A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
4
A
UGUST
11, 2011
I
NKSTER
- W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Westland to raze 4
houses in Norwayne
Health fair is Saturday
Youth play opens tomorrow
It will only take about $69,000 to buy
homes on Genessee, Hillsdale, Oscoda and
Dryden in theNorwayne subdivision, along
with a house on Julius Street on the south
side ofWestland.
Members of the Westland City Council
agreed to fund the purchase of the proper-
ties using money from the Neighborhood
Stabilization Program. The four houses in
Norwayne will be demolished and the
house on Julius renovated and sold by the
city, according to Joanne Inglis, director of
housing and community development for
Westland. All the properties are vacant and
being acquired through tax aversion or for
back taxes through Wayne County, she
added.
She said that the Norwayne properties
have been certified as blighted and the cost
to repair and bring the homes up to build-
ing codes would be more than the value of
the house, evenwith the improvements.
That is not the case with the home on
Julius, which is in the Annapolis Park sub-
division, she said.
Westland put four renovated houses on
the market this year under the federal
Neighborhood Stabilization Program
which offers incentives to lower-income
buyers.
The third annual Health Fair sponsored
by the Eta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority will take place from 10 a.m.
until 2 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 13 at the
Booker Dozier Recreation Complex in
Inkster.
Health screenings will be offered during
the day for hypertension, diabetes, high cho-
lesterol, vision loss, dental health and nutri-
tion. In addition, there will be massage thera-
py and selected examinations for other
health concerns.
Health information materials, consulta-
tions and counseling services will be offered
by a variety of health agencies and informa-
tion on where to find available health servic-
es such as free breast and prostate screenings
and other social serviceswill be provided.
Prizes and give-awayswill be offered along
with entertainment including clowns and bal-
loon artist, outdoor bouncers and senior
dancing groups.
For more information, call Willia Miller at
(313) 361-3406.
Is ever after really as happy as everyone
expected?
In a hilarious parody of daytime TV, the
latest production of theWayneYouthPlayers
asks the question: Does time truly heal all
wounds? Guests in the production include:
Cinderella and her stepsisters to reconcile
with each other after being estranged for 20
years andSnowWhite and theEvil Queen.
The show will open at 8 p.m. tomorrow
with performances at both 2 and 8 p.m. on
Saturday. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8
for students and seniors. Children younger
than 3 will be admitted at no cost with the
purchase of an adult ticket.
Ticketswill be available at the door only.
Playing around
Park includes adult equipment
Wayne city officials and residents of all
ages gathered for the official dedication of
the new Avondale Park playground last
week.
According to Wayne Director of Parks
and Recreation Nathan Adams, the new
park which also features adult fitness
equipment was a real community effort.
“Funding for the playground was pro-
vided through Wayne County, Community
Development Block Grant funds and
through various community fundraisers,”
he said. “We were able to save about
$18,500 through the community build.”
Volunteers from the city constructed the
10-foot lookout towers, the spiral and rac-
ing slides, swings, including those for tod-
dlers and a therapeutic swing, activity pan-
els, webscape and fitness equipment for
adults.
It took some scheduling adjustments
because of some inclement weather, but
the builds were a successful volunteer
effort as evidenced by the smiles of all con-
cerned last week. Adams said that many
businesses and residents volunteered their
time to assist in the build or provide food
or beverages to the workers, for which he
said the entire citywas grateful.
“Now, parents can get a workout in
while they watch their kids play,” Adams
said. “Our goal was not to only offer a set-
tingwhere children can play and be active,
but to also offer additional elements next
to the playground for the adults.
“This promotes an environment where
the kids will see the example of their par-
ent continuing to engage in healthy, fun
activities throughout their lives,” Adams
said.
While the official ribbon cutting took place and city officials spoke, local children put the
new Avondale-Walz park equipment to the test last week.
Photo by Sean Rhaesa