A new waterfront park space is being developed in Benton Harbor.
Benton Harbor City Commissioners this past week approved contributing $25,000 in federal ARPA funds to the Paw Paw Plaza. A partnership consisting of Harbor Shores, Cornerstone Alliance, Whirlpool, Berrien County, and now the city of Benton Harbor are making the space a reality. It will be on the Ship Canal and Paw Paw River next to Emma Jean Hull Flats on land owned by Harbor Shores.
Mayor Marcus Muhammad said this development will please residents.
“We want to improve the fishing scenery and space and place for Benton Harbor residents and for those that want to come fish,” Muhammad said. “That will be a perfect, fine place where it will be beautiful, it will be clean, and people can come and enjoy and fish along with other activities.”
Commissioner SaTanna Warren said the city’s contribution to the effort is reasonable, given the overall cost of the plaza.
“When you look at the $2 million price tag, the $25,000 that we contribute is only a little over 1%,” Warren said. “And it’s a great opportunity for the residents of Benton Harbor to have additional recreation space.”
The development will feature a water taxi dock, a kayak launch, a fishing area, a fire pit, a dog park, and food truck space with shaded seating. Chris Cook with Harbor Shores said Monday this new space will essentially be a public park that anyone can use.
The development is made possible due to a $1 million grant secured by Cornerstone Alliance and the Berrien County Community Development Department from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Revitalization and Placemaking Program. The remaining cost of the park is being covered by Harbor Shores, Cornerstone Alliance, and Berrien County, which is being asked for $350,000.
Final fundraising efforts are nearly complete, with construction anticipated to begin this fall, and an early 2025 completion date.
