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Splash Parks-a cool, FREE place to cool off; NOT in Livonia
Topic Started: Aug 5 2010, 12:40 PM (5,453 Views)
Ava
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So what? Who cares?
http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20107010307


Looking for a refreshing place to take the kids this summer? Try a splash park(NOT LIVONIA).


As more and more communities add huge colorful sprinklers and giant water guns to their recreation roster, children have it made in the shade. Pack the cooler, grab the sunscreen and lounge sprinkler-side while kids make a splash at these local parks:

CLOSE TO HOME

Canton

Canton Township invites residents to host parties at its new Splash Playground, located in Heritage Park near Heritage Hideout. A $10 per person fee includes one hour in a Summit on the Park room, cake, punch, decorations, goodie bags, invitations, and unlimited use of the Splash Pad. But you don't have to be a birthday girl to enjoy the FREE water works; simply touch the fire hydrant to start the fun 1-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday-Sunday through Labor Day.

Farmington Hills

Memorial Weekend marked the official opening of the new Heritage Park Splash Pad in Farmington Hills. Children press a button to activate a cascade of timed sprinklers, nozzles, gadgets and dumping buckets. Nearby amenities include picnic shelters, restrooms, outdoor showers, playground equipment, sand volleyball, horseshoe pits and a sandbox. The FREE Splash Pad is open during park hours, dawn to dusk daily.

Livonia

As Livonia residents know, the city's Community Recreation Center offers everything but the kitchen sink, including indoor and outdoor water spray parks located right next to each other. A daily pass ($4-$7 for residents; $8-$14 for nonresidents) buys you access to all the facilities, ranging from an indoor swimming pool, fitness center and climbing wall, to outdoor skateboard park, in-line skating rink and walking path. The splash pad operates 10:30 a.m. to dusk daily.

Milford

Splash ‘n' Blast is located on the north side of Martindale Beach in Kensington Metropark. In addition to water cannons, palm trees, serpents and a whale, the park includes two 240-foot twisted water slides. Splash ‘n' Blast is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout late summer, and admission is $3-$4 per person with reduced rates after 5 p.m. A vehicle permit also is required to enter Kensington.
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Plymouth Township


There's never a dry moment at the SprayScape at McClumpha Park in Plymouth Township, where kids run the gauntlet through sprinkler arches and challenge each other to spray-gun showdowns. Caregivers can camp out on benches or blankets while kids have the run of a nearby play structure, and a sand box stocked with “friendly monster” sculptures by artist Norman Rockwell's son, Peter. Everything is FREE, and open 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., weather permitting.

Redford

The Splash Pad is just one of many amusements at Redford's Handy Park, where families also can use baseball diamonds, tennis courts, beach volleyball courts and a playground. Best of all, you don't have to bring your own snacks, because the nearby concession stand has drinks, hot dogs, chips and more. The FREE Splash Pad is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Westland

Also new on the sprayscape scene is the FREE H2O Zone Spray Park in Westland's Tattan Park. Funded by Downtown Development Association dollars, the playscape offers squirting cannons, a spouting sea serpent, a dunk bucket and 13 in-ground spouts. Landlubbers can hit the nearby Play Planet structure while parents take shelter in nearby pavilions. The H2O Zone Spray Park is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

WORTH THE TRIP

Dundee

If you're looking to make a splashy weekend escape, Splash Universe Indoor Waterpark Resort in Dundee takes the sprayscape concept to a new level. Located halfway between Ann Arbor and Toledo in a new hotel complex (which escaped the brunt of the June tornadoes), Splash Universe boasts 100,000 gallons of fun — lazy river, water slides, aquatic treehouse, hot tubs and all. The Shooting Star Arcade and Treehouse Pub and Grub restaurant round out the fun. Packages include overnight stays. Call 1-87-splashu2 or visit www.riverrun.splashuniverse.com.

Frankenmuth

On a rainy summer day, you can find an oasis of indoor splash park offerings at Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel and Waterpark in Frankenmuth, 86 miles up I-75. After playing all day in Giggling Gorge and sliding down the four-story Perilous Plunge, you'll definitely be hungry for one of those famous chicken dinners. Call (800) 863-7999 or visit www.zehnders.com.

