March 1, 2026

News about Holland's Neighborhoods

Flourishing neighborhoods form the foundation for a healthy, connected, and vibrant city.   This page will be updated at least bi-monthly and provide up to date information about local neighborhood events, as well as spotlights on neighbors who are making a difference, and will offer practical tools to help you get involved and stay informed.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Event Spotlight

The Neighborhood Improvement Committee is hosting an event titled, “Seven Built Features of Flourishing Neighborhoods” on Tuesday, March 24 at 7:00 pm at the Midtown Center.  The event will include a presentation by Lee Hardy of Calvin University and author of the fantastic book, The Embrace of Buildings – A Second Look at Walkable Neighborhoods (see review of book below). Dr. Hardy will also be reflecting on his time living in Amsterdam, and how the country of Holland has embraced bicycling as everyday transportation. He will also explore some lesser-utilized housing types that could open up new housing opportunities. 

Following the prepared remarks, attendees will be invited to participate in round-table conversations about opportunities for Holland’s neighborhoods to incorporate some of the neighborhood features presented by the speaker.  

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Neighborhood Meetings & Events

3Sixty has a number of meetings and events taking place in the Eastcore Neighborhood, including: 

• - March 4 – Eastcore Yard/Garden Group, meeting at 5:30 pm at 27 W 16^th St.
• - March 9 – Tulip City Walls Mural Festival planning meeting, at 5:30 pm at 27 West 16^th St.
• - March 11 – the Eastcore Dream Team will meet about summer plans at 6:30 pm at 27 West 16^th St.
• - April 11 – the Eastcore Yard/Garden Group, along with the Outdoor Discovery Center, will be hosting a native plant information session from 10 am to noon at Cornerstone Youth Ministry, 407 Central Ave.

Maplewood Neighbors is a regular gathering of residents, businesses and other organizations in the Maplewood neighborhood.  Meetings are geared toward encouraging and supporting stronger neighborhood connection.  Upcoming meetings include:               
- March 26, 6:00 to 7:00 pm
                                                          - April 22, 6:00 to 7:00 pm
Gatherings are held at Maranatha Church (918 Central Ave). For more information about neighborhood organizing efforts in the Maplewood area, please reach out to Jake at 3Sixty.  

Mr. Roger's Birthday Party - The Northside Branch of Herrick District Library will be celebrating Mr. Roger’s birthday on Friday, March 20, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.  There will be crafts and showings of “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” throughout the day. The Northside Branch is located at 155 Riley St., Holland, MI   For more information, call (616) 738-4360.

Spring Clean-ups - several of the Neighborhood Connector organizations are sponsoring neighborhood clean-ups on Saturday, April 25. Visit the webpage for your particular neighborhood for more details.  Contact information of each organization can be found in the Quick Links to Neighborhood Connector organizations section found near the bottom of this newsletter.   

Westcore Neighbors is currently recruiting neighbors to join a 12-week Neighborhood Storytelling Project.  Neighbors will meet and participate in storytelling and other activities, with the project culminating in a common project that helps to tell the neighborhood story.  Meeting days and times still to be determined.  For more information, email Evangelina@WestCoreNeighbors.org.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Neighbor Spotlight

Josh Rumpsa, along with his wife and six children, has lived on West 18^th Street in the 
Westcore neighborhood for 18 years. He also has two grandchildren who regularly visit the family’s home on West 18^th.  The grandkids call Josh and his wife ‘Pops’ and ‘Gigi.’

Josh is an Assistant Principal at Holland High School.  He notes that he loves that he lives in the district where he works and that he works in the community where he lives.  Josh was recommended to be featured in this space by one of his neighbors.  You’ll see why in his responses to the questions that follow.

Tell us about the neighborhood where you live, and what are some of its interesting features or things about its character that you most appreciate?

I love our neighborhood.  One end of the block is the Boys and Girls Club ("BG Club," as the kids call it), and the other end is Washington Square.  Both bring energy and life to the block.  Shout out to the BG Club staff and the Washington Square businesses for their commitment to the community!

Describe how you became involved in your neighborhood, and how you currently participate the life of the neighborhood.

