Pickleball, splash pad, river access: Major park project planned in Ada

ADA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A project in Ada aims to bring more greenspace and river access to the downtown area.

The project will connect Leonard Field and Legacy Park in the downtown Ada area to form the Ada Covered Bridge Park, with the bridge at the center. It will add a new pedestrian bridge over the Thornapple River and a boardwalk.

Fifteen acres along the river across from Legacy Park will offer walking trails, a kayak launch and river outlooks.

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The project includes a downtown park area that will have a splash pad, two pickleball courts and a playground. There will also be a veterans memorial, a picnic area, a dog park, new bathrooms and two additional parking areas.

Once complete, the township will have greenspace on both sides of the Thornapple River stretching from the Historic Covered Bridge all the way to where it connects to the Grand River, except for a small portion owned by the Village East of Ada apartment complex, which already has a public trail.

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“We are connecting all of the riverfront areas of the Thornapple River in downtown Ada to be used for the public,” Ada Township Supervisor Ross Leisman said. “The community is actually loving this project, it’s going to be right where everybody can use it and it involves something for all ages. It’s going to be playgrounds, splash pads, picnic areas, a dog park and trails and even a kayak launch.”

Project leaders have raised $7.3 million for the campaign, close to the $8.5 million goal. The team on Wednesday launched the Connecting Community campaign, which aims to raise the remaining $1.2 million.

“This is a great opportunity for everybody to get involved,” Josh Hulst, a co-chair of the campaign, told News 8. “One of the cool things about a campaign like this is it gives opportunity for people who already are so invested in the community to really help build that … next level.”

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He said the project will make the area more well-rounded by bringing more green space to the downtown area. Hulst also said he’s excited for there to be better access to the Thornapple River.

“We have this amazing asset right in the middle here in Ada, and to be able to make it available for people to be able to walk along, to be able to sit and see and just preserve it for future generations as well, it’s really exciting for us as we look at what’s next for the community,” he said.

As the team finishes fundraising, they’re getting ready to start the final design stage in the next couple of months. Construction on the project is expected to start in 2025.

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