The Rock - January 2023

Chris Soutar

Scott Daugherty

Chris has lived in the Plymouth / Canton community since 1994. Some his local favorites are: Campari’s on the Park, Basement Burger, Mexican Fiesta II, Pizza Vino, Spoons Place, Central City Dance Center.

Chris has lived in the Plymouth / Canton community since 1994. Some of his local favorites are: Campari’s on the Park, Basement Burger, Mexican Fiesta II, Pizza Vino, Spoons Place, Central City Dance Center.

csoutrar@billbrownford.com Office:(734) 524-2715 Mobile: (734) 765-8980

Scott has lived in the Plymouth / Canton Community since 2002. Some his local favorites are: Crow’s Nest (Canton), Golf at Pheasant Run Golf Course (Canton), Spoons Place, Palermo Pizza, DCFC Soccer.

Scott has lived in the Plymouth / Canton Community since 2002. Some of his local favorites are: Crow’s Nest (Canton), Golf at Pheasant Run Golf Course (Canton), Spoons Place, Palermo Pizza, DCFC Soccer.

sdaugherty@billbrownford.com Office:(734) 524-2773 Mobile: (555) 555-1212

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JANUARY 2023

VOL 4 | ISSUE 1

16435 Franklin, Northville, MI 48168 • 734-716-0783 • kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com

KURT KUBAN – Publisher

Kurt is an award-winning journalist, having served as a reporter and editor for several local newspapers and magazines, including the Plymouth Observer He has been a journalist for over two decades. He founded Journeyman Publishing, which also publishes The ‘Ville, in 2017.

SCOTT BUIE – Advertising Director/Vice President of Sales

Scott has 20+ years creating advertising campaigns for clients in Metro Detroit. After managing sales for radio stations for 17 years he purchased Street Marketing, where he works closely with a variety of businesses and events. Scott and his family have lived in the Plymouth/Northville area for over 23 years.

BRAD KADRICH – Editor

Brad is an award-winning journalist who spent more than 20 years covering the Plymouth community for the Plymouth Observer. He also spent 15 years serving his country in the U.S. Air Force.

JENNY PEARSALL – Creative Director

Jenny has been in the design and print industry for over twenty years, holding various positions in graphic design, print buying, production and print management. She also owns Bovia Design Group, a company specializing in publications and corporate branding.

BRAD EMONS – Writer

Over the course of his four decades with the Observer & Eccentric, Brad established himself as one of the preeminent prep sports reporters in the state, winning many journalism awards along the way. His greatest joy is interviewing local athletes and coaches, and reporting on their efforts.

LARRY O’CONNOR – Writer

Larry is a metro Detroit area journalist whose work has appeared in The Detroit News, Jackson Citizen Patriot and the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers. When he’s not meticulously chronicling people or events, he’s avidly rooting for his favorite soccer teams -- Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic.

TIM SMITH – Writer

Tim brings a penchant for telling personal stories that run the gamut from news to sports. During more than 35 years in journalism, mostly with the Observer & Eccentric, he has earned numerous state and national awards. The Wayne State grad is a published author and rec ice hockey player.

MICHELE FECHT – Writer

Michele is a longtime journalist whose first post-college reporter position was at The Northville Record b efore moving on to The Detroit News. She is an author, researcher, local history enthusiast, and community activist/ advocate.

WENSDY VON BUSKIRK – Writer

Wensdy graduated with a degree in journalism from Wayne State University. Her first job was working as a reporter for The Northville Record. Now, as a freelance writer and editor, she works for a variety of magazines, including The Rock. -Photo by Kathleen Voss

KEN VOYLES – Writer/Photographer

Ken is an award-winning writer, photographer and designer whose career has spanned nearly five decades in and around metro Detroit. He started his journalism career in Plymouth, working for the Community Crier. He is the author of two books on Detroit history, loves to travel and has finished his first novel.

BILL BRESLER – Photographer

Bill arrived in Plymouth in 1977 to work for the Community Crier. He also worked for the Plymouth Observer for many years. Bill, who taught photography at Madonna University, retired from what was left of the newspaper business in 2019 and now freelances. He’s happy to be back in the Plymouth community.

The Rock is a product of Journeyman Publishing, which assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information. Any form of reproduction of any content in this publication without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Comments are welcome at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com

Publisher

ICE FESTIVAL BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF

FIRST PLYMOUTH EVENT I EVER COVERED

When I came to Plymouth in November 1999, I had no idea what a “hometown” community was like, having grown up in what would become Michigan’s third-largest city, Warren.

Plymouth certainly embodies that feeling, something I learned quickly from the first event I ever covered here. That event returns next month when the Plymouth Ice Festival opens at 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3 (it runs through Sunday, Feb. 5).

It’s gone through a couple of iterations, having been called, for instance, the Plymouth International Ice Spectacular at one time. Sure, it used to be bigger. It used to include competitions between competing college culinary arts teams, but that’s been scaled back.

It also used to include a “celebrity carving contest,” which I was lucky enough to participate in one year (stretching the definition of “celebrity” to its breaking point). As I recall, the artist with whom I was working wouldn’t let me handle the chain saw by myself, which probably accounts for my still having all 10 of my fingers.

Back then, it was held in January, and organizers used to tell us that about a hundred thousand people visited the show every year (one of them admitted to us later that they had used a formula that counted cars going by on I-275, although I have no idea if they were pulling our legs).

But there is no question that tens of thousands of people stream through the streets of downtown Plymouth for the festival, which is nearly always filled with standing-room only crowds.

They’re drawn there by the incredible talent of the carvers, who every year steal the show. There won’t be as many as there were in the past, a concession to COVID from a couple of years ago.

Another concession to COVID was the move to February, which doesn’t seem to have hurt the festival’s popularity. The move to February was made, according to Plymouth Downtown Development Authority Director Sam Plymale, when gathering restrictions were made a couple of years ago during the early days of the pandemic.

It was a move many had contemplated anyway.

“We liked the idea of having it in February, because it wasn’t right after the holidays,” Plymale said.

While fewer carvings will be in Kellogg Park (Plymale said the majority of them will be carved on Wednesday), many will be moved to the streets of downtown Plymouth, where they adorn the doorways of various businesses around the district.

That’ll help with one of my favorite new things (at least, new to me): The Ice Festival Bingo contest. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Plymouth, which is completed by visiting participating businesses to collect stickers and win prizes (you can find the rules at plymouthicefestival.com).

