Benton Township residents will soon have a new outdoor recreational park as the township is in the beginning stages of development.
After a year’s work, Benton Charter Township, with the help of the Berrien Community Foundation, landed a $1 million Michigan DNR Sparks Grant this week to create this new park. Township Supervisor Cathy Yates is excited to get started.
“I’m really thrilled to see that it’s going to bring it to life. It’s going to have people being able to come and bring their kids and spend some time and everybody’s going to be enjoying it. Plus, it is a lovely splash pad.”
The new park, named Euclid Avenue Park, will be located near the intersection of Euclid and Laurel avenues behind the former Martindale Elementary School. From community input, the vacant 10-acre lot will feature a playground, pavilion, splash pad, and a 3/4-mile walking trail.
Berrien Community Foundation director Lisa Cripps-Downey said this was an important project to the foundation, and she’s glad that it has finally come to fruition.
“The community effort to make it come to fruition is just so, so exciting,” Downey said.
The project must be completed by October 31, 2026. We were told that the groundbreaking and start date of construction information will come forth later.
Yates also noted that she has talked with the school board about the vacant elementary school building, and a decision has not yet been made.