Many years ago, a group of neighbors on our block started hosting outdoor potlucks to bring people together in community. Over time, the format has developed and for the past number of years has become a monthly block party.  With support from the City, we block off the street on each end of the block on the 18th of each month, May through September.  We haul tables and chairs onto the street and set up games for the kids (and adults), such as chalk, cornhole, basketball, bikes, and more.  A different family provides a main course, and everyone brings a side dish to share. Everyone is invited and welcome, and it becomes a date each month that we all look forward to.  On occasion, a fire truck stops by.

Please explain why you have chosen to invest time and energy in the well-being of your neighborhood.

My wife and I are both committed to improving the lives of others through the gifts and love that we can give.  For our neighborhood, we see value in helping one another to be seen and known.   

Research supports that knowing your neighbors improves quality of life by enhancing safety, reducing loneliness, and creating a supportive, trusting community. It also provides practical benefits like shared resources and assistance in emergencies, ultimately fostering a stronger sense of belonging and better mental health. I have seen these impacts/results from the simple intentionality of our block parties.

What would you want to say to others who might have an interest in being more involved in their neighborhood but aren’t sure how to start or where to jump in?

Just do it!  Any effort to connect with neighbors will have a positive impact on you, and your community.  While there are many people and examples of this, big and small, if you want more info about the block party model, feel free to reach out.

Thanks so much, Josh, for contributing in such a meaningful way toward the flourishing of your block and of the Westcore Neighborhood!

Readers, do you know someone who stands out for their involvement in supporting and building stronger connection within their neighborhood?  You can nominate someone to be highlighted in this space in a future edition by emailing m.kornelis@cityofholland.com.  

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Neighborhood Connections Spotlight

  The Montello Park neighborhood is bounded generally by Ottawa Ave, 32^nd St., Graafschap Rd., and Lake Macatawa. Montello Park is the latest neighborhood to join the Neighborhood Connections network. 3Sixty is the neighborhood development organization that is actively involved in the neighborhood.  For the last year or so, 3Sixty staff and volunteers have been listening to residents and beginning the process of looking for ways for Montello Park neighbors to engage with each other in support of a stronger, more engaged, and connected neighborhood.  

 One of the neighbors who got connected early on with 3Sixty around this effort is Rose Southard.  Rose moved to Montello Park eight years ago.  She is recently retired and lives with her husband, Marc.  She also recently joined the board of directors of 3Sixty.  Here’s what she had to say recently when asked about her volunteer work in Montello Park:  

What draws you to the work of neighborhood connecting?

 In March 2024, I attended the viewing of The Great Disconnect, hosted by the City of Holland’s Neighborhood Improvement Committee. That documentary touched me and spurred me to learn more about Holland neighborhoods, and to find out what neighborhood I lived in - Montello Park. The film helped me better understand the individual and community health benefits of living in a connected community. That same spring, I hosted a neighborhood event that I’d been thinking of for a few years. The event was successful, so I repeated it again last year and plan to again this year. As I continued to investigate Holland neighborhoods, the more I learned about all the great work neighbors are doing to foster the livability of their areas. There are a lot of passionate, caring, humble people in Holland doing neighborhood connecting work, and I wanted to work with them. 

What do you find to be the main benefits of intentional connecting efforts and activities within neighborhoods?

I like knowing my neighbors, and by extension, knowing there are people around me who I can call on when I need help. I know that social isolation regardless of age is a concern, and it feels good knowing that I’m working to remain engaged and am doing what I can to help others to be engaged. I’m an introvert by nature, but I clearly see the benefits of engaging with friends and neighbors. I want my neighbors to feel comfortable contacting me for help, and I want to be able to call on my neighbors.

Can you tell one account or story in which neighborhood-level connecting made a difference in the life of an individual and/or in the neighborhood?

I can think of several examples in which the benefits of connecting with others were clear.  I recently made a deeper connection with a nearby neighbor. When we experienced severe weather recently, I checked in to see how she was doing and if there was anything she needed.  In another instance, when multiple emergency vehicles were on our street, several neighbors checked in on each other to make sure we were ok.  I’m very appreciative of the fact that neighbors on my block are intentionally looking out for each other.  It feels really good knowing that neighbors are ready and willing to help when needed.  

 What makes your neighborhood unique, interesting, etc.? 

Montello Park is a great mix of residences and businesses. My favorite asset is the entrance to the Heinz Waterfront Walkway. It’s a wonderful place to walk and then meander though some of the other Holland neighborhoods. We are also within easy walking distance to South Shore Village, which has several restaurants and businesses.

