designed to create a safe, active space that brings people together.

In addition to these features, Chelsea is pursuing additional funding to connect the park to the city’s non-motorized pathways, linking it to the Border-to-Border Trail, local schools, retirement communities, and other area parks.

Natural Resources Trust Fund grants are part of House Bill 4392, which includes $41.8 million for 17 land acquisition and 68 recreational development projects throughout the state with revenue from the Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Money in the Natural Resources Trust Fund comes from the development of minerals on state land – not general tax money – and is distributed on an annual basis in partnership with local governments. The money must be used for acquisition or recreational development projects, according to the Michigan Constitution.

After receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the House, HB 4392 is awaiting further consideration in the Senate.

Chelsea’s Main Street Park also was recently awarded a $1 million grant through Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Revitalization and Placemaking program.