Benton Harbor leaders weigh Jean Klock Park upgrades amid debate over safety, maintenance
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The meeting featured a presentation by public artist Foster Willey, who proposed a large stainless-steel sculpture called “Lake Deity” for the Lake Michigan beachfront park.
The sculpture would be environmentally friendly, require minimal maintenance and be designed to highlight the sunset during the summer solstice. Some city officials praised the concept and discussed the possibility of hosting summer solstice events around the installation.
However, several residents questioned whether the city should prioritize a new sculpture while basic park amenities and maintenance needs remain unmet.
In response to concerns about upkeep, commissioners approved a resolution seeking $40,000 in funding from Harbor Shores for improvements and maintenance projects at the park.
Safety concerns also dominated discussion at the meeting, following a May 18 shooting at the park in which a teenager was shot in the leg.
Members of the Jean Klock Neighborhood Coalition, a group formed after the incident, urged city officials to fund measures that would ensure the park is closed after hours and to consider updates to city ordinances related to park safety. Residents also cited concerns about late-night drag racing and criminal activity in the area.
Mayor Marcus Muhammad cautioned against allowing a single incident to define public perception of the park.
“What I don’t like to see is where one incident, where it was people from Indiana that came here, caused ruckus,” Muhammad said. “To take that one incident and make it as if Jean Klock Park has become a war zone, I think is unfair.”
Muhammad also said he has heard concerns from some residents that increased restrictions could unfairly affect access to the park.
“Another perspective that I’m getting from residents who don’t live on Grand Boulevard is that there’s a perception on this side that there are voices or people who don’t want Black people at Jean Klock Park,” Muhammad said.