The 2019 Campau Throwback Reunion
When it opened on July 11, 1968, Campau Commons was Grand Rapids' first low - income housing project. The project was intended to be centered around the Campau Park School and recreation area, including the large above - ground circular public swimming pool.
When completed in the early 1970's, Campau Commons had taken up much of the former Campau Park with its walkways and gardens.
It was the result of a push for affordable public housing by a group of advocates led by William Glenn at a time when Grand Rapids did not welcome public housing.
The homes were addressed on Division Avenue, Franklin Street, Antoine Street, and Commons Avenue, a new north - south thoroughfare connecting Antoine and Delaware west of the old Ionia Avenue.
Ella Sims was the manager for housing at Campau Commons.
A few tenants were long - time residents, and Campau Commons was home to some 350 people in 112 households.
Unfortunately, the project's townhouses, duplexes, and single units were all poorly built, and quickly came to be regarded by many as a slum.
The residents were gradually moved out in the first part of 2006, and the old project was demolished in the late summer of that year.
The Third Campau Commons Reunion was held on Saturday, August 10, 2019 at Campau Park, in Grand Rapids.
The event was coordinated by Jodi Robertson, Stacey Willis and Derren Burse, who is a graduate of former Creston High School.
Robertson, and Willis are still Grand Rapids residents.
Burse moved to North Carolina in 2008. Before that he lived in Atlanta after leaving Grand Rapids in 1994.
The overall purpose of the event was to reunite those who grew up in the Campau Commons Projects.
"Initially the reunion started out as a way to get together and eat, but as we got to talking and looking around, we decided that we wanted to have more of a purpose for getting together, so we came up with the scholarship fund. Our hope is to grow it and be able to do it more,' said Robertson. "We wanted everyone to know that if they purchased a shirt, a pop or a meal, you are supporting the Campau Throwback Reunion Scholarship Fund".
This year's event also featured a $350 scholarship that was presented to Tammi Echoles – Parnell, a student at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. A $500 scholarship was presented to DeVier Bryant Jr. who student at Western Michigan University.
Those in attendance contributed to the raising of scholarship money, by purchasing Campau Reunion t - shirts and by purchasing plates of food.
There was also a voter registration drive table that encouraged people to register to vote.
"I was so glad to see that people were asking questions at the voting table, because Michigan has changed voting laws and there are some felons who don't know that they are still eligible to vote," said Derren Burse.
The event also offered fun for the youth with a free - throw basketball contest and sack races.
"These young men and women here today used to be us years ago, so we invited them to come out today to join us because everything that we do should have a purpose and we need to be setting great examples for them. We look forward to next year's reunion that we are hoping will be attended by and supported by more who grew up in Campau or who had friends and relatives that grew in Commons," said Burse.
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