In these challenging economic times it is important to note that Holliday Park’s central location, in Westland, Michigan, a well run, environmentally aware, financially sound, and resident friendly city, is a very beneficial “perk” for us all. With State and local revenues declining, it is the forward thinking of the Mayor and City Council, as well as the Downtown Development Authority, businesses, civic groups, and concerned citizens, all of whom work very hard to help this city grow, with a balanced budget, and a continually improving infrastructure.
In the recent “State of the City” address, Mayor William Wild expounded on the many strengths of our city, as well as, the current challenges which Westland faces. According to the Mayor, “105 new businesses have been established this year, creating 500 new jobs. Kroger’s supermarket has invested nearly 6 million dollars to expand their store across from City Hall. They are also funding the renovation of their other three locations in our city, and are building a large fuel center in the heart of the city, while remodeling the existing fuel center at another location. Kroger employs over 500 people and their re-investment here, verifies their faith in this great city!”
Verizon has just invested 16 million to expand their switching station and has opened a large store in Westland Mall. Meijers too has re-invested in it’s location, here in Westland, and they employ 322 people. This kind of activity shows that the retail sector is staying strong, and even expanding.
Westland has also been chosen to be the new home of Nanosec, an innovative technology company. Cintas, chose to renovate and enlarge their warehouse here, at a cost of 6 million dollars, rather than relocate toCleveland. This renovation created 55 more new jobs for residents. Also, Ford Motor Company’s commitment to invest in a battery-electric version of the Ford Focus, at the Michigan Assembly plant in Wayne (close by), by 2011, will help to generate jobs and stimulate the economy for years to come. This is GOOD NEWS for Westland, and the entire state.
In order to continue being fiscally responsible and financially solvent, the city has had to make some tough choices. Slowly, over time, for the past two years, the city has had to reduce the number of it’s employees . As people retire, their work has been redistributed to others, and hiring has been slowed. Since revenues trickle in, the city must stretch each dollar and reduce their overhead by paying less into benefit programs for employees. By working with the unions, and educating the work force about a five year plan to gradually make reductions in pensions; the city is keeping itself sustainable without creating an unexpected hardship for anyone.
To reduce our carbon footprint and be environmentally responsible, the curbside recycling program has been put in place with outstanding results. Citizens brought this idea forward, and the mayor and city council did there part to make it happen. Everyone who participates, not only reduces the land fill and saves the city money, they can earn up to $500 in discounts with city merchants. An amazing 550 tons of trash has been recycled so far, according to the mayor; and since coupons are being used at local businesses, this project is working as our own personal Stimulus Package. As phase 2 of recycling begins in the near future, positive results will continue to multiply for residents and the planet.
When people learn about the cooperative lifestyle, with all of it’s numerous amenities, and of course, most importantly, its AFFORDABILITY; location is a big factor too. With wise planning and forward thinking our elected officials are doing all they can to keep Westland, “the place to be”. With more new applicants every month, interest in the co-op is remaining strong, and being a part of this viable city is certainly a plus!!
Even as an adult, going home is special. No matter how old or small or cramped it is, the house you grew up in can take you back in time to your favorite memories, and give you a sense of belonging like nowhere else can.
Several years ago, after the last chick finally left the nest, my mom sold our family home and moved into Holliday Park. I’m talking about the house we moved into when this 52 year-old was only 12. Roots planted that long ago, don’t die easily. Yes, I thought, it’s the right thing to do. Mom doesn’t need all that space or upkeep; maintenance will be so much easier, and financially it makes good sense. However, I kept wondering what would it be like coming back to visit? Would I feel like I was at a hotel in a strange place? Only one way to find out.
On my first trip back to Michigan, my immediate thought was: I’m much closer to the airport. BIG plus. Then, upon turning into the main drive, I was struck by the sight of sidewalks, private entrances, and well kept yards. In other words, it looked like a neighborhood. This wasn’t anything like I’d been picturing. The grounds were beautifully maintained, and many yards had carefully tended gardens which added to the overall appeal.
Once I got inside my mom’s unit, I received another pleasant surprise. Just like Goldilocks looking for the right bed to nap in, mom had found a place that was just the right size. Small enough so she wasn’t spending all her time cleaning, but large enough so that even when with my brother and I were staying there, we weren’t tripping over each other.
The floor plan is laid out in just the right way, with no wasted space and all the rooms fit together just right. Mom has a yard with a patio that looks out over another back yard. There’s even a basement! (As a veteran apartment dweller, that’s one thing I would kill for.)
Mom has really enjoyed living at Holliday Park. She’s gotten to know many of her neighbors and has become involved in organizations and activities. I was even fortunate enough to go along with her, on a two-week Baltic cruise that was organized by Holliday Park’s Travel Club. Now my mom and I share memories of fifteen days on a beautiful Celebrity ship visiting Scandinavia, Russia and Germany. While on this trip, we were greeted by a large brass band, dressed in white uniforms with shining gold buttons, as we entered St. Petersburg. In Stockholm, all of our sight-seeing was done by small boats, making this experience memorable and more personal than the usual walking or bus tours. We even spent a day in Estonia. When would I have ever imagined having a chance to see that? I never would have been able to afford it without the great deal which the travel group for Holliday Park offered members, their friends and families.
