Made In Walker

You usually meet a police officer or firefighter on one of your worst days. National Night Out in Walker is built around the opposite idea: come out on a good day, bring your kids, meet your neighbors, and talk with first responders in a relaxed setting where questions are welcome and the goal is simple trust. 

We sit down with Officer Tyler Glass from the Walker Police Department and Kylie Lopo from FZ (Feyen Zylstra) to explain how National Night Out works, why it matters for neighborhood safety, and what it looks like when a local business and a city team up to serve the community. We talk about how the event helps residents connect with police, fire, commissioners, and the mayor, and why that “more human” contact can make a difference long before anyone needs to call 911. 

You’ll also get the practical details you need to plan your night: National Night Out is Tuesday, August 4 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at FZ headquarters, 2396 Hillside Drive at the corner of Alpine and Hillside. Expect a free, family-friendly community event with bounce houses, face painting, balloon twisting, kid prizes, and free food. We also cover how Walker has three National Night Out gatherings, including more traditional neighborhood block parties, and how the event has evolved over the years while keeping its core purpose: safer neighborhoods through stronger relationships. 

If you care about community policing, local government access, and practical crime prevention tips, this conversation will point you in the right direction. Subscribe for more stories from Walker, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

A goalie with a record that still hasn’t been touched walks into a community rink and stays for 15 years. That’s the path of Mike Fountain, former professional NHL hockey player and longtime ice manager at the Walker Ice and Fitness Center, and it says a lot about what makes Walker, Michigan feel like home.

We talk about Mike’s journey from North York, Ontario to the Grand Rapids Griffins, to hockey stops around the world, and then back to West Michigan when it was time to settle down. From there, the conversation turns into a behind-the-scenes look at what many people miss when they drive by: a city-owned ice rink that functions like a full community center, welcoming everyone from three-year-olds in learn to skate to seniors still skating in their 80s.

We also get practical about access and growth. Mike explains how municipal ownership helps keep beginner programs like learn to skate and cross-ice hockey more affordable, why the facility draws families from across the region, and how girls hockey and figure skating are booming alongside traditional youth and men’s leagues. You’ll hear what’s available right now, including open skate, stick and puck, drop-in hockey, freestyle skating, rental skates included, and a pro shop to help you get started without overthinking it.

If you like local stories with real utility, subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a new way to stay active, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

A new public library can be just another building, or it can become the place where a city’s identity comes alive. That’s the question we dig into with Walker Mayor Gary Carey as the new Walker Library rises in full view and creates buzz everywhere from breakfast spots to the grocery store. You can feel the pride as we talk through the “why” behind the project: Walker had the smallest physical library in the Kent District Library system, and a growing community needed a space that finally matches how people live, learn, and work today.

We walk through what a modern library in Walker, Michigan is being built to do. Think reservable rooms for quiet work, study space for students, strong Wi-Fi capacity, and a podcast room for creators. Add indoor-outdoor spaces that invite you to stay, including a fireplace area and a patio overlooking City Central Park. We also get into the intentional design choices that make it welcoming for every age, from toddlers who need room to play and make noise to adults who want a calm spot to read or decompress.

Then we tackle one of the most surprising features: an e-gaming space designed with skill-building and career pathways in mind, not just entertainment. We also talk candidly about stewardship and logistics, from competing city priorities to the rare win of construction staying on track and on budget, plus what the opening timeline looks like as finishing touches move inside.

If you care about community spaces, public investment, and what libraries are becoming in the digital age, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

Walker is growing quickly, and growth has a way of turning “city hall” into something personal. We’re joined by Shay Gallagher, the new City Manager for the City of Walker, Michigan, to talk about what the job actually demands and why Walker’s stability and momentum made the opportunity impossible to pass up. Shay shares where he’s from, how his career path led through other communities, and what he learned before stepping into this role.

We also break down the city manager role in plain English: the mayor and city commission set the direction, and the city manager leads the staff that delivers the work. That includes the unglamorous but essential parts of local government like roads, finance, water and sewer, labor issues, and the daily coordination that keeps services running. Shay  explains why strong department leaders matter and how he balances staying informed with letting experts do their jobs.

Public safety becomes the heart of the conversation as we talk about the city’s push to modernize fire services toward a 24/7 fire department, building on Fire Chief Rusty Shoultz's vision after a heartbreaking loss. We dig into what it takes to fund and sustain that shift, what station upgrades might be needed, and how improved fire protection can influence an ISO rating that may lower insurance costs for both residents and businesses. We also look ahead to strategic planning, trail connectivity, the new library opening, and the opportunities and challenges tied to future road funding.

If you care about how Walker makes decisions as it grows, this is a must-listen. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review with the topic you want us to tackle next.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY