WESTLAND, Mich. – A Westland recreation center is set to close Saturday as the city's new budget kicks in.
The 45-year-old Melvin G. Bailey Recreation Center will be shuttered as the Westland Parks and Recreation Department merges with the City of Wayne Parks and Recreation Department.
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In a statement, Westland Mayor William R. Wild said the merger was part of an effort to "cut operational losses."
Westland residents will have access to a combined parks system, which includes more than 40 parks and trails, a nine hole golf course, two ice arenas and an incredible portfolio of ball diamonds, tennis courts and outdoor pavilions.
Under the merger, Westland's Bailey Recreation Center will be replaced with access to Wayne's Wayne Community Center, located at 4635 Howe Road, which has exercise equipment, banquet facilities, an indoor aquatic park and more.
The Ted D'Pulos Aquatic Park is a modern facility that has activities to please all ages, including swim lessons, water fitness classes, birthday parties, field trips, parent-tot swim, lap swimming and is also available for open swimming. All residents of Westland will receive resident rates at the Wayne Community Center on all memberships, classes and activities.
Many activities that were offered at the Bailey Center will now be offered at the Wayne Community Center. For more information, call 734-721-7400 or visit www.cityofwestland.com.
In an expansion of the City's shared services portfolio, the joint venture with result in a savings of $900,000 annually for Westland while Wayne expects recreation revenues to increase 60-70%.
"The Bailey Recreation Center had lost over $4 million in the last five years and in addition to the savings, this shared service will help qualify the City for $1.7 million in statutory revenue sharing for the 2012/2013 fiscal year as part of the state mandated Economic Vitality Incentive Program (EVIP)," Wild said.