Planning a Park Day? Check Which Grand Rapids Restrooms Are Closed For The Winter

The summer months are now in the rearview, and if you've decided it's time to start getting the house ready for the winter, well, you're not alone. As the leaves fall from the trees, our public parks around Grand Rapids and Kent County have also begun shutting down parts of the parks or closing them entirely.

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The most pertinent part of all park closures for most people has to do with the public bathrooms' doors locking for the winter. Many parks remain partially operational, but what if your kiddo needs to use the restroom? Here are the parks that have closed their restrooms for this reason, as well as some that keep theirs open year-round.

Why Do Public Parks Close Their Restrooms?

As someone who worked for the Kent County Parks for 6 years and partook in the park-closing process numerous times, the top question I'd get from runners or parents starting mid-October and November was

Hey, can you unlock the bathrooms for me?

The parks don't close the restrooms because the County gets a kick out of closing restroom access; the reason is far simpler. Many of the restrooms are unheated, so when the temperatures reach freezing, it puts the pipes at risk of freezing. So, the parks turn off the water, cover the drinking fountains, and lock the doors.

Last year, the restrooms were open till nearly Thanksgiving, but we've also had snow on Halloween before, so there isn't an exact day for closures, just whenever temperatures are too low.

Which Parks Have Already Closed Their Restrooms?

While many of the county park closures are weather-dependent, the GR Parks and Rec Instagram page has already posted a list of all the bathrooms closed for the season around Grand Rapids. The list includes:

• Alger Park
• Canal Park
• Campau Park
• Cherry Park
• Fuller Park
• Garfield Park
• Heartside Park
• Highland Park
• Huff Park (closing 10/23)
• Joe Taylor Park
• Mackay-Jaycees Park
• MLK Park
• Mary Waters Park
• Mulick Park
• Ottawa Hills Park
• Plaster Creek Family Park
• Riverside Park (Island Shelter closed)
• Roosevelt Park
• Wilcox Park

Some parks have their restrooms open. If you're heading to a Grand Rapids park not listed here, you can contact the Parks and Recreation Office at 616-456-3000. For Kent County Parks, call 616-632-7275 (PARK).