So......if you're looking for a resfreshing place to take the kids this summer that's FREE, try Canton, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Redford or Westland! I "heart" Livonia! ^o)
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Ava
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So what? Who cares?
One good thing I'll say about Livonia is that it is close to other cities that are family friendly. I absolutely love downtown Plymouth, Northville, and Farmington. Heritage Park in Farmington Hills is absolutely beautiful. The FREE splash pad was great. Unfortunately, there isn't much in Livonia for families! There is abosolutely nothing for teenagers to do in Livonia. I wish Livonia would consider some of other things that surrounding cities offer. No, we have 2 Walmarts! Not to mention a Walgreens on practically every corner of the city! How many drug stores does one city need!Thanks, city council!

Then of course there's the public school system that the current leadership is running into the ground!

We need new people with fresh ideas on the council and school board.
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On The Go
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Maybe this is off topic, but what would appeal more to teens? I agree it is not walmart!
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Ava
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So what? Who cares?
As I said, they should look to surrounding areas that offer many things for young people. Plymouth draws a lot of young people, there's always something to do. Drive down there in the summer. It's hopping. The rec ctr should provide activities for teens. Unfortunately, this city offers more for seniors than teens. The only thing Livonia has is Laurel Park. I can't think of anything else! Do they still charge to use the skate park? Other cities do not charge anything.
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Deleted User
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Good point. The Riley Skate Park just across 8 mile is free. And it is way better than ours.

http://www.rileyskatepark.com/features.php
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Sage
anonymous
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There's always the back to school iCarly starlet thingy happening.

How much did this cost LPS?





Last Chance to meet Sam from iCarly!

Back to School iParty

with special guest Jennette McCurdy who plays Sam on Nickelodeon's #1 Show iCarly!

iParty will be Tuesday, August 17th from 5-7pm at Laurel Park Place.

Last Chance to win access to VIP meet and greet with Jennette McCurdy! Visit Thayer Automotive to Win!
LOCATION: Thayer Automotive
ADDRESS: 34501 Plymouth Road, Livonia (between Newburgh and Farmington Road)
DATES: Saturday, August 14
TIME: Noon – 1P



Go to www.livoniapublicschools.org/iParty for iParty details
Edited by Sage, Aug 14 2010, 10:21 PM.
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Purple Haze
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Ava
Aug 14 2010, 10:12 AM
Unfortunately, there isn't much in Livonia for families! There is abosolutely nothing for teenagers to do in Livonia.
From the ever-increasing amount of teens walking around on their phones at the Rec Center doing absolutely nothing, I'd say you are right.
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want2know..
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Ava
Aug 14 2010, 08:32 PM
As I said, they should look to surrounding areas that offer many things for young people. Plymouth draws a lot of young people, there's always something to do. Drive down there in the summer. It's hopping. The rec ctr should provide activities for teens. Unfortunately, this city offers more for seniors than teens. The only thing Livonia has is Laurel Park. I can't think of anything else! Do they still charge to use the skate park? Other cities do not charge anything.
Teens do go to Plymouth, Novi, and Canton on weekends because they say there is nothing to do around here. A big complaint is that Livonia doesn’t have a downtown. They think “let’s go do something; oh wait, this is Livonia”. Other cities have been able to attract teens without any problems. But drive around Livonia on a Saturday night after 7:00 and show me one place where you see young people. All I can think of is Handy Dip (ok, that’s 15 minutes, now where do we go?) and maybe the movies (if your parents can afford to pay your way in).

Our city’s trying: The Rec Cen is a good place to go (for a fee). The “Back to School iParty” info on the LPS website looks well put together and will probably be a smashing success (as in prior years), which reflects favorably on the city. The annual Spree gives our kids somewhere to go for a week.