The best thing about the ice festival is what it does for the downtown. During this time of year, business can be pretty slow, and City Manager Paul Sincock points out that local businesses can be energized by the influx of tens of thousands of visitors.

Plus, it’s a great way to break up what can be a pretty bleak time of year.

“There are a lot of gray days at this time of year,” Sincock said. “The ice festival gives people something to look forward to, something that highlights Plymouth and draws visitors to our businesses.”

Plymale agrees.

“Its huge; it’s our big winter event that helps sales for our retailers and restaurants,” he said. “It’s a lift to our businesses to get people down there. Having that many people come downtown is really good for our businesses.

“It really livens up downtown in what is usually a slow time of year,” he added. “It’s a long-standing event and the residents love it.”

Me, too.

Brad Kadrich is the editor of The Rock. He can be reached via email at bkadrich@comcast.net.

In this issue

Amazon Fresh market taking shape in Plymouth Township

41st Annual Plymouth Ice Festival preview 14

Plymouth-Canton students making their voices heard 18 PARC transformation continues with window restoration project 26 ArtWalk partnership to install outdoor art to downtown

ON THE COVER: The ice sculptures will soon be coming back to town as the 41st Plymouth Ice Festival will take place Feb. 3-5 around downtown Plymouth. Photo by Bryan Mitchell

this.

Childhood friends who become lifetime lovers. High school sweethearts who overcome a rash of adversity to put their lives back together and even have a beautiful baby boy.

But in a case of life imitating art, this story isn’t being played out on the Hallmark Channel. Olivia and Connor Goff are actually living it from their home in Plymouth.

Connor and Olivia have each overcome their bout of personal physical adversity and, back in November, came home with the ultimate reward for staying the course in life: baby Emerson George Goff, born Nov. 21, 2022.

“Both Connor and I have always wanted to be parents,” Olivia said. “So that was always in the cards for us.”

“It’s been crazy,” said Connor, a 29-year-old graphic designer. “It’s still unbelievable. The first few days in the hospital you’re holding him, you’re thinking ‘is

really my son?’”

Added Olivia; “It’s surreal.”

There’s a pretty good reason it all seems surreal.

The couple started dating at the tender age of 13. Two years earlier Connor, who had been having sinus issues and whose breathing became problematic as he got a little older, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a disorder that damages the lungs, digestive tract and other organs, though it hadn’t started affecting him much, yet.

When symptoms persisted, doctors – who had generally written his troubles off as allergies or asthma – finally did some testing and discovered the cystic fibrosis. That was in 2015.

“The main thing it affected for me is my lungs…It’s kinda gross but your body just can’t get mucus out as easily, so it builds

up in your lungs, you get infections, scar tissue and damage,” Connor explained. “When I was younger it didn’t affect me much, but as I got older it got harder to do anything, really. I went on oxygen overnight in college, then slowly started using it more and more. Right before my transplant I was on oxygen all the time.”

The transplant finally came in April 2019. It was a double transplant, actually, with Connor getting new lungs and a liver.

Olivia’s story began even earlier. She was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2012, at the age of 18. She underwent treatment for it and, frankly, thought she’d beaten it.

Thinking she was cancerfree, Olivia began preparing for nursing school at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. The devastating news came as she was beginning her pre-reqs:

She had relapsed, with Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma.

“That required a lot more aggressive treatment,” said Olivia, a 29-year-old pediatric nurse.

The treatment included a stem-cell transplant, which she underwent in 2015, followed by radiation.

“The stem cell transplant was probably the hardest of it all,” she said. “I was in the hospital for a month. It was really, really hard on my body, hard on my family. My mom stayed with me every single night, and my youngest sister, Savannah, held down the fort at home, helping my dad with my younger brothers.

“It was probably the hardest thing I had gone through at the time,” she admitted. “If I had to go through it again, I don’t think I would. It was hard.”

But it worked.

“Ever since then I’ve been in remission,” Olivia said. “Next year it’ll be nine years in remission.”

Her mother, Julie Hawley of South Lyon, stayed by Olivia’s side the whole way. So, too, did Connor, as he’d been doing for years. Even during his transplant period when, facing his own mortality, he and Olivia separated romantically for a year, they

never left each other’s lives.

“We’ve been together since we were 13, but that happened during a time when we were taking a break for about a year,” Olivia said. “He and I were still very close, so he was up at the hospital with me a lot. He had a very big role in my life at that time.”

It was a role everyone believed he’d been born to play. Connor and Olivia were born a week apart in January 1994 – he’s the older one – and got together at the age of 13.

“They’re two of the most amazing people I know,” Hawley said. “It’s the truest of love stories.”

While it began at 13, it sort of culminated with a wedding in December 2018, just a few months before Connor would undergo his double transplant.

It was a whirlwind affair that started with a Thanksgiving discussion, a proposal from Connor a week later, and a wedding in the living room of Connor’s parents the day after the proposal.

It was the tiniest

got ordained and performed the ceremony.

“Our friend cleared out the living room and made it look beautiful, and we just had our immediate family and five of our closest friends there,” Olivia said. “It was an amazing experience.”

A few months later, the couple got down to the “in sickness and in health” part of the standard marriage vows. They had to.

“With both of our health histories, we kind of had to take things day by day,” Connor said. “It’s not that we expect the worst, but we know that at any time something could happen. You just have to take it as it comes.”

Connor had already been evaluated – and turned down as ‘too healthy’ – for a transplant in 2017. But as his health worsened, he was re-evaluated, and the couple was convinced he was going to be put on the list. Hence the hurried preparations for the beautiful wedding.

The call came from the Cleveland Clinic in April 2019, and the couple had about four hours to

get down there. On the drive, all of what might be considered the “standard” thoughts rushed through Connor’s head.

“Pretty much everything,” he acknowledged. “Going down there can be the hardest part because of the anticipation. You’re obviously going through a lot of ‘what-ifs.’

“But once we were there, and my family was there, her family was there, we had some friends who came down, I was surprisingly calm (before the surgery).”

Controlling her “when is the other shoe going to drop” fear has been tough, harder for Olivia than for Connor.

“Connor has always been very positive, ‘it is what it is,’ but for me it’s managing my expectations a little bit,” Olivia said. “Before the transplant, we didn’t plan almost anything because we knew something could happen. Just as simple as going to hang out with friends.

“We moved into our first rental property the day before he got called for his transplant. Both of our families helped us move in, and the next day he got called. We didn’t even live in our house for three months after we moved in because we were down in Cleveland.

“You just never know what can happen,” she added. “It’s still very hard for both of us to do, but we just take it as it comes. Nothing is guaranteed.”

