Press Release | Office of the Mayor | This Week in Westland : October 29, 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

October 29, 2016 - November 6, 2016

Harvest Festival - The Jefferson Barns Community Vitality Center is hosting a Halloween Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 29. There will be pumpkin Ppinting, games, lunch, library fun and the Westland Police and Fire Departments will be on hand with demonstrations. You can even get a chance to meet Hemmi the Westland Police K9 Dog! The fun starts at noon and the even will run until 2 p.m.

Trunk or Treat - Before the real thing on Monday, kids can come out for a practice run on trick-or-treating on Saturday, October 29 at 6:30 p.m. Kids can come out to St. John's Episcopal Church for "Trunk or Treat." Children can dress up in their Halloween costume and collect sweet treats. To add to the fun, there will be fresh s'mores at 7:30 pm. So grab your little ghosts and goblins and head to St. John's. If you have any questions please call 734-721-5023.

Scheduled Upcoming Civic Meetings - Residents are invited to attend the upcoming City meetings. Below is a list of the meetings with their date, time and location.

Planning Commission

Meets on Tuesday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Westland City Hall, located at 36300 Warren Rd.

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, Wednesday and Friday 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (*What is it?* Pickle Ball is 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.

Mike Modano Ice Arena officially open for the season - Stop by and check out the new and newly renovated locker rooms and the other significant improvements at the Mike Modano Ice Arena. 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.

Election Day - Tuesday, November 8 is the very important day when we have the chance to cast our vote in the General Election. All city offices will be closed, including the 18th District Court. Trash and Recycling pick up will not be effected. If you are unsure about the location of your voting precinct or would like to view your ballot before going to the polls, you can do so at www.cityofwestland.com. Your vote is your voice, so be sure to make yourself heard in this historical presidential election.

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.