Highland Park, City of Grand Rapids, Kent Co, Michigan
Coldbrook Creek runs threw this park. It was above-ground and open when I was a child. It ran under College Avenue and the entrance was blocked by heavy thick metal vertical rails. I could hear water gushing but no matter how hard I tried to squeeze through, I couldn't make it. The other end of the creek entered into a tunnel which was not blocked. So I walked into it so I could explore.
There was a golf course, of sorts around the creek. Nancy Beitner and I would collect the golf balls and try to cut them open to see what was inside. We used to go sledding down the hill off College Avenue which required us to fly over a retaining wall.
In the summer we went swimming in a pool. The boys got to swim first, then the girls. We had to stand in line as they counted us off. One year we climbed up the sides before the pool opened but we got caught. The other kids climbed down the wall but I was too scared so the man had to escort me down the stairs.
From Grand Rapids Vintages 2006, Grand Rapids Press
I have tried to impact every source with corrections or comments so everything on this site is copywrited. The information may be used for your project but the source must be cited.
From Article: Parks
From Heading History and the City of GrandRapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info