Connor agrees, although he approaches it from the perspective of someone who has lived with this a large part of his life.

“When you have a chronic condition from when you’re young, it’s kind of instilled in you that life’s not always going to go your way, that stuff is going to happen,” he said. “You’re taught that early.”

Now for the good stuff, because life is going their way now. While

the CF meant Connor wouldn’t be able to produce a baby the natural way, the couple took advantage of in-vitro fertilization and, after one bad experience, conceived Emerson George Goff, the family’s first great-grandchild named for Olivia’s grandfather.

“My grandfather is the most special person in not just my life, but many of our lives,” Olivia said. “He will do anything for you, especially the grandchildren, so it was just really special.”

was ecstatic to find her daughter pregnant through IVF.

And, of course, she’s over the moon about the baby, born Nov. 21.

“With what they went through to have Emerson, he is an absolute true miracle,” Hawley said. “I don’t think it has set in for me yet, even though he’s here. He’s taken over everybody’s lives. I work and I can’t wait to see him. I want to see him every day. We’re all so in love, it’s like you’re in love for the very first time.”

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RECORD TURNOUT REA DY FOR A

Music lovers set

to f

lo ck to 88 .1 The

Park's RecordShow

as vinyl’s popularity grows

By Tim Smith

When college student Emma Johnston gets the urge to hear some music, she can pop in her ear buds, click onto Spotify and enjoy tunes for hours and hours if she chooses.

That way of listening is well and good. But for the 18-year-old Johnston, a 2022 Plymouth High School grad, it is nothing like putting a vinyl record onto her turntable and getting immersed in the 33.3 rpm sounds.

“With Spotify or Apple Music or wherever you’re listening to music, you have infinite possibilities out there,” said Johnston, who served all four years of high school on the awardwinning 88.1 The Park radio station. “But when you’re buying records, it really makes you treasure the music that you have.”

Personally all-in on the growing trend of young–and old

–music consumers increasingly choosing vinyl over shiny compact discs, Johnston plans on adding to her current collection of about 30 long-play records when she attends the 14th annual “88.1

The Park Record, CD and Music Memorabilia Show” on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Salem High School.

The record show (scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Salem cafeteria) is one of the biggest annual fundraisers for 88.1 The Park. Proceeds will be used to help the station continue delivering its brand of unique programming to the PlymouthCanton communities while also helping students hone broadcast training.

Admission is $3, with Canton, Plymouth and Salem students receiving free admission by showing their student ID. Salem High School is located at 46181 Joy Road in Canton (at the corner

of Joy and Canton Center).

“We strive to make the record show an experience for music fans of all ages to enjoy,” said 88.1 program director Mady Bajorek, in a press release. “No matter how long you’ve been collecting vinyl, you can support your local radio station while finding the perfect item to add to your collection.”

Sparked by the continuing resurgence of vinyl records as the go-to listening choice for many music consumers of several generations, the 2022 show drew a record crowd of approximately 450. Many of those customers arrived from points all over metro Detroit. Hopes are for the 2023

attendance to eclipse that total.

“It’s starting to be a really wide range of people attending the record show,” Johnston emphasized. “You’re starting to see an increasing amount of high school students, just because of the new trends of vinyl and records. Of course, you have everyone there from the people who dabble in music to the hard-core collector. I think that’s because there’s something for everyone.”

88.1 The Park, also known as WSDP, is a nationally recognized station owned by PlymouthCanton Community Schools and helmed by manager Bill Keith and assistant manager John Kreger, both faculty members.

But Plymouth-Canton Educational Park high school students do most of the heavy lifting–covering school and community news, writing on-air scripts and mapping out music programming.

During her senior year, Johnston was program director and worked the 88.1 record show booth. On Feb. 11, she will visit that very same booth as a customer, renew friendships and perhaps find something to snag.

“I’m looking forward to be in that atmosphere again,” Johnston

said. “It’s a really cool place where you have everyone who is

The Reco rd Show promisestohaveitemsthatapp

kind of enthusiastic about music and about coming there.”

There will be thousands of vinyl records, compact discs, music posters and other collectibles on display and for sale from local, regional and statewide vendors. In addition, there will be special giveaways and door prizes.

Keith listed some of the show’s regular vendors as Matt Mai, owner of Finders Keepers in Old Village; WSDP grad Lara Hrycaj, currently a professor at Governors State University in Illinois; and Rod Branham, who runs a few major record shows in Michigan.

As for Johnston, now a freshman studying environmental science at Michigan State University, she has a modest LP collection that she plays in her dorm room on a Crosley portable player. Her new hobby began a year or two ago and her collection is likely to soon grow bigger – if her activity at the last couple record shows are any indication.

“I bought quite a few records

at the show and you get to talk to the vendors, which is really cool,” Johnston stressed. “They have a unique insight (about) records, record players and all that fun stuff.”

According to Johnston, as much as she still enjoys listening to digital music on her smartphone, there is something uniquely special about putting a record on a turntable, grabbing the cover and liner notes and sitting down to experience music as artists’ originally intended.

“It’s just a more-fuller (listening) experience,” she said. “And it makes you listen to the whole record as opposed to if you’re listening online you may just listen to one song and not the full album.”

It remains to be seen whether Johnston finds a new title from

Former88.1

We Understand

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EmmaMenebroker(left)andSerafne Hinz

personal favorite and indie alternative rock group Wallows, makes some unexpected finds or scoops up some Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen or Van Halen records (among her dad’s favorites, artists she has gravitated to herself).

But regardless of how the record browsing goes for Johnston and every other record show customer, the bins promise to be stuffed with interesting and reasonably priced musical nuggets from all genres.

And by all indications, there will be many more record shows to attend because Johnston doesn’t see the 21st century vinyl renaissance running out of steam.

“I think it is sustainable,” she added. “Because you have younger people like me who are hooked on records and record players. I don’t really see anyone giving it up anytime soon.”

14 th Annual 88.1 The Park Record Show

WHAT: Vendors selling vinyl, CDs and music memorabilia

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

WHERE: Salem HS cafeteria

INFO: www.881ThePark.com

The Park stafers

John A Birchler, CFP® Financial Advisor

A FRESH, NEW SHOPPING SPOT

Innovative Amazon Fresh food market taking shape in Plymouth Township

By Tim Smith

The future is now in Plymouth Township: Young professionals who work at Henry Ford Medical Center or nearby hightech businesses such as Rivian soon could live at Plymouth Walk, a sprawling complex of condominiums and apartments expected to start taking shape in 2023.

Those high-earning millennials also will have the chance to buy their groceries at Amazon Fresh – a cutting-edge food store now being built near Ann Arbor Road-Haggerty, within walking distance of the recently opened medical center. The store will feature Amazon’s Dash Cart and Just Walk Out technology, which theoretically enable customers to save time by skipping checkout lanes.

“We’re already seeing spinoff from the Henry Ford hospital,” said Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise, referring to the recently opened medical facility on the southeast corner of Ann Arbor Road and Haggerty. “We have doctors, nurses and health-care professionals who are now moving into the Plymouth community who want to work close to home.”

According to Heise, Amazon Fresh is likely to make a huge

entrance on the southeastern Michigan marketplace by opening several area stores at or around the same time frame.

In addition to the 44,000-square-foot Plymouth Township store site, Heise said other locations could include Livonia, Oakland County and Macomb County. Should those plans come to fruition, Michigan would become the ninth state (plus Washington D.C.) to welcome Amazon Fresh.

“I heard there’s about five or six (Amazon Fresh stores) all being built around the same time frame,” Heise said. “And I know Amazon really wants to make a splash when the time comes.”

Jessica Martin, a spokesperson for Amazon, could not be reached for comment about plans for the Plymouth Township Amazon Fresh.

Although Amazon officials typically do not offer details on future expansion plans, it is evident that the e-commerce

titan’s shadow already is growing all over metro Detroit. There is a huge sorting facility elsewhere in Plymouth Township, Livonia is home to a large fulfillment center and a delivery station is located in Canton.

Moreover, Amazon Prime delivery trucks are a constant presence in many subdivisions –particularly during the holidays.

FILLING A VOID

Work is progressing at an impressive pace on the Ann Arbor Road store location, to be part of an eclectic center which already features Leo’s Coney Island, Lady Jane’s Haircuts for Men and an urgent care facility.

“The walls are up, the roof is up, the crews have been out there,” Heise said. “They started sometime in late summer and now they’re already on the inside, they’re doing a lot of the interior work.”

Although he continued to indicate the store itself might be completed by late spring, that time frame does not necessarily sync up with its actual opening for business.

“This is what I’ve been told by Amazon, they want to make sure the people inside are properly trained,” Heise stressed. “And there will be people (employees) inside, this is not a fully automated store.”

Also inside will be wall-to-wall cameras – plus scanners, sensors and other technological gadgets to enable customers to pick items off shelves, drop into a cart, and leave without needing to go through a store check-out lane (although they will have the option for personalized assistance, at least when the store opens).

They will need to be hooked up with an Amazon app on their smartphone and have an account to facilitate payment.

“The technology in these stores is amazing,” Heise said. “And as you may know, the concept is that a customer comes in, gets their cart, puts all their items in the cart and then leaves. There’s no formal checkout. I was told that, at the beginning, there will be people there to assist. But the concept is that you are wired into the Amazon system, I heard there’s supposed to be a thousand cameras in the building, in the store watching your every move and scanning you.

“But when you leave the building, everything has been scanned and tallied, you get your bill. I assume you have to be on the Amazon payment system, and boom. You’re done.”

The Plymouth Township Amazon Fresh would add to an impressive collection of grocery alternatives for area residents.

“One thing I have heard time and again in the Plymouth community, both the township and city, is that people want a more diverse food shopping option,” Heise said. “And so, Kroger on Ann Arbor Road and Sheldon does a great job. I understand that’s one of the busiest Krogers in the country. We have Busch’s on Sheldon and Five (Mile). Of course, in downtown Plymouth we have Westborn (Market).

“I think Amazon Fresh will be another choice that customers have for convenience, for affordability, for variety. Because we continually hear, especially on the east side of Plymouth Township, a lot of people say they don’t have the food shopping options that they would like. This is just going to be part of the mix of options for customers.”

Because of the preponderance of cameras on site, a 10,000 square-foot “speculative office building” is being constructed between the future Amazon Fresh and LA Fitness, Heise explained.

The so-called spec building could be used for a low-impact operation, perhaps a dentist’s office.

“I was told that Amazon Fresh did not want to be right up against LA Fitness, physically, because they were concerned that the exercise equipment and the constant banging and bumping of equipment, dumbbells and weights would actually shake the cameras and other electronic equipment in Amazon Fresh, which is really wild,” Heise emphasized.

A PERFECT FIT

Heise said the arrival of Amazon Fresh should be strongly received by the many younger professionals who are attracted to the Plymouth community.

“I think the whole Ann Arbor Road-Haggerty corridor is going to be very beneficial for Amazon Fresh,” Heise said. “With the hospital across the street you have a couple hundred people working there every day, 24/7, who all are generally high-income earners. If you go further north, you’ve got Rivian, which again is a very high-tech operation with high-wage earners. You have Loc Performance, which again is a very cutting-edge technology operation.

“They (Amazon Fresh) have done their homework, clearly. This is a growing, dynamic area that Amazon wants to be part of.”

Many of those young professionals might find a place to live at the fledgling Plymouth Walk: 369 condominiums and apartments to be built at 41700 Ann Arbor Road, on the former Elks Lodge property.

Work could begin in spring 2023, with builders already getting approvals from the township planning committee and board of trustees as well as the Plymouth Downtown Development Authority and Brownfield Authority.

Plymouth Walk builders Toll Brothers and Pomeroy Living “have been very diligent and they follow up with us on all of our requests, the neighborhood’s requests,” Heise added. “I think they’re taking a cautious approach.”

As for Plymouth Township approval of Amazon Fresh, Heise explained it came in “under the radar” because the company did not need to get permission from the planning commission or township board.

“Because of all the contractual and legal history behind this site, it was all handled administratively,” Heise said. “But as you know, with that building being built there, it’s pretty obvious there’s something happening. It’s probably become one of the worst-kept secrets in town that Amazon Fresh is going in there.”

Heise said the Amazon Fresh site is part of a Planned Unit Development, which is a contract between the township and developer.

But he added there is an “overlaying consent agreement, a legal judgment, because this development was in court more than once” since the early 2000s, when it was envisioned that a traditional grocery store would be built there.

“The entire site, from the Elks Lodge to the CVS (on the northwest corner of Ann Arbor Road-Haggerty), is governed by both a Planned Unit Development and a court order,” Heise went on. “So as a result, there’s no requirement for Amazon Fresh to get permission from the planning commission or township board.

“It’s all handled administratively, by our planner, building department and me – because my statutory role is to enforce contracts.”

