Cascade Township's August 26 board packet sets a reimbursement of about $2 million for a former auto repair property. That property sits beside a park that already has a fountain, a fire pit and a restroom.

That purchase explains the construction fencing at Cascade Road and Thornapple River Drive. Leslie E. Tassell Park is already a working park. The project that broke ground on September 17 does add new amenities, but most of the plan centers on the corner around the park. The plan pulls two former auto shop sites and a crossing under Cascade Road into one public space with the village businesses around it.

The Park Already Had Most Of What People Picture

Look at what is on the ground now before you look at the renderings. Experience Grand Rapids' Cascade guide, published September 1, 2026, describes Tassell Park as a place to fish, canoe or kayak the Thornapple River. The guide lists an interactive fountain, sculptures, a fire pit, two shelters and a public restroom. The guide also says the park is named for the late Leslie E. Tassell, an auto-parts maker who called West Michigan home.

MLive's groundbreaking coverage puts the park at 3.2 acres. That is small for a park, and it sits against one of the township's busiest intersections. Before anyone drew a boardwalk, the limit was getting to the park. Whatever was on the grass came second.

What The Plan Is Built Around

The township's project page says the core idea is "repurposing the former Tuffy and Verburg's sites." The former Tuffy site becomes a sunken plaza with a water feature. The former Verburg's site makes room for a pedestrian crossing under the Cascade Road Pedestrian Bridge, so people on foot can reach the park without crossing at street level.

Those two parcels carry most of the design. Here is how the township got them:

• Tuffy. The township's 2025 DDA annual report says the township bought out the rest of the Tuffy Muffler lease and the Downtown Development Authority paid to demolish the building in 2025. The report gives no price for the buyout.
• Verburg's. The development agreement in the township board's August 26 packet sets a reimbursement of $2,001,260.51 to the DDA for buying the Verburg property in late 2025.

The project page also lists a former doctor's office site among the properties joining the park. It describes the work as the first phase of a larger vision for the area around it.

The people running the project describe it the same way. Township Supervisor Grace Lesperance told MLive that the under-road crossing "will be huge because Cascade Road is so busy," and that it will let bikers and pedestrians "safely get from one side to the other." MLive reported that township leaders called the crossing a fix for one of the most common concerns residents raised during planning. In the same story, a longtime resident who told MLive she has walked the park nearly every day for five years listed her hopes as "Parking, usability, safety, getting in and out." She added, "It's a very busy corner."

Lesperance also explained the design choice directly: "We tried to have a big corner impact that people are going to see every time they drive through."

The new features build on that crossing. The project page lists a natural playground, a flex space for food trucks, an event pavilion and patio, a new boardwalk, a fire pit, "Rubys Gazebo," and new benches, tables and seating. FOX 17's December 2025 look at the master plan described river overlooks and seating set up for Thornapple River views. MLive's captions on the Troyer Group renderings mention native plantings for erosion control and better riverfront access for people fishing.

This Fall Is Road Work, Not Park Work

If you drive past this fall expecting a boardwalk, you won't see one yet. The first construction season is about clearing the corner and rebuilding the streets around it.

On August 26, 2026, the township board unanimously gave the Phase 1 base bid of $661,598.60 to CarbonSix Construction. It also approved a $96,515 alternate in case the work can't go through the Kent County Road Commission's paving contract. According to the township's bid materials, Phase 1 covers:

• demolishing the buildings at 6915 Cascade Road and 2894 Thornapple River Drive
• reconfiguring and resurfacing Thornapple River Drive next to the park
• building and resurfacing parking along that road

The project page adds curb lines and utility relocation to that list. MLive reported on September 17 that the demolition was expected to start "in the coming weeks."

We couldn't find a township construction notice on park access, parking closures or lane restrictions on Cascade Road during this phase. Thornapple River Drive and the parking along it are in the Phase 1 scope, so that is the stretch to watch.

Here is the full timeline:

1. July 21, 2026. The DDA approves the development agreement.
2. August 26, 2026. The township board awards Phase 1 to CarbonSix and approves the bond issuance.
3. September 17, 2026. Groundbreaking ceremony at the park.
4. Late fall 2026. Phase 1 demolition, utilities, curbs and resurfacing.
5. Spring 2027. Most of the park work begins.
6. End of spring 2028. Target date for finishing the whole project.

The project page still lists the estimated completion as "TBD," so treat the 2028 date as a target.

Three Dollar Figures, Three Different Scopes

Coverage of the project has used several dollar amounts. They don't conflict. Each one covers a different scope.

All of it runs through the Cascade Township Downtown Development Authority. MLive reported that the work is paid for with tax increment financing generated within the village district. Under the development agreement, the DDA repays the yearly bond debt from that tax-increment revenue. The money for the park comes from growth in the same village district the new crossing is meant to connect.

What Sits At The Other End Of The Walk

A crossing is only as useful as what's on the other side. Experience GR's September 2026 guide lists a cluster of businesses on Cascade Road, a few addresses from the park's 6896 Cascade Rd SE listing:

• Cascade Roadhouse, 6817 Cascade Rd SE. The guide calls it a go-to for generations of local families, serving burgers, sandwiches, entrees and salads.
• Jam 'n Bean Coffee, 6860 Cascade Rd SE. Craft coffee and tea, gourmet popcorn, Michigan maple syrup and ice cream.
• The Gathering Place, 6886 Cascade Rd SE. A diner serving breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday.
• EverPlay Café, 6886 Cascade Rd SE. A coffee bar for adults with a creative play space for kids.
• Frosty Boy of Cascade, 6886 Cascade Rd SE. Soft serve, hand-dipped ice cream, shakes and sundaes.
• Harvest Health Foods, 6807 Cascade Rd SE, plus Vandenberg Jewelers, 6779 Cascade Rd SE, which has been in business since 1927.
• Daylily Floral and Pedego Electric Bikes, both at 6744 Cascade Rd SE.

This list comes from the September directory. Check hours with each business before you head over.

The village core has a date on the calendar before any park work starts. Cascade Township lists Christmas in Cascade for Friday, December 4, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Cascade Historical Museum, 2839 Thornapple River Dr. SE. The evening includes a 6 p.m. tree lighting, music, refreshments, crafts and photos with Santa. The museum is on the same stretch of Thornapple River Drive where crews will be resurfacing and moving curbs this fall. People walking to the tree lighting will be walking along the Phase 1 work area.

Do you have questions about how a project like the Tassell Park rebuild affects the streets around Cascade village, from the Thornapple River Drive work this fall to the new crossing in 2028? The team at Polaris Real Estate follows these township decisions closely and is happy to talk through what's planned near you. Ask Us Anything.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.