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Rosa Parks Circle

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sightseeingsue
sightseeingsue
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
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1
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4
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Editor Pick

Rosa Parks Circle

Rosa Parks Circle

Imagine bright lights shimmering through the floor of an ice rink, popular music playing, light snow falling, the smell of hot chocolate in the air, and you skating hand in hand with that special someone under the starlit sky… Sound a little romantic? It is… and maybe why so may people flock to Rosa Parks Circle on those cold winter nights for a little fun, ice skating, romance, and, on some occasions, that special marriage proposal for the "Star-light" Skating Experience. Winter isn’t the only time to visit Rosa Parks Circle, as spring and summertime brings hosts of sweet-sounding free concerts for your listening pleasure.

Artist Maya Lin (designer of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.) designed a sculpture within a public park called Rosa Parks Circle, which is located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids in Monroe Center. Her design consists of three distinct areas suggesting the differing states of water: liquid, solid, and vapor. The core of the park is the “Ecliptic” (intersection plane of the earth's orbit with the celestial sphere, along which the sun appears to move as viewed from the earth), which is a 13,000-square-foot oval outdoor amphitheater (with a stage) that transforms into an ice-skating rink during the late fall and winter and hosts many festivals and concerts during the warmer months. The parks other two components include a small tree-enclosed reflecting pool and a secondary pool emitting water vapor.

Enclosed in the structure's floor are 166 fiber-optic lights that shine through the ice at night and are patterned after the midnight sky over Michigan on January 1, 2000 (start of the third millennium). Two lights that shine through represent the planets Jupiter and Saturn, and another light portrays the North Star. Now add in FREE skating and a warming hut with refreshments and you may see while this place is such a hot spot in winter. During the summer, every Wednesday night at 6pm from mid-June through July (2006: June 14th to July 26th), a “Blues on the Mall” concert series hosted by GR’s local classic rock radio station (WLAV-FM) is held, presenting wonderful blues performances, and it is totally FREE. In addition, this great location is the ideal meeting spot for area business professional or residents who live downtown to congregate at during lunch hour, to enjoy each others company or to enjoy their meals.

There are several parking lots nearby to park at, or if you are lucky, you might even find a free after-hours parking meter. The park is located in Monroe Center, right off Monroe Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids, and is very close to many of the downtown hotels. The skating is free, but skate rental is a couple of bucks. Skating is open during the day as well as nighttime. Hours vary. There is a nice police presence downtown, so you should free safe while down here.

It's family friendly, totally teen, and an awesome adult experience. I can't think of why you wouldn't like this place.

From journal Great- Grand Rapids My Hometown

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