So yes, I’ll always have the memories of the house in which I grew up, but with Mom living in Holliday Park, when people ask me where I’m going for Christmas, I’m still able to truthfully say, “I’m going home!”
Although Holliday Park has been a thriving cooperative community in Westland, Michigan, for over 30 years, it has always been something of a secret place. It is one of most economical housing options that you can find, and people wishing to become a member have often found the waiting list has been closed. This was largely due to a long standing and heavily populated Waiting List of eager applicants who were already signed up . Often, people waited for as many as five years for one of the seven unit styles to become available for occupancy.
As you drive by on Wayne Road near Joy Road, you see the large brick clubhouse and huge Olympic size swimming pool, the lush and lovely surrounding nature center, the well-maintained units, and the many active members, walking, jogging, biking or taking part in some activity such as the Yard Sale, Pool Party, or a gathering for the weekly Monday morning Coffee.
Recently, the downturn in the economy has made selling a home difficult, and people are looking for opportunities to “stretch their dollars”, avoid higher taxes, and leave home maintenance costs and responsibilities behind. A number of the people on Holliday Park’s Active Waiting List have not been able to sell their homes or condominiums, and the list has, for the first time in many years, become small enough to allow for some units to be almost immediately available.
Two of this communities active volunteers felt that it might be time for this cooperative to tell its story to a large number of area residents, so that they might come and see what a co-op is, and what this life-style has to offer. They contacted a respected staff writer for the local Observer Newspaper, Sue Mason, who was intrigued by this moderate- income cooperative concept, and agreed to interview the Saturday Greeters’ Group, along with other members of Holliday Park, to get a history and overview of this thriving and mortgage free community, while sharing the secret of happy, economical, cooperative living, which is now more available than ever.
On a very rainy summer afternoon, Sue met and interviewed a lively mix of “newbie” members, along with others whose residency had endured for many years. Stories of the Travel Group’s trip to France, Italy, China and the Baltic Sea regions, as well as many other destinations; and of the co-ops many events, from long waiting lines of would-be applicants who camped out over-night for a chance to join us; to the current All Thumbs Garden Contest Winners, and the creation of our updated Web Site and blog, were discussed at length.
Sue genuinely responded to the shared enthusiasm of the members, and felt that the whole concept of this affordable lifestyle, and low carrying charges should be told! She too, felt that the “availability” of units for new members, with what is now a much shorter wait time, needed to be revealed.
As she left us that day, with her brochure, dvd, pages of notes, web site address, and copies of our most popular blogs, she promised to write a column that would be informative and welcoming, just like the people who reside within the complex. Sue sent an excellent photographer, Bill Bresler, to put “faces” with her text, and within a week, a great article appeared on the front page of the Westland Observer, with a second part on Page 2.
Those of us who found a home, friendships for a lifetime, volunteerism, activities, trips, and an opportunity to live frugally and well, no matter what the economic climate of the times dictates, are grateful to Sue Mason and the Westland Observer Newspaper, along with www.hometownlife.com (Westland Section) for featuring our Cooperative, and telling our story for the benefit of everyone who wishes to come and find out about the many benefits of purchasing a membership for $23,000 to $45,000, depending on the chosen unit style; and then having only a low monthly carrying charge of from $241-$353 (including heat).
You can put a price tag on the membership, it’s true, but the amenities and experiences you have here are absolutely priceless.
The City of Westland’s William P. Faust Public Library, just like our vital community at Holliday Park, is doing all it can to help our citizens face the challenges of these trying economic times. The library is offering a Job Seeker’s Lab and “hands-on” computer classes for the purpose of helping everyone who needs an updated resume, to learn the “how-to” creation process, by learning to use the Microsoft Word program. Day and night instructive classes are offered right now, to meet the growing needs of many who have had to re-train to meet the demands of our changing business and manufacturing sectors. Skilled librarians teach job seekers how to write and update their resume to eloquently describe their talents, job experience, and goals for the future. The presentation of your job history, great references, and an impressive list of your skills and talents can help you find the right job for a bright future.
The second part of the library’s program offers people the chance to learn to use the computer in basic ways which let you interact with the Internet Explorer browser, find job opportunities, and make contacts with many employers through such places as Monster.com job search site, as well as so many others. These sites compare salaries for different careers, and list the kinds of training you would need to qualify for whatever work you find that interests you. With careful instruction and the use of a computer, every one can learn the basics of Internet interaction by “hands-on-doing”, googling, researching and finding opportunities everywhere.
