Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Celebrates Earth Day and Time Capsule Ceremony

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

Westland Celebrates Earth Day and Time Capsule Ceremony

Westland - The City of Westland will bury a time capsule as part of its Annual Earth Day Celebration which will take place Friday, April 21. The ceremony will begin at 3:00 p.m. at Westland City Hall, located at 36300 Warren Rd.

Westland's original time capsule was dug up and opened on the city's 50th Anniversary on May 16, 2016. The city requested feedback from residents on what should go in the new time capsule and items have been collected from residents, businesses, city officials and various civic organizations in order to paint a picture of what life in Westland is like in present-day. The time capsule will be opened on the City's 100th Anniversary in 2066.

"Opening the city's original time capsule was exciting and fascinating," commented Mayor Wild. "We have worked closely with the Westland Historic Commission to ensure that in 50 years, when the new capsule is exhumed, they will have an insight into what it was like in Westland and how our All American City developed."

Mayor Wild will be also be presenting the coveted Mission:Green Eco-Award to DTE Energy for their partnership with the city to replace 2,862 mercury vapor streetlights with energy efficient LED lights, David Miller, President of Duo Guard for donating an electric vehicle charging station to the City of Westland and State Representative Robert Kosowski for helping to secure a $150,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources for the recreation complex at Jefferson Barns Community Vitality Center and a $100,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for the Lincoln Field recreation complex.

"As part of my Mission:Green initiative, I use our Annual Earth Day Celebration to recognize members of the community who have shown dedication to making Westland a greener place to live, work and play," commented Mayor Wild.

The Mayor will also be announcing a new "Greening Westland" program where the city will begin replacing neighborhood Emerald Ash trees that were lost to the Emerald Ash Borer Disease.

The City has celebrated Earth Day annually since 2009 when it kicked off its successful curbside recycling program which has resulted in 80,160,604 pounds of trash being recycled and diverted from the landfill.

For more information, please call Aubrey Berman at (734)467-3200

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 Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 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.

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.