Milham Park Improvements

Project typePark Improvement Project
Project scheduleDecember 2025 - Stream Restoration Work, 2026 - Native Plantings, Creek Overlooks, & Parking Lot Improvements

Restoration work has been completed on Portage Creek in Milham Park (607 E Kilgore Road), building on work to restore the creek back to its natural state that began in 2021 with the removal of the park’s dam.

This second phase focused on the portion of Portage Creek that is further south and included removing accumulated organic material from the creek to create a deeper, more uniform water flow. The removed material was reused to narrow the stream banks, returning the creek to a more natural condition and supporting healthier aquatic and riparian habitats. Native plantings will be installed along the creek this spring to further enhance the restoration efforts. Together, these improvements will help create a more natural and sustainable creek within Milham Park.

The two smaller pedestrian bridges over the creek had to be removed in order for this work to be possible, but the larger pedestrian bridges are still available for access over the creek. This $576,000 project is partially funded through a $75,000 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Habitat Grant.

In addition to the work on Portage Creek, a larger park improvement project is scheduled to begin later this year. Kzoo Parks has been awarded a $500,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to support enhancements at Milham Park along with $1.7 million in Capital Improvement Plan dollars. Planned improvements for 2026 include building new overlook decks along the north side of Portage Creek with accessible walkways, repairing the main parking lot on Kilgore Road, relocating the small parking area off Lovers Lane into the park to improve safety, and adding more accessible parking spaces.

These upgrades are part of the first phase of improvements outlined in the Milham Park Master Plan. The plan was developed in 2023 and included input from three community meetings held at the park, surveys, and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. A new restroom building was also completed in fall 2025 near the southern pavilion by Kilgore Road, replacing the building that was removed due to storm damage in 2024.

Milham Park is one of the city's most widely used parks. It is considered a regional destination due to its size, variety of recreational amenities, and nature offerings. The park has been in the system for over 100 years. It encompasses more than 66 acres with Portage Creek traversing the park. Outside of a new accessible playground built in 2023 and replacing the restroom building, significant improvements to the park have not taken place in over 20 years. It hosts Halloween Forest each year and is a popular park for private event rentals

Milham Park Master Plan Map

Phase 1 improvements highlighted with orange dashed line

(PDF, 3MB)

Location

607 E Kilgore Road, 49002 View Map

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