Situated just north of
Grand Rapids on Highway 37 is Sparta. To the east is Lake Long and to the west are
some of the best fruit orchards in the state. Education is provided by two school
districts, Sparta and Kent City, with the majority of the Township falling under the
former's district. In Sparta there is a high school, a middle school and several
elementary schools, one of which is a new building with state-of-the-art technology and
facilities. The Village and Township share a fire department and there are medical
centers located locally. The nearest hospital is in Grand Rapids. For
shopping, department stores are eleven miles away. Community parks and local schools
have many athletic facilities. Long Lake Park is nearby, offering swimming, boating
and fishing in the summer, with ice-fishing
and ice-skating during the winter season.