But many of Livonia’s other family & social events fall flat and have very little attendance. Livonia needs to get some youthful blood on the planning boards and then figure out a way to market their ideas to the right audience so that people show up. I agree that looking at surrounding cities’ successes is a good place to start.
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daytripper75
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I agree that Livonia needs to look into how to better market their events. We drove by Music Under the Stars and noticed they had a bounce house but since we didn't know about it we didn't plan and couldn't stop to enjoy it. :(
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Momof4
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Veteran
Sage
Aug 14 2010, 09:57 PM
There's always the back to school iCarly starlet thingy happening.

How much did this cost LPS?





Last Chance to meet Sam from iCarly!

Back to School iParty

with special guest Jennette McCurdy who plays Sam on Nickelodeon's #1 Show iCarly!

iParty will be Tuesday, August 17th from 5-7pm at Laurel Park Place.

Last Chance to win access to VIP meet and greet with Jennette McCurdy! Visit Thayer Automotive to Win!
LOCATION: Thayer Automotive
ADDRESS: 34501 Plymouth Road, Livonia (between Newburgh and Farmington Road)
DATES: Saturday, August 14
TIME: Noon – 1P



Go to www.livoniapublicschools.org/iParty for iParty details
Remember that every advertisement for this has a disclaimer that the talent could change... I'll believe that Jennette McCurdy will be here when I see her.
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Sage
anonymous
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Momof4
Aug 16 2010, 01:54 PM
Sage
Aug 14 2010, 09:57 PM
There's always the back to school iCarly starlet thingy happening.

How much did this cost LPS?





Last Chance to meet Sam from iCarly!

Back to School iParty

with special guest Jennette McCurdy who plays Sam on Nickelodeon's #1 Show iCarly!

iParty will be Tuesday, August 17th from 5-7pm at Laurel Park Place.

Last Chance to win access to VIP meet and greet with Jennette McCurdy! Visit Thayer Automotive to Win!
LOCATION: Thayer Automotive
ADDRESS: 34501 Plymouth Road, Livonia (between Newburgh and Farmington Road)
DATES: Saturday, August 14
TIME: Noon – 1P



Go to www.livoniapublicschools.org/iParty for iParty details
Remember that every advertisement for this has a disclaimer that the talent could change... I'll believe that Jennette McCurdy will be here when I see her.
I still wonder how much this costs LPS and how many show up?
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want2know..
Advanced Member
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daytripper75
Aug 16 2010, 11:15 AM
I agree that Livonia needs to look into how to better market their events. We drove by Music Under the Stars and noticed they had a bounce house but since we didn't know about it we didn't plan and couldn't stop to enjoy it. :(
On the City’s web site under Parks & Rec/Special Events/the Summer Events link, it looks like we actually did have some interesting, fun things planned this summer! Unfortunately, they are not getting the word out to the residents.

Last weekend Middle School Night was held at the Rec Cen for 6th, 7th, & 8th graders. A few years ago I dropped some boys off there and they had a great time! The only way I had heard about it was because an insider had e-mailed me. One problem they had (& what they don’t tell you on their ad) you need a release form for the rock wall climbing. When I went, there was a lot of time wasted waiting in a long line to get the permission slip filled out & turned in. This is stuff you need to know in advance, so you can easily download the form from your PC at home, fill it out, and bring it with you. Again, better communication would go a long way here. This is a great event – I hope people heard about it and went this year.

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want2know..
Advanced Member
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In L Magazine I saw a promising new idea for teens: Garage Bands jamming Saturday nights. Do kids even know about this and are they showing up? Because if only a few show up, they’ll label it “lame” & that will be the end of it.

I drove by our city’s “band shell” on 5 Mile where all of the outdoor concerts are held. It doesn’t even LOOK appealing - I doubt that “park” has been touched in 20 years. But there are lots of simple, cheap things they could do to make it more attractive: Plant a few perennials taken from the neighboring city buildings. Put up a colorful mural (on the trailer, next to it, whatever) that can be painted by camp splash, youth groups, etc. Add a little color, interest, something – anything! During breaks in the entertainment have an open mike or other things going on to keep it interesting. You’ve got to MAKE it happen.

Livonia’s been doing the same things run by the same people 4Ever. They need to come up with fresh, creative (but low cost) ideas to breathe life into the city; and market the entertainment/activities in a way to reach their targeted audience (think social networking).
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