Not only can you learn word processing skills and to print and save text, format discs, and to send important information and documents to a file; you can also be taught to navigate to different web sites for the purpose of such important tasks as filing for unemployment benefits, finding job opportunities, and even sign up for on-line continuing education classes. Better yet, you can be taught how to upload your newly designed resume to the Michigan Talent Bank, and numerous other employment sites in our area, and all across the country. The skilled librarians at William P. Faust Public Library are offering this special program called “The Job Seekers Lab” right now. Call the library for more information at ( 734) 326-6123, and take advantage of the skill building tools which are offered by your community of caring citizens here in Westland.
The Saturday Greeters’ at Holliday Park care too, and have the ardent desire to let people from all over our state, know that we offer the the best economic choice anyone could be looking for in these recessionary times, or really, at any time. Our volunteer Greeters’ have rescheduled the Saturday availability time to meet the demands of those who work many hours, or several jobs, and cannot come into the office during regular weekday business hours.
Saturday Greeters’ began a few months ago, and due to the success of our efforts, we have now changed our hours to 11 a.m – 1 p.m., and these hours will be on-going for the foreseeable future. The people who come to the clubhouse as future applicants, are astounded at what we have to offer. One by one they are finding out that we are one of the best housing alternatives in the area. Holliday Park is a #1 place to live because you purchase the outgoing member’s equity in a unit, but do not have to rent, or own and pay high taxes. Cooperative living is a great investment. Since the monthly carrying charges are so low, and include heat, many who come in to get an application, or download one from our web site, but want more information, tell us that they wish they had stopped in long ago, and joined us.
Making the application and information process available to everyone who wants to join us, on Saturdays, or during the week, is our way of letting people know that they do have a choice to be part of this caring and beautiful community, for a price that is attainable, and often without having to wait more that a few months, if that long, to be called and to pick the unit of their choice.
Westland’s Library Job Programs, and Holliday Park’s Saturday Greeters’ are two examples of our community’s willingness to assist anyone in these difficult times by making help available for their convenience. Now more than ever, it takes a village to be able to work and live well and happily. In Westland, the happiness of our residents is the responsibility of each of us, working together for progress and sustainable contentment.
Once again, co-op life is thriving. The All Thumbs Gardening Contest has stirred members to take up the challenge of creating colorful little sanctuaries, or bursts of interesting textures and combination’s of flowers and foliage around their homes.
Using seeds to grow nasturtiums, calendula, black-eyed susan or cosmos, potted plants filled with petunias, geraniums and impatiens, or just sprucing up last year’s perennials such as foxglove, hydrangeas, peonies, and roses; members are getting creative and enjoying the challenge of making their own personal statement in their outdoor spaces.
One neighbor stacked two different sized terra-cotta pots, one-inside-the other and filled them with marigolds, aztec white verbena, and yellow zinnias. Her neighbor showed her children how to plant an herb garden from seed packets, and they’ve designed their own markers to identify chives, parsley, and mint, as these plantings grow and become future amendments for salads, and tea.
Any kind of planting is eligible to be considered for this years on-going gardening event. Designing a garden is more than just the act of choosing pretty plants. Well maintained shrubs, topiary trees and roses, trellis vines, or rock gardens, hanging potted plants, green and leafy foliage like hostas, ferns, or even succulents such as cactus and silver spikegrass; every type of garden is a potential winner.
The motivating elements for this contest have been in place for many years here at Holliday Park. Most of us love to socialize, and after many cold weather months, it is so much fun to be out and about with our families and neighbors, sharing in activities that challenge us; and so many members garden, in such a multitude of ways, that the idea for this contest just naturally evolved.
The park-like setting that encompasses Holliday Park, affords adequate sun and shade, and rainfall is often very plant-sustaining. These elements assist our gardeners in making low-maintenance arenas for self-expression and beauty, while keeping the “work of these spaces” minimal.
Several members who live in the shadiest area near the tennis courts, are good-naturedly trying to “outdo each other” by growing the tallest dahlias, or longest blooming daisies. Other neighbors have added wind chimes, water features, and elements that move, such as colorful rainbow spinners in every shape you can imagine. Still others are fertilizing climbing clematis and wisteria on trellises, for a big impact of color and vine.
It is often said that a person’s garden is a reflection of their own personal identity. Each of us is unique and it doesn’t matter if we plant a lot or a little, colorful or varying shades and textures in just one hue, or even an “all green” and growing manicured lawn. As long as tender loving care has been taken in an effort to add just a bit of yourself to this amazing space which we affectionately call our home, then you are a gardener! Perhaps your kids and grandkids have joined you to make an expression of your entire family.
Everything we do to enhance our environment, is a gift we give to each other and future generations. It is well known that since the co-op is near the nature preserve, we are all hosts to the ducks, and numerous species of birds, rabbits, frogs, toads, dragonflies, butterflies and more. Our gardening endeavors make a great habitat for these guests and for ourselves.
With so much greenery and color, whether its edible, such as fruits, veggies or berries, or a delight for the eye to behold; everyone wins when gardens abound.
Here at Holliday Park, caring and sharing is everywhere, and now the beauty of the season is being enhanced; not for personal gain, but for self-expression, respect for our homes here, the environs, and to shout out “WELCOME” to new neighbors and visitors, everyday.
