Press Release | Office of the Mayor | City of Westland Seeks Resident Input on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan

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

City of Westland to Update Parks and Recreation Master Plan; Seeks Resident Input and Engagement

Westland, MI (September 17, 2019) - The City of Westland is currently in the process of updating its Parks and Recreation Master Plan. In an effort to better serve the community and gauge the interests of residents, the Parks and Recreation Department is conducting a survey focused on the recreational wants and needs of Westland residents.

Residents can take the online survey by clicking HERE and a link to the survey can also be found on the homepage of www.cityofwestland.com. Hard copies of the survey can also be retrieved from and submitted to the following locations:

Westland City Hall, 36300 Warren Rd.

Jefferson Barnes Community Vitality Center, 32150 Dorsey St.

The Friendship Center, 1119 Newburgh Rd.

William P. Faust Westland Public Library, 6123 Central City Parkway

"We would greatly appreciate all of our residents to take the time out to complete this Parks and Recreation survey," commented Kyle Mulligan, Director of Parks and Recreation. "The survey aims to get a more comprehensive understanding of the types of recreational amenities Westland residents currently utilize and where they would most like to see resources deployed for improvements."

The department will take the information obtained through the survey into consideration while updating the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

The survey is only 12 questions and gives residents a voice in the planning process of improving the City's Parks and Recreational amenities. For questions, please contact Kyle Mulligan at [email protected].

The City is also seeking applicants to fill vacant positions on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council (PRAC). The PRAC is a seven member board that is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council. The PRAC reviews plans and specifications for work undertaken in City parks and volunteers for programs provided by the City's Recreation Department. The board also advises the administration on Parks and Recreation strategies. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at Westland City Hall.

The PRACs primary purpose is to provide advice from a citizen perspective. The activities of the PRAC may include the study of critical issues, performing independent research, and reviewing staff reports and recommendations. These prepare the advisory body to discuss, analyze, formulate, and forward well-developed, thoughtful recommendations to the administration and the legislative body. They will play a fundamental role in the planning and implementation stages of Westland's Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

Interested members must be residents of the City of Westland with an interest in parks and recreation activities. They must be willing to function as part of the advisory team and willing and available to attend monthly meetings. Applicants should be willing to support the mission and goals of the group and should be familiar with various aspects of recreation and fundraising, which may include having established relationships with funding partners such as community foundations, corporations, individual donors or preparation of funding applications.

Interested applicants can submit an application through the City's website or send a resume to Mayor Wild at [email protected]. Applications can also be downloaded by clicking HERE.

For more information, please call the Mayor's Office 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 of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 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.