The technology in these stores is amazing…the concept is that a customer comes in, gets their cart, puts all their items in the cart and then leaves. There’s no formal checkout.

I was told that, at the beginning, there will be people there to assist. But the concept is that you are wired into the Amazon system, I heard there’s supposed to be a thousand cameras in the building, in the store watching your every move and scanning you."

Kurt Heise Plymouth Township Supervisor

Back for its 41st year, Ice Festival to draw tens of thousands to downtown

By Brad Kadrich

Paul Sincock has been around for all 40 previous Plymouth Ice Festivals and has watched it grow into one of the city’s signature events.

Now Sincock, the longtime Plymouth city manager who is also a lifelong Plymouth resident, is excited to welcome the 41st version of the ice show, which officially opens Friday, Feb. 3, at 5 p.m. (it runs through Sunday, Feb. 5).

While many of some 60 carvings being created for the festival will still be there for the viewing in downtown Plymouth’s Kellogg Park, some 40 of them will also be spread along downtown streets, in front of businesses, some of which are participating in the Rotary Club Bingo contest, which makes its

return this year.

Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to crowd the downtown area for the festival, which provides a boon to local businesses.

“The ice festival has always

been good for our businesses at a time of year where there’s not a lot going on,” Sincock said. “There are a lot of gray days at this time of year. The ice festival gives people something to look forward to, something that highlights

Plymouth and draws visitors to our businesses.”

The ice festival was formerly held in mid-January but was moved largely as a concession to COVID pandemic restrictions on large gatherings. It was a move organizers had been contemplating anyway, and it seems to be working out.

“We liked the idea of having it in February, because it wasn’t right after the holidays,” said Sam Plymale, director of the Plymouth Downtown Development Authority.

While the carvings are the stars of the show, they aren’t the only thing on tap for the weekend. Among other things (you can find the full schedule at plymouthicefestival.com), you’ll find:

• Ice carvings: Each carving starts out as a 350-pound block of ice. World renowned ice carvers have created over 60 carvings to be displayed during this year’s event.

• Ice Festival Bingo: Ice Festival Bingo: Presented by the Rotary Club of Plymouth, participants can collect enough stickers to get a bingo and enter to win a prize from The Plymouth

open hours of the festival.

• Ice Throne: Presented by Genisys Credit Union, this unique ice carving is the perfect setting for pictures with the family.

• Family Petting Zoo: Presented by Michigan First Credit Union and located next to the Ice Playground, it offers a handson experience with horses, donkeys, goats. sheep, alpaca and even a baby calf. This year’s Petting Farm will also feature pony rides. It will be open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Movies at the Penn Theatre: Disney’s “Frozen” will be shown Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m.

• Party Lot and Ice Bar: Located at E.G. Nicks, the Ice Bar is open all three days of the Festival. The party lot will feature Atomic Radio on Friday and Power Play Detroit on Saturday.

• Plymouth Historical Museum: Travel back in time through the Plymouth community’s example of the American Experience. The museum (http://www.plymouthhistory. org) will be open 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for students (age 6-17).

Parking will be available in the parking structure and other municipal lots (such as the lot adjacent to the library). Kiwanis Club members will be collecting $10 for parking.

With so many people crowding through the downtown area in a three-day span, Plymale agrees with Sincock that the ice festival is a huge boon to Plymouth.

DDA. Bingo cards are available by www.downtownplymouth. org or by stopping in one of the participating businesses.

• The Hot Spot: Heated by Ehlers Heating & Air Conditioning, located under The Gathering directly across from Kellogg Park. The Hot Spot features local vendors, businesses, product demonstrations, a sitting area and lots of heat. The Hot Spot is open during all of the official

and restaurants,” Plymale said. “It brings tens of thousands of people downtown. So it’s a lift to our businesses to get people down there. Having that many people come downtown is really good for our businesses.

“It really livens up downtown in what is usually a slow time of year,” he added. “It’s a long-standing tradition and the residents love it.”

For more information about the 41st Annual Plymouth Ice Festival, visit plymouthicefestival. com. You can also call the “Ice Line” at (248) 817-8836.

“It’s our big winter event that helps sales for our retailers

Making Their Heard

New P-CCS action committee aims to elevate students’ perspectives

By Tim Smith

Since the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020, American schools have been under fire for not responding in real time to crucial, ongoing issues such as the mental health stigma of students missing face-to-face interaction with their peers.

Or, to losing valuable days, weeks and months of classroom instruction, or to the growing threat of online bullying. Or, to not giving students a chance to offer their take on how to deal with active school shooters.

There isn’t a public school district today–including Plymouth-Canton Community Schools–where these issues have not caused young men and women (or their parents) to worry about their place in the 21st century. But P-CCS is taking the lead in finally providing these students a seat at the table to make sure their concerns are taken to heart–and perhaps into the policy book.

The school board in recent months formed its Student Voice in Action Committee, which had its first official meeting on Dec. 12. Board president Shawn Wilson is chairing the committee, which has 60 students from the

high school and middle school levels (twice the size of what was originally envisioned) and soon will have two members literally sitting at the board table.

“We ended up selecting double that (amount of students) into the process and that was a really powerful process as well because students really did have the say,” Wilson said. “They went back and forth. It was a robust conversation. At the end of the day, what the students decided is that applications were amazing across the board and really gave insights into what (they) are interested in and what they want to see in the district.”

Plans call for two committee meetings per month, with formal reports made at official school board meetings.

MAKING A CONNECTION

SVA members are pumped up about having such a unique opportunity. According to a 2020 survey by the National School Boards Association, just 14 percent of the nation’s 495 largest school districts had student members on school boards.

“I definitely feel like, with all these mental health and talking about the lockdown that was at

the Park last year, it’s just lifechanging events for everybody,” said Nylah Brown, a 16-year-old Plymouth High School junior and member of Student Voice in Action. “It was necessary for the district to say ‘Hey, we understand’ in order to connect further, because we were all wounded during Covid, we all went through something during the pandemic and lockdown.

“And so students (can) feel that the district is acknowledging that they see us and they hear us, so that they can really help us. Because without this connection between the board and the students, how are they really supposed to know what exactly is happening and how they can help?”

Concurring was Canton High School senior and SVA member Daman Gill, 17, who one day wants to become a lawyer or even a politician but in 2022-23 sees the need for the pipeline of ideas and information to flow both ways between adults in the room and the younger generation.

