GRAND LEDGE, MI, June 14, 2023 — The City of Grand Ledge and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) announced the top ten photo winners in the “The Best of Grand Ledge 2022 Photo Contest.” On August 11, 2022, the City invited photographers of all ages and skill levels to enter up to five (5) of their best, high-resolution images that celebrate the beauty of Grand Ledge. Images had to be taken within Grand Ledge city limits to be eligible for voting and prizes.
The con
test produced 45 contestants and over 115 photos of Grand Ledge. Contestants were from Grand Ledge, Lansing, Dewitt, Portland, Saranac, Traverse City, and even Maine. In early May, the City collected well over 1,000 votes from the public to identify the top ten favorite photos. The DDA Board then selected one Grand Prize, one Runner-up, and eight Honorable Mention recipients.
On June 14, 2023, Grand Ledge Mayor and DDA Board Member, Keith Mulder, announced the Grand Prize and Runner-up Awards at the monthly DDA Board Meeting. The Grand Prize Award was awarded to Yvette Tingley, for a stunning autumn shot of the Grand River including the historic blue water tower, and newer amenity, the Tyler Lee Murphy Memorial Fishing Dock. Lindy Carrero’s balanced and beautifully reflective photo of the Grand River near Fitzgerald Park was selected as the Runner-up Award (pictured left). Eight additional photographers were awarded Honorable Mention prizes. Mulder shared, “From our parks and downtown to our riverbank and towering ledges, we are fortunate to have such talented residents and visitors capture the elements that make us a truly grand community.”
The photos collected from this contest and the previous contest in 2017 are used in a variety of ways to showcase Grand Ledge. Some of the City’s most valuable planning documents like the Master Plan, Parks & Recreation Plan, City Council, and other board priorities, and many more are enhanced with these photos that continue to document our growth and sense of place in Grand Ledge.
City Manager, Adam Smith, commented, “We are thankful for DDA’s generous sponsorship of this photo contest. The City is honored to utilize these photo entries as important visual support materials for projects and initiatives like grants for public art and our parks, tourism, Chamber events, and so much more.” The Grand Prize and Runner-up photos will be on display at City Hall. To view the top ten photos from the Best of Grand Ledge 2022 Photo Contest, visit https://cityofgrandledge.com/410/Photo-Contest and follow @CityofGrandLedgeGovernment on Facebook for updates.