Cannon Community Center
I had the honor of witnessing history in the making this week.
On Thursday, April 23, at the Kent County Commission meeting, the board unanimously approved the agreement between Kent County and Cannon Township. This is truly a first-of-its-kind partnership, and it has been exciting to see the bar raised and the status quo challenged.
This agreement puts local control back in our Township while partnering with Kent County Parks in a meaningful way.
There are so many people to thank for the creativity and collaboration that made this possible, but it all starts with the Balk and Cassiday families. The Cassiday’s chose to sell the land to the Balk’s instead of developing it, and the Balk’s then generously donated funds for the County to purchase the land that is now The James and Shirley Balk Family Park. (located along M-44, the old SIlver Lake Golf Club)
That act of generosity sparked even more. Visser Brothers stepped in to serve as general contractor at cost, and Andrus Architects designed the project at cost as well.
Fast forward to today, and this park and community building are setting a new precedent for how parks can be created through true partnership.
A huge thank you to our legal teams for thinking creatively, to Supervisor Grimm for finding a path forward, and to both Parks & Recreation Departments for stepping up and making this happen.
I had the honor to thank the Board for approving the Easement Agreement. (It was my first ever Kent County Commission Meeting I attended - it was so much fun!)
Now we need you to be part of it.
We launched a Brick Campaign—an opportunity for your family to leave a lasting legacy. Imagine your great-grandkids walking through the park one day and saying, “That’s from our family, back in 2026.”
There are giving levels for everyone, and if you’re interested in making a larger gift, we would love to connect. Send me a message and I will call you personally.
These make great Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts.
Here is the link to learn more or buy your brick(s); https://www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/cannoncommunitycenter?fbclid=IwY2xjawRYYPdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeMbJz21nAdL5ULF08PyY8SbrNnqLTDhZFtlTYTGaVMtvCxX4OB08HmjobXvc_aem_kWzT8Mq1X6ozWTi6YdyFQw
This is not an official Township statement—this article reflects my personal perspective on the project. For full transparency, my husband, Jake, works for Kent County Parks & Recreation at Millennium Park.