“We wanted to create a safe space for everyone to be able to open up and feel like their opinion is valued,” Gill

emphasized. “And whether we come to a conclusion, like we come to a yes or no with the group, it’s like at the end of the day your opinion was still heard, even though it might not be the decision you wanted. It’s all about the inclusion and the process for us.”

Plymouth High School freshman Josh Patterson said the SVA committee will spearhead communication and understanding between students and the school board about important topics.

“Having a student on the board of education really gets a student’s perspective into their thoughts,” the 14-year-old Patterson explained. “If the student is able to put their opinion, their views into it, and the board members are listening, then they will get their perspective and get to see the whole picture. And that is key.”

Leading the effort from the school district part of the equation are board members Wilson, Anupam Chugh Sidhu, Lauren Christenson; Superintendent Monica Merritt and Liz Vartanian-Gibbs, who is assistant superintendent of student and family engagement.

GETTING ON BOARD

According to Wilson, whose professional life is all about making an impact on young people with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (he is president and CEO), forming SVA will enable the exchange of ideas and viewpoints while helping students get an upclose-and-personal look at how the educational sausage is made, so to speak.

“I was just able to leverage my background to bring something forward. But by far it was a full-board effort. The board was fully, fully supportive to really drive this,” said Wilson, stressing both students and board members were equally on-board about forming SVA.

In its official description, the Student Voice in Action Committee is charged with

“do that in ways that go beyond the current methods which include student surveys.”

The first official SVA meeting was Dec. 12, and students delved into identifying what they would like the committee’s agenda to be.

“We as a board want to fully empower them to set their agenda that aligns with the (school district’s 5-year) dynamic plan,” Wilson said. “…and then looking at where they feel their voice and their action can help to propel that dynamic plan. And part of that is them identifying barriers to achieving those dynamic plans and roles they can play.”

According to the P-CCS website, the 2021-27 dynamic plan is defined as providing a roadmap to guide students and staff both in the near- and long-term future.

High School junior

goals and objectives for year one of the SVA–both personally and collectively. Administrators and board members on hand at the meeting kept the discussion moving along by organizing the notes on a white board.

“We covered mission statement, logistics, things like that,” Gill said. “Expectations. We also had a great time conversationally. We ate pizza, we bonded, we wrote about some of our goals and ideas for the committee. I would say it went super well.”

Gill described her sticky note as “having a comfort space where you feel like you’re able to open up about anything you want whether you feel the group will agree or disagree.

“elevating student voice and providing students with the necessary resources to allow the implementation of meaningful and positive change” in the district.

Sidhu noted that the committee provides students opportunity to have a powerful say in the decision-making process and to

“To me, it really means that the dynamic plan is the overall goal for the board of education,” Brown said, “so we are now included in that overall goal directly, since our voice will now be aligned. There’s no longer a disconnect there, for me, personally.”

At the kickoff meeting, students engaged in writing on multi-colored sticky notes about

“It’s open conversation and we’re all willing to hear each other out,” Gill continued. “Because even the planning process of the committee and figuring out how the rubric was going to work, how our applications were going to work, would have been collaborative.”

Another common theme among the students was having a place where they can get to know others and form new friendships–still top of mind post-pandemic for many of them. And to be part of the exchange of ideas with district leaders–to help identify and solve problems–is thrilling and progressive.

“They talked about being able to represent the student body,” Brown stressed. “Because they’re middle schoolers and high schoolers, so being able to represent their student body and what they need, a lot of kids were excited about that.”

Brown and Gill both said they thought participating in the SVA committee will give them invaluable perspective and

knowledge that will only help them in college and beyond.

“Thinking about how the board works and the structure of seconding (motions), recommendations, that whole process, it really teaches you discipline,” Brown noted. “It really helps you, because in the real world that’s how it’s going to be.”

Gill said the experience is already proving to be quite the eye-opening experience.

“It bridges the gap between two generations that might not see eye-to-eye on every issue, but that we’re both open to listening to each other. I think it has developed my professional skills a lot, and I’ve noticed a tremendous change in how I interact with the adults around me.”

With that positive testimony, the Student Voice in Action Committee is off to a rousing start. After all, such personal growth and powerful preparation for future success is the epitome of what a “dynamic plan” is all about.

And so students (can) feel that the district is acknowledging that they see us and they hear us, so that they can really help us. Because without this connection between the board and the students, how are they really supposed to know what exactly is happening and how they can help?”

Nylah Brown, Plymouth

EN GARDE!

Story and photos by Ken Voyles

Listen closely and you can hear the constant “clank, clank, clank” of foil blades striking one another, along with the relentless buzzing of multiple electric scoring devices signaling hits and the lower tones of scuffling sounds as dozens of feet dance back and forward, up and down, over rubber mats known as “strips.”

Young voices murmur, random cries – some triumphant, others voicing despair – echo off the PARC gymnasium bleachers while parents look on and competitors in strange protective gear and helmets await their

chance to prove themselves in this rather unusual arena.

It’s a year-end tournament of sorts that’s been raging for hours, and the noise can be dramatic in its sheer repetition.

As much as any sport, fencing is appreciated from its various sounds – the joys and agonies of competition, the rhythmic noise of foil blades (don’t call them swords) and the cries of hard working athletes who participate under the watchful eyes of coaches and judges. Some call fencing “physical chess,” but there is nothing quiet or restrained about this tourney’s atmosphere.

If you were asked, you’d probably have to admit that you didn’t know Plymouth is on the fast track to becoming a major fencing center in Michigan.

It’s all happening thanks to a hard-driving coach from Northville, a retired national and international champion who lives in Plymouth and the many families from across Wayne, Washtenaw and Oakland counties who pursue a sport with the same kind of passion athletes have for soccer or swimming, golf or tennis, and yes, even chess.

The Plymouth-Ann Arbor Fencing Academy (PA2FA for

short) opened in PARC two years ago after other academies like it closed in Livonia and Ann Arbor due to the pandemic. Born a few years earlier in Ann Arbor as founder Tony Kosla’s dream, today the Plymouth-based school has around 100 fencers ranging in age from six to 70 years. Some do it for fun and exercise, others to compete locally, nationally and even internationally, including four fencers who have national ranking points.

“We are one of the larger clubs in the country,” Kosla said. “We have doubled in size in a year and now use the PARC

Plymouth Fencing Academy strikes home as hot new center for an unique sport

gym as well as our own space, especially when we want to have tournaments.”

