DEARBORN, Mich. – The city of Dearborn continued to provide a high quality of life for residents in 2011, with a full range of municipal services, recreation and cultural opportunities and stellar public safety responses.
Public Safety
The Fire Department partnered with Oakwood Hospital on a new technique to treat certain heart attack patients more quickly by having information instantly transmitted from the scene to hospital cardiologists, who can begin preparing before the patients even arrived.
This approach has dramatically improved treatment time, and promotes better outcomes. This groundbreaking initiative is now being applied in other communities.
The Police Department continued its community outreach through a series of crime prevention meetings in the fall and its increased use of Nixle to alert residents to weather, traffic or crime prevention news.
It also re-implemented the neighborhood watch program and now offers certain crime statistics online at www.crimemapping.com.
Dearborn Libraries
The Libraries enhanced the experience at Henry Ford Centennial Library with the addition of group and individual study rooms, as well as meeting rooms, on the newly renovated Mezzanine level.
The libraries are also helping residents to figure out how to use their e-Readers and other electronic devices through popular Open House Tech Time programs.
Recreation
The Recreation Department continues its innovative approach to managing and administrating programs to better serve residents through the proposed creation of a new Dearborn Youth Sports Council.
Under the proposal, this council will seek to coordinate the allocation and use of municipally-maintained and public school resources among nearly one dozen youth sports organizations.
Partnerships are also important for funding.
Recreation received a $268,900 grant to connect Camp Dearborn to the Milford trail system; a $15,000 donation from Severstal North American for playground equipment; a $137,000 annual parks millage grant from Wayne County, which will be used for renovated tennis courts at Ford Field and play elements in the kiddie pool at Dunworth; and a $5,000 grant from Wayne County for the Basketball and Books after school program with the Dearborn Public Schools.
In 2011, construction of new tennis courts and basketball courts at Ten Eyck Park occurred through a $90,000 annual parks millage grant from Wayne County.
Renovations also were completed at Crowley Park. They include the addition of four soccer fields, a new property line fence, modifications to the walking and jogging track and relocation of electrical poles.
Recreation has also has applied for a Michigan Department of Transportation grant to expand the Gateway Trail in west Dearborn.
Master Plan
The city is undergoing a master plan process to develop a blueprint for land use in the city for the next 20 years.
This process encourages public input. A series of community meetings generated discussion in 2011. An online survey also sought ideas from residents about how land use could support the community’s vision for Dearborn’s future.
The process is expected to be completed in 2012.
Special events
The city’s sponsorship of special events has been bolstered through expanded partnerships with community groups.
Partnering with the Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council, the city paid special tribute to the Dearborn men who lost their lives in Vietnam by having each group marching in the parade carry a special sign with a photo of one of the 70 soldiers.
Families of the men who died in Vietnam were also invited and honorably recognized. This event earned national attention and highlights Dearborn’s 87-year tradition of patriotism and commitment to remembering our veterans.
In 2011, the city asked the nonprofit Dearborn Community Fund to present the annual Homecoming festival. The DCF supports cultural and recreational opportunities in the city and champions nonprofit groups.
Since a big reason to continue the Homecoming festival is to allow Dearborn charitable groups to raise money for good causes in the community, DCF’s leadership is seen as a positive step for the sustainability of the annual event.
Both the West Dearborn Downtown Development and East Dearborn Downtown Development authorities attracted large audiences with their free outdoor summer concert series. And the two popular Taste of Dearborn events, coordinated by the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce, drew new faces to east and west end restaurants.
More cable programming options
In 2011, the city worked with AT&T to resolve issues that prevented the local government access channel from being shown on the U-verse system. In January 2012, subscribers to U-verse began receiving CDTV, including council meetings, city programming and community bulletin board updates.
In addition to being seen on WOW and Comcast, all of CDTV’s programs can be viewed 24/7 at the city’s website, www.cityofdearborn.org.