Holland’s long-awaited bike park near Unity Bridge is finally moving forward—but not without its share of hurdles. On June 19, 2024, the city council approved a $42,000 contract with American Ramp Company to map out the site and draft designs. The vision? A 400-foot asphalt pump track and a dirt mountain bike course for beginners and intermediates, complete with prebuilt obstacles for extra fun.
Sounds great, right? Well, here’s the catch—this park sits in a floodplain, which means extra hoops to jump through. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has a long list of standards to meet, adding engineering costs to the already hefty price tag. The pump track alone could run anywhere from $175,000 to $400,000. Construction (starting with a community gathering area and the pump track) is now pushed to spring 2026. So, riders, keep those tires pumped—this one’s going to take a while.
Hope College’s ambitious North Campus Gateway project is still just that—an ambition. Planned as a showpiece entrance between Eighth and Ninth Street, this 73,000-square-foot facility promises a new business and economics building, a Hope College Bookstore, classrooms, a 144-seat event space, an auditorium, and even an arcade. The problem? Money.
The Holland Planning Commission gave the green light back in October 2023, but with fundraising falling short, construction isn’t moving anytime soon. Traffic concerns and parking headaches added to the debate, with the initial plan cutting 100 parking spaces—though Hope says they’ll make up for it near Cook Village. The college recently secured a one-year extension on their site plan, but according to Director of Operations Kara Slater, nothing happens until the funds are in place. Bottom line? Hope is hopeful, but the timeline is anyone’s guess.
Three years and counting, but Holland’s historic greenhouse is still waiting for its big move to Centennial Park. City Manager Keith Van Beek confirmed that construction documents should be up for bid in early 2025, with a council-approved funding plan following shortly after. If all goes well, relocation kicks off later that year.
The star of the show is the 27-by-27-foot tropical house, a 1929 relic that will get a new home in the southeast corner of Centennial Park. Meanwhile, the remaining greenhouse structures at 496 Central Avenue are set for demolition, and the Greenhouse Historic District—established in 1999—will officially be dissolved. The land? It’s going to Evergreen Commons per a 2015 agreement.
Holland’s new greenhouse, built in 2019 on 24th Street, is already handling the city’s horticultural needs, but this project is about preservation. It’s been a long road, but the city seems determined to get this done. Stay tuned.
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