Upon further review, Benton Harbor City Commissioners have approved a lease on private property across the street from Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park to serve as a location for an outdoor fitness court.
Earlier this month, commissioners tabled a lease with ARP Global Holdings on a small parcel of land on West Main Street, kitty corner to the park for the Priority Health Fitness Court. Some objected to using private property for the exercise equipment when the city owns plenty of parks. However, the matter came back up for consideration Monday night, this time with ARP owner Chris Cook offering to lease the land to the city for $1 per year instead of the previous $100.
Still, Commissioner Ethel Clark Griffin had the same reservations as last time.
“Why are we leasing when we have plenty of property to put this exercise equipment on? Personally, I think that Hall Park would be a good place for it,” Clark Griffin said.
In 2021, the city purchased equipment for the fitness court using $50,000 grants from the National Fitness Campaign, Whirlpool, and Corewell Health. However, the court has never been installed and the equipment has been sitting in storage.
City Manager Alex Little said Monday the agreement back in 2021 was for the court to be placed downtown. At first, City Center Park was the intended location, but since other new features have been installed there, it’s become too crowded.
“It was determined that that was too crowded, but we wanted to stay as close as we could in the downtown area,” Little said. “This does that for us at no great expense whatever. It puts it where we agreed that we would put it.”
Commissioners had questions about insurance costs, and the city attorney said the fitness court would be covered under the city’s existing insurance policy for parks. It was also noted $30,000 remains of the original donated funds, and that will be used to cover installation.
Commissioners then approved the lease with ARP through 2030. Voting no were Commissioners Clark Griffin and Emma Kinnard.