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FridayMusings since 2003
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Helping define Livonia's Quality of Life
Archive – Bill Joyner's Friday Musings
20 years publishing FridayMusings without bias but not without opinion
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Groundbreaking for Livonia Senior Wellness Center
Step One moving Livonia closer to the Civic Center Campus Transformation
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The city celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Livonia Senior Wellness Center on Monday at the site next to the northeast corner of the Jack E. Kirksey Recreation Center.
The construction of the 30,000-square-foot facility is slated to start in early July.
"This project has been a collaborative effort," stated Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan. "Support from Wayne County, state representatives, and officials at all levels of government has been instrumental in providing our seniors with this excellent facility."
On hand were those who helped make it possible, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe, State Representatives Laurie Pohutsky, Stephanie Young, State Senator Dayna Polehanki, County Commissioners Glenn Anderson and Terry Marecki. Council President Brandon McCullough spoke representing the City Council.
Funded by $20.75 million in county, state, and federal grants, and supplemented by the city's American Rescue Plan and building improvement funds, the $26.9 million project will not necessitate tax increases or dedicated millage.
The new center, while independent, will be conveniently located next to the Kirksey Recreation Center, offering seniors seamless access to both venues. It will boast a more efficient layout to accommodate expanding programs and activities, including a larger dining area, a café, comfortable seating, a lounge, and flexible spaces for fitness classes, educational seminars, assistance services, and more.
"Our seniors have been anticipating this facility for a long time," remarked Ted Davis, Parks and Recreation Superintendent. "It will be better equipped to offer programs and services to this significant portion of our community, aiding in their active and healthy lifestyles."
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The construction of the Livonia Senior Wellness Center and the forthcoming renovations at The Recreation Center are anticipated to conclude by December 2025. Until then, the existing Civic Park Senior Center will continue to operate.
Our legislative leaders had one common theme in their comments at the groundbreaking, that Mayor Brosnan was relentless in pushing for help in making this Livonia dream become a reality.
The team of Livonia leaders in Washington, Michigan and Wayne County came through and as Ted Davis said in introducing the Mayor "our seniors will benefit."
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This new senior wellness center is more than a new home for our seniors, it is the beginning of Livonia’s progressive transformation.
Following the Mayor's recognition of Livonia's legislative leaders for their role in securing the funds needed to advance our hometown's vision for a downtown, and the Livonia leadership team's efforts to realize this dream, she elaborated on the future prospects.
The typewriter is capturing her closing remarks verbatim, setting the stage for the
next phase in Livonia's progressive transformation.
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"A transformation dreamed by Livonia residents in 2017 when they came together and drafted Livonia Vision 21, the plan for Livonia’s future. A plan to assure that Livonia is the city our children will want to come home to. It led to a new master plan adopted by the Council in 2020 and launched in 2021 – right on time.
"At the heart of the plan is the need to address the one thing thousands of Livonia residents said is missing in our extremely well-planned city – a City Center area.
"The southeast corner of Five Mile and Farmington Roads was identified as the place. And they’re right. It’s one place in the city where we control our own destiny.
"We call the first phase of Livonia Vision 21 Project Catalyst because it kickstarts all the work necessary to clear the space we need for redevelopment.
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"Phase Two of Project Catalyst is a new City Hall. I bet you think that is a long way off. It’s not. It’s coming in 2026! It is a $36 million investment in the City that will allow us to build a new City Hall further east on the Civic Center Campus without a tax increase or a dedicated millage. A city hall that is smaller, more accessible, more energy efficient and most importantly in a new location, allowing us to clear out space to build the City Center (sometimes called a downtown) residents have always wanted.
"Phase Three is also in the works. Phase III is a new police station, renovations to all our fire stations and the creation of a central gathering area/park. This will clear even more space for the City Center and will require a reinvestment in our future by our voters. More to come on that.
"But when it’s all done in early 2028, Phase Four will begin and coming in 2029, we will see 27 acres of multi-family residential units (townhouses, condos, apartments), plus retail and restaurants and connective bikeways and walkways spring up on the corner of Five Mile and Farmington, sparking the biggest economic development initiative since the Industrial Corridor was built in the 1950’s.
"So, make no mistake, this is the first of many shovels going into the ground in the coming years.This is where we begin to build the City our children will want to come home to.
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Mail Address
19514 Bainbridge 48152
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Cell address
734-674-5871
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The typewriter is not available for phone calls or emails Saturday and Sunday. Mental health and rehabilitation time. Out and about enjoying life.
What motivates FridayMusings:
We can't only define Livonia as taking small steps toward maintaining the way things were. That will give us mediocre outcomes. Our goal needs to be innovative and transformative.
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