Do you have any words of encouragement for others thinking about how to connect more with their neighborhood and get more involved? 

 I encourage others to spend more time out in their neighborhood interacting with neighbors and thinking about the assets of their neighborhood. I think we take a lot for granted that we should be thankful for.

For more information about the work 3Sixty is doing in the Montello Park Neighborhood, as well as the Eastcore and West of Washington Neighborhoods, please check out their website at www.3-sixty.org  

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Neighborly Opportunities - Block Parties

As Winter begins to round the corner into Spring, it’s a great time to begin thinking about and planning outdoor events, including, neighborhood block parties.  Were you inspired when reading the Neighbor Spotlight above about Josh Rumpsa’s block, which holds a block party every month from May to September? Many assume that their neighbors aren’t all that interested in meeting and getting to know each other, but the truth is that most people crave more opportunities for connection in their lives.

A block party does not need to be complicated.   It’s probably easier than you think, and the City offers some help if requested. You can find a guide for planning a block party here: Block Party Toolkit.  

There are countless reasons why building more connection among neighbors is a great thing, and a block party is quite possibly the best and simplest way to start the ball rolling toward a more cohesive, connected neighborhood.  Make a commitment today to begin planning for a Spring or early Summer block party.  If it feels too daunting to do so on your own, reach out to another neighbor or two and begin planning it together.   The odds are that you’ll be very glad you did, and your neighbors will be glad you did too.        

Many other ideas for strengthening social connection within our neighborhoods can be found in this guide: A Great Neighborhood Begins with You! 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why Neighborhood Health and Neighborhood Connection Matter

Lee Hardy’s book, The Embrace of Buildings – A Second Look at Walkable Neighborhoods (Calvin University Press, 2017), offers many helpful insights about the importance of urban and neighborhood design in creating the conditions in which neighborhood flourishing can occur.  While written from a Christian faith orientation, I suspect that readers of all faith and non-faith traditions will find value in what this highly readable book has to say.  

Hardy summarizes his core thesis as being “that low density, auto-oriented development is in fact taking us down the wrong road, and turning back to rediscover the principles of classic urban form represents a step in the right direction.”  Many of the thoughts and strategies put forth in the book are rooted in the ideas espoused by the Congress for the New Urbanism, an organization that advocates for the reinvestment in cities and towns in order to fashion walkable urban places.  

Hardy addresses a variety of topics that relate to his central thesis, such as: 

• how federal policy influenced post WW II development patterns that led toward a heavy reliance on suburban development to manage growth, a corresponding lessened emphasis on preserving urban infrastructure and investment, a reduction in the number of shared urban spaces, and the eventual reliance on the automobile for transportation; 
• the seven features of desirable, sustainable neighborhoods; 
• the important role of shared public spaces (parks, plazas, etc.) and “third spaces” (coffee shops, diners, bookstores, etc.) in supporting a healthy civic life; 
• zoning and related development codes as important influences on urban design; 
• and what all of this means for the physical and mental health of residents.

More information about the book, along with an illustrated companion guide, can be found at https://calvin.edu/publications/embrace-buildings. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

More Ways to Get Involved

If you live in one of the currently designated Neighborhood Connections neighborhoods, you can learn more about this initiative at https://cityofholland.com/1209/Neighborhood-Connections.  If you live outside one of these designated neighborhoods, contact Mark Kornelis (see contact information at bottom of page) to learn more about ways to get more involved on your block or in your neighborhood.  

The Strong Neighborhoods webpage also has a number of resources to get you started, such as the “A Great Neighborhoods Start with You” guide, and tips and suggestions for Welcoming New Neighbors

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Quick Links to Neighborhood Connector organizations working in Holland:

3Sixty – working in the Eastcore, Montello Park and West of Washington neighborhoods:  website | email/contact 

Height of Hope – working in the SOAR Neighborhood (Stratford Way, Oxford Ct., Abbey Ct., Country Ln): website | email/contact 

Washington School Neighbors – working in the Washington School Neighborhood: website | email/contact 

Westcore Neighbors – working in the Westcore Neighborhood: website | email/contact  

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Neighborhood Connection Newsletter Contact:

Mark Kornelis, Community Development Coordinator
m.kornelis@cityofholland.com
616-395-3139

Would you like to receive this bi-monthly newsletter directly in your email inbox?  If so, send an email to the address immediately above and ask to be added to the Neighborhood Connection News distribution list.