Press Release | Office of the Mayor | This Week in Westland : September 24, 2016

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

This Week in Westland

September 24, 2016 - October 2, 2016

Be Proud! Be Responsible - On Saturday, September 24 , the Westland Youth Assistance Program will be presenting a "Be Proud, Be Responsible" program for area teens. This free program gives young people the information they need to make good choices when it comes to their relationships. The program begins at 10:00 a.m. and students attending get a free lunch, special prize, and all of the required materials. This event will take place at the Jefferson Barns Community Vitality Center, located at 32150 Dorsey St. You can register by calling the Youth Assistance Program at 734-467-7904.

22nd Annual Toy Run - Join us on Sunday, September 25 for an escorted motorcycle ride to benefit the Westland Community Foundation at Westland City Hall, located at 36300 Warren Rd. Check in will be from 10:00 a.m. to noon and kickstands will be up at 12:30 p.m. sharp. The cost is $10 per person with a new unwrapped toy or $15 per person without a toy. The ride will end at 28999 Joy Rd. where food will be provided and raffles will also take place. For more information, please call (734)437-1948.

Jefferson Barns has a number of free activities and programming available during the week. Residents are encouraged to come check out all this community center has to offer.

Library Hours - Monday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Tuesday 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Friday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Learning Center Hours - Monday through Thursday 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Boxing Gym Hours - Monday through Friday 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Youth Assistance Program Tutoring - Wednesdays 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
LifeCare Pathway to Success/Computer Literacy - Tuesday and Friday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Beaumont Hospital Diabetes Nutrition - Wednesday 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Pickle Ball - Monday and Friday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (*What is it?* Pickle Ball us easy to learn and fun to play for individuals of all ages. It is traditionally played on a badminton-sized court with special pickle ball paddles, made of wood or high-tech aerospace materials. The ball is similar to a wiffle ball, but is slightly smaller. The lower net and wiffle ball allow the game to be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities, while still allowing more competitive players to test their skills.

Westland Farmer's and Artisan Market Held Every Thursday - The Westland Farmer's Market will be held from 3 - 7 p.m. every Thursday in the new, beautiful Farmer's Marketplace, located in Central City Park. This is the ultimate site for farmers, growers and producers to sell their own products directly to the public.

H20 Zone to Remain Open for Free on Weekends through September - The City of Westland's H20 Spray Zone which was scheduled to close after Labor Day weekend will remain open and will be free through the month of September on weekends, weather permitting. The concession stand will be closed until next summer, but the bathrooms will remain accessible to the public on days that the splash pad is open. The hours of operation will be Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

19th Annual Breakfast with your Firefighters - The Wayne-Westland Fire Association will be holding the 19th Annual Breakfast with your Firefighters on Saturday, October 1 from 9:00 a.m. until Noon. Some of our brave men and women from the department will be working the griddles cooking up hotcakes and sausages for the all you can eat pancake breakfast at a cost of five dollars for adults and three dollars for children. They will have their vehicles on display so kids of all ages can get an up close look at the rigs. The Department will also be accepting items like wheelchairs for their loan closet. Fire Station One is located at 3300 South Wayne Road and you can call 734-722-1111 if you have any questions.

Mike Modano Ice Arena officially open for the season - Stop by and check out the newly renovated locker rooms and the other significant improvements. Open skates will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. The ever popular glow skate will be held every Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:20 p.m. Timbits can learn to play hockey every Saturday morning from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and anyone can come get skating lessons Mondays from 5:00 p.m. to 5:50 p.m., Fridays from 6:00 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. There is adult drop in times every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1:00 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. Ice is available to rent after 10:00 p.m. for $150/hour.

Alexander the Great's Restaurant 39th Anniversary Discounts - Alexander the Greats, located at 34733 Warred Rd. is celebrating their 39th anniversary with special discounts. The will be offer customers special "blast from the past" pricing for 39 days. This promotion will run through the middle of October. For more information, please call (734)326-5410.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Western Wayne Fire Association firefighters collaboratively serving the Cities of Wayne and Westland are licensed paramedics who responded to over 13,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds if shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more that 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

Westland's philosophy is that government should embrace good business principles. Providing oversight over the City's operating budget of $60 million dollars, Westland is the only community in Wayne County with a 3-year balanced budget and an approximately 10 percent budget surplus.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.