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November 1, 2018 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 13

WAYNE - WESTLAND

Happy Halloween

Jefferson Barns celebration

draws large costumed crowd

Julie Brown Barns Boxing Gym and gymnasium. “One of
Staff Writer the things I realized early on this area is
heavily blighted,” said Barra. Few resources
Violet Butler, 3, was glad to join her exist, but city and other help fixing the area
grandparents for Halloween fun Oct. 20 at up “helped to bring about a change of cul-
the Jefferson-Barns Community Vitality ture among the residents,” Barra said.
Center. She willingly posed for a photo in Dumpsters were filled with debris, and
her green costume with grandpa Jim “people started to realize change was possi-
Jeziorowski. ble and they liked it,” Barra said. Park
Outside collecting their pumpkins at the restoration is also part of the Norwayne
Harvest Festival Trunk or Treat were young- Community Citizens Council efforts.
sters Chasidy Thomas, Maleyah Moses and The City of Westland and Wayne-
Savannah Goodwin, joined by grownup fam- Westland Community Schools acknowl- Family pumpkins were the order of the day Oct. 20 at Jefferson-Barns for Annette
ily members Annette Lawrence and Ieisha edged community needs “and turned over Lawrence, upper left, with Ieisha Booker and Chasidy Thomas, Maleyah Moses, and
Booker. the Jefferson-Barns School to become the Savannah Goodwin.
The Saturday fun featured pony rides, Jefferson-Barns Community Vitality Center,”
public safety demonstrations, music in the he said. “That was no small undertaking,” as
gym, and even “walking tacos” created by the former school was in disrepair.
using bags of Fritos snacks. “Many of the light switches didn't work.
“It is the only existing community built We immediately rolled up our sleeves and
for defense workers in 1942,” noted Hank started the renovation,” said Barra. “When
Johnson, of the Norwayne Community people believe their world is going to be dif-
Citizens Council. ferent, they gravitate toward the positive
When the two Wayne-Westland elemen- rather than the negative.”
tary schools in Norwayne closed, “We no The men showed the hallway photos of
longer had an ability to bring people togeth- the Norwayne Hall of Fame, founded in
er,” said Johnson, who's worked with Mayor 2017 and constructed by Arthur Warren, also
William Wild, city official Joanne Campbell a Citizens Council member. The Hall of
and others on renovation and opening Fame, which includes World War II local
Jefferson-Barns for a new purpose. physician Dr. C. Kenneth Dryer, is for those
Campbell has worked with the U.S. who started in Norwayne, did well and give
Department of Housing and Urban back. Joan Hanawalt is among the volunteers Violet Butler, 3, enjoys time at the Oct. 20
Development officials for the effort, and was Prominent boxer Jeff Styers, a driving who staff the Reading Room at Jefferson- Jefferson-Barns party
Barns.
in a colorful costume at the Halloween party. force behind the boxing gym at Jefferson-
Campbell is Housing and Community Barns, is being inducted into the local Hall suited to the garden, which includes chil- Many adults at the Oct. 20 party sported
Development director for the City of of Fame now, as is Chicago businessman dren's art creations such as painted rocks costumes, and enjoyed music, colorful and
Westland and helped “to rehabilitate the Michael Cayley. and more. The older part of Jefferson-Barns family-friendly decorations and each other's
housing structures,” Johnson said. During “Under the direction of Mr. Johnson, it from 1943 was actually of more solid con- company. Joan Hanawalt was among
World War II, some 1,800 housing units, two was very easy. He gave me the concept. This struction than the 1973 addition, the men Reading Room volunteers working that day
elementaries, a municipal center and com- is just the base” of more to come, Warren agreed. at Jefferson-Barns, and wore a witch hat.
mercial center were built. said. “We're glad that we did this,” said William P. Faust Public Library of Westland
“The federal government actually built a The three men showed with pride a but- Warren. Johnson noted boxing gym youth get librarians and volunteers are working with
place for people to worship. You'll never see terfly/children's garden outdoors. Johnson tutoring for academics and mow lawns and the Reading Room volunteers at Jefferson-
that again,” he said. said kids are learning “what is kale and how shovel local snow to help residents, for their Barns farther south in the city to get books to
On July 9, 2015, the center and Norwayne you use it. We grew strawberries and made community service. those of all ages.
garnered a federal government historical preserves. In the summertime, this place is
designation. Vic Barra of Veteran's Haven magic.”
noted their involvement in the Jefferson- He added small weddings will be ideally

Return of Ranger celebrated

Yesterday was a big day at the Production of the popular Ford Bronco
Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne when is also scheduled to be moved to the
most of 3,000 employees returned to begin Wayne plant in 2020, officials said. It will
building the 2019 Ranger. be a homecoming of sorts as the Bronco
Local officials, union representatives had been built in Wayne for 30 years, 1966
Ford and executives celebrated the through 1996.
return of the Ranger to the plant during a Plant Manager Erik Williams said that
special event last week, but the workers the plant has been making preparations
returned yesterday following an $850 mil- since January of 2017 for the change. He
lion retrofitting of the plant to accommo- said the move to Wayne was a significant
date the building of the mid-size trucks. milestone for Ford Motor Co. for the area
Returning the Ranger to the Michigan as a whole and for American manufactur-
Avenue plant was part of the 2015 contract ing. He said the move to the Wayne plant
negotiations with the UAW, Ford officials was "a momentous event."
recently noted. Following a secret meet- Wayne Mayor Susan Rowe acknowl-
ing between company officials and union edged the importance of the decision to
representatives three years ago, Ford move the Ranger to the Michigan Avenue
made the decision to send production of plant, one she said keeps her city on the
the Focus and C-Max cars formerly made map. She said this venture and the recent
in Wayne to Mexico and make the neces- opening of the Amazon fulfillment center
sary modifications to build the mid-size in Romulus are important to the econom-
Ranger truck in Wayne. The smaller cars ic vitality of the area.
had been produced in Wayne for more She said that the move of companies
than 10 years, according to a Ford into the area is part of the revitalization of
spokesman. local cities.