Save John Ball Park

John Ball Park’s history began in 1884 with a 40-acre land donation by John Ball to the City of Grand Rapids for public use. This land developed into a park system that included a zoo starting with a few animals in the late 1800s. The park saw various developments, including additional land, amenities like a theater and playgrounds, and the formal establishment of the zoo in 1949. Today, Save John Ball Park acts as a Friends group to advocate for the preservation and restoration of what is left of the parkland. The remaining parkland has wooded walking trails, groves of 200+ year old trees, a pond, three playgrounds, and greenspace. While the Zoo has expanded to take up most of the acreage of the original 40 acre park, what remains of the parkland is a treasured asset to thousands of residents.