In Grand Rapids, a number of no-longer-needed elementary schools are being transformed into apartment buildings, while the playgrounds and sports fields are turned into city parks.
The idea came about because a good percentage of the parkland in Grand Rapids already falls under the schools' department jurisdiction:
"The drawback to that is with the district right-sizing due to declining enrollment, the closure and sale of neighborhood schools can leave areas park-poor. The city is already below the national average in park acreage.
That's why city planners, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and the developer seeking to convert three of the schools into apartments are working together to preserve the green space," writes Monica Scott.
FULL STORY: Vibrant parks being designed on sites of former Grand Rapids schools
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