Perceptions of fencing are usually inaccurate. We’re not talking about “The Princess Bride” or some swash-buckling Errol Flynn movie from the 1930s. This is a serious Olympic sport – it was presented during the first modern Olympics held in 1896. Sure it’s connected to the evolution of the sword, though in our era there is very little that is dangerous about it, even though it can be both exhausting and demanding on anyone willing to test their mettle with a foil.

A TIMELESS SPORT

Maybe a more contemporary reference to fencing, though again not exactly akin to its techniques or rules, might be the “Star Wars” movies and the fabled light sabers often used by the heroes.

“Star Wars has been very good for the sport of fencing, actually,” says Kosla. “Fencing is much

people who just want to have fun or be active. We want to make this so that everyone who wants to can take part whether serious or just for fun. I want to help grow this sport.”

For the Northville resident fencing has been a passion since he was 14. He fenced in high school and college, though not as competitively as he would have liked. Over the years he has also taken part in numerous USA Fencing competitions, including as a member of the 2013 national bronze winning team. He served as an assistant coach at Michigan State and with the University of Detroit Mercy squad and is an internationally qualified foil instructor.

With 15 years of coaching, Kosla is focused on helping others, wanting only to share fencing with young and old alike. His specialty, as well as the school’s, is the foil, though there are two other weapons used in the sport, the epee and saber.

“I just love the sport,” says the 37-year-old. “I’m blessed that it’s now my full time gig.”

communities around the region are seven coaches. They train students on the techniques and rules of fencing as well as the tactics. They are seeking, says Kosla, to build a team dynamic even though it is a highly individual sport.

One of the lead teachers is well-respected fencer Gil Pezza, who retired to Plymouth more than 15 years ago. A four-time NCAA collegiate champion (two individual and two team) at Wayne State University, Pezza was also the longtime coach at Wayne State where he had been recruited from Italy. He has also coached the U.S. nationals team and is a former member of the Italian national team competing at the World Championships.

“Tony’s a great coach,” says Pezza, who is called a “maestro” because he is proficient in all three weapons. “He is a great organizer and has a combination of business skill and knowledge of the sport. With him, Plymouth could really become a center for fencing.”

Livonia, Canton and Novi are well represented, too.

“This is a sport you’re never too old to try,” says Kosla. “It’s also very safe, and we take a lot of precautions. We incorporate a lot of practical information with games to teach fencing, especially for the younger students.”

Most of the fencers – both boys and girls – range in age from six to 18 and an adult program is also offered.

“In this sport you can calculate your success by the size and quality of your nine and 10-year athletes, and we have a lot and they are becoming competitive,” says Pezza. “In 10 years we will grow into national and international status. I believe that.”

more of a martial arts sport than the theatrics you’ll see in the movies. But there are plenty of

Supporting the many classes, the individual training and tournaments or competitions through the academy or in

Pezza thinks PA2FA’s location in Plymouth is perfect since it easily draws from all over metro Detroit and Ann Arbor. Nearly half of the students are from Ann Arbor but Plymouth, Northville,

FINDING A BALANCE

For two local families the fencing academy experience has become an important part of their lives.

The Tan family, who live in Northville, includes three young fencers – Dorathy, 12, Natalie,

10, and Charlie, 8. Their father Wenda Tan keeps an intense eye on them during tournaments, very much a typical parent who wants to see his children do well.

“When we moved here a year and a half ago they had already been fencing,” says Tan, a U-M engineering faculty member. “They like making friends and winning the bouts. Dorathy is self-motivated and thinks about it lot and enjoys it. Charlie is a natural and very competitive. He competes against older students since there aren’t too many strong opponents in his age.”

During the PA2FA tournament Dorathy won her group, while Natalie made top eight, actually losing to her sister. Charlie was the youngest competitor to make top five in an older age group.

“The coaches are very accommodating and we’re really grateful how they develop them,” says Tan. “Tony is ambitious but he’s caring and there’s a lot of competitive spirit.”

The Tans try to balance between competitive aspects of their children’s lives and academic interests, but often

compete in regional tournaments.

“These kind of sports help train them to be better persons,” he says.

The recent PARC tourney was an “in-house” competition Kosla organized mostly for fun, something the academy does four or five times a year. Also at the event were members of the Thompson family of Plymouth.

For Alan Thompson, who has lived in the community for more than 20 years, the tournament was a chance to see his daughter Matilda, 13, finish second in her group. His son Felix, 10, did not compete.

great job looking out for the kids and getting the best from them.”

Like many others Thompson described fencing as an “intellectual sport.” Both of his kids got into it because their school, Steppingstone, had to stop their swim program and turned to fencing as a physical fitness outlet.

“What I like is that this is something you can do your whole life,” he says. “You get out of it what you put in.”

For Kosla the future looks bright, and perhaps he can anticipate when his 19-month-old son Ben first picks up a foil.

want everyone to take part. I’m not a fencing snob who says you can only be serious about it.”

Those constant clank of blades, the electronic buzz when someone strikes their foe, the delicate floor dance, flashing foils and the unique protective uniforms may not seem “theatric” to the coaches, but for observers this form of “play” is very dramatic.

So let’s begin. En garde!

Plymouth-Ann Arbor Fencing Academy

Address: 650 Church Street, Suite #115a, Plymouth

“Matilda is going strong, Felix is kind of off and on about it,” said Thompson, whose children have been involved for a couple of years. “The coaches do a really

“You’re never too old to start, or too young,” he says. “The equipment costs aren’t too bad. You can get a weapon and the gear for around $500. I really

Phone: (734)-358-2207

Email: info@annarborfencingclub.com Website: www.annarborfencingclub.com

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Improving the View

PARC transformation will continue with new window restoration project

By Ken Voyles

It may not sound exciting or sexy, but a whole new window on the world is about to open up at the Plymouth Arts and Recreation Complex (PARC).

Seven years into its existence as a unique type of community center the entire PARC building–what was once the old Central Middle School and original Plymouth High School–will be transformed from front to back and around all sides of the sprawling campus.

The new restoration/renovation project calls for replacing more than 350 windows throughout the building. Set to begin in March, the three-month long project is expected to cost upwards of $1 million, funded solely through donor support.

Originally built in 1916 after a devastating fire destroyed the

previous school, today PARC dominates the landscape along north Main Street. It operates seven days a week, year-round and draws people from all over the region to events like last fall’s book festival. With over 50 tenants, PARC is considered full, operating a vast array of recreational, arts and cultural activities for all ages, including nonprofits like the Michigan Philharmonic.

“This project is important because it will probably touch just about every space in the building,” says Mark Malcolm, a PARC board member who has helped spearhead the project as it has ramped up over the past year to get ready for completion this summer. “It’s about improving the outward facing aspect of this important part of Plymouth.”

According to Don Soenen, president of PARC’s board of directors, the goal is to transform the building with a keen eye on history.

“We want to go back to the way it was,” says Soenen. “We’re going to give the building a new look and feel that will remind people of the way it used to be. It will be modern and historic.”

Sometime in the 1980s the windows were replaced by the school district with a focus on creating energy efficiency spaces in what was becoming a rundown old building. Not only were the windows redone, the window sizes were and most of the larger openings were walled up.

PARC currently has approximately 185 “window openings” that will all need windows and the area around

them to be reopened up. The work will likely require fixes in many of the rooms since the enclosed spaces around the windows impacts both walls and drop ceilings put into place when they were redone in the 1980s. This is the part of the work that has an unknown aspect to it.

“This is one of our last major projects,” says Soenen. “Many of them have been maintenance and renovations. This is more cosmetic. It changes the look and feel of the place. A lot of the other work has been functional.”

PARC has invested around $12 million in the former high school and middle school. That work includes new parking surfaces, work on the football field, the pool, the Jack Wilcox Theater, electrical and plumbing (with new bathrooms), heating and

cooling, and more.

“There will be some disruptions since we’ll be all over the building. Ultimately it will mean more light into those spaces and improving the exterior look,” says Soenen.

Other improvements at PARC include work in most of the commons areas, the replacement of exterior doors, new signage and managing and fixing 1,100 light fixtures. As with many older buildings, ongoing maintenance crews are the unsung heroes at PARC.

“You name it, we’ve probably worked on it, except for the roof,” says Soenen.

After being built in 1916, the original high school experienced several additions over the decades, including what’s been known as the “annex,” additional floors, a gymnasium and pool and sports fields. Together the projects created a mis-mash of structures that is both a challenge

and part of the place’s charm.

“All the lockers are still in the hallways,” Soenen says. “A lot of what we try to do is restoration as well as renovation.”

The PARC board has not considered seeking historic designation for the property but keeps the preservation mindset in all of its deliberations regarding physical changes. Besides the eventual roof work, the property may also one day see additional landscape work, especially on the Main Street side.

“We’re proud of what we’ve done,” says Soenen. “We’ve done it without bank financing, or taxpayer dollars or investors. It’s all donations–that’s important to us.”

Besides being full with 54 tenants in 62 different spaces, and a wait list to boot, PARC attracts more than 100 outside groups who pay to use the theater, gym or pool for events and activities.

“There’s a great variety here from art to food to health and sports,” says Soenen. “Some of our existing tenants would love to expand. There’s no room. That’s a good problem to have.”

For Malcom the primary motivation is to preserve a large historical building that is valued by the community. The windows are a visible reminder of the way the building once looked, while also having a practical aspect of both light and energy efficiency.

“This is a capstone,” says Malcom. “It tops off what we’ve been trying to do for seven years. Right now we are blessed with having dozens of major supporters. I think when people see this it will make an impact.”

The windows, he noted, are being manufactured in Michigan by the Charlevoix company Wojan Window and Door. They will be installed in stages with the initial focus on the front of the building.

“This is a special building in a special community with many special people who care deeply about it,” says Malcolm.

A TRUE ARTS PARTNERSHIP

Plymouth ArtWalk program to install 10 outdoor pieces around downtown

Art Foundation, the nonprofit established by local artist Tony Roko, has officially launched phase two of its signature Plymouth ArtWalk program. Continuing the program’s successful first phase, completed in May 2021, the project activates and beautifies unused spaces into a curated outdoor gallery. The second phase will feature 10 art installations by Tony Roko in downtown Plymouth.

As the official sponsor for phase two, Plymouth-based Community Financial Credit Union has donated $50,000 in support of the program’s efforts to use artwork as the catalyst for community engagement. The partnership has unveiled the first two installations, both featured in CFCU’s home office in Plymouth.

The paintings in the initial installation of phase two are “’66,” Roko’s rendition of the iconic Ford Bronco, highlighting Roko’s background as Ford’s artist in residence, and “Cityscape,” Roko’s depiction of the Detroit skyline.

“Activating underutilized areas of Downtown Plymouth with interesting artwork is part of the Plymouth DDA’s five-year strategic plan,” said Sam Plymale, downtown development authority director for the City of Plymouth. “Creating community partnerships is critical to the success of Downtown Plymouth, and this next phase of the Plymouth ArtWalk would not be possible without the great community partnership with Community Financial Credit Union and Tony Roko’s Art Foundation.”

The eight remaining installations are planned for completion by April and will be located in the downtown Plymouth corridor in the alleyways connecting Penniman, Main Street, and Ann Arbor Trail to the parking deck located at 333 S. Harvey Street. The project will feature interactive opportunities for the community to engage with the artwork, including a QR code that directs to information about the artwork, Roko’s background, a podcast-style audio tour and more.

“Through expressing our collective human experience, I firmly believe that art holds the power to connect us. This is where my passion for bringing my art to my hometown stems from,” Roko said. “I’m excited about Community Financial spring-boarding into the future. Our partnership means so much to me because they care so deeply about people and deepening community impact. We are dreaming boldly together.”

Roko’s background began on the line at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, where he was recognized for his talents and named the company’s resident artist, painting murals in numerous Ford facilities. Now as one of Detroit’s most renowned and successful artists, Roko established Art Foundation in 2017 to provide high-level arts training and arts entrepreneurial training to the most underrepresented populations in metro Detroit.

“During my first few months returning to Michigan, I had

the opportunity to meet Tony and immediately knew a collaboration was in our future. Tony’s a dreamer and as we bring the impossible to life, partnering with dreamers matters deeply,” said CFCU president and CEO Tansley Stearns.

“As a credit union, our philosophies and foundation were born out of the Great Depression to serve humans that are of modest means while shaping their financial dreams. Our purpose is to create joy and ignite Michiganders' impossible dreams, and working with collaborators like Tony and Art Foundation is one way we can achieve this.”

In celebration of the launch of the collaboration, CFCU’s recently launched podcast, Despite Impossible (despiteimpossible.com), features Roko as the first guest. With the show focusing on stories of

individuals who have defied odds and don't comprehend the word ‘impossible,’ Roko serving as the inaugural guest honors the work he has done to benefit the Detroit community and the opportunity the partnership sees ahead.

Corner of Ann Arbor Road and N. Haggerty

Benjamin Swanson, M.D. Cardiologist