Planting the Future: Woodward Avenue Gets a Bit of Green

If you thought that Woodward Avenue was starting to look a little bleak, you’re not alone; this Sunday, the Bloomfield Hills City Commission announced the start of a brand new beautification program that would see Woodward lined with 150 new trees.

The effort is being fronted by City Commissioner Sarah McClure, whose fundraising efforts have raised over $65,000 dollars via donations from Bloomfield Hills residents and several local businesses, including landscaping company James C. Scott and Assoc. The donation money, combined with a $15,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation, will be used to plant and maintain the trees. When asked what types of trees were to be transplanted, Commissioner McClure said that “there’s quite a mix. Deciduous and evergreen.”

Besides providing a bit of greenery (and gold and red in the fall) to the medians, the trees will provide a variety of other benefits to the community. According to the EPA, trees can drastically reduce the temperature of the area in their shade and help fight off urban heat island effect—something anyone who’s dug their palms into the soil around a tree can likely attest to.  This is due to a process called evapotranspiration that occurs around the base of the tree; water transpires, or is sucked up, by the roots, and the rest of the moisture evaporates naturally, reducing the temperature anywhere between 25 and 40 degrees. According to the USDA Forest Service, evapotranspiration also improves water quality by reducing water runoff, naturally filtering out dangerous chemicals.

This latest beautification effort is emblematic of the dedication that the city of Bloomfield Hills has towards the environment, and shows the community’s desire to preserve it for future generations. So the next time you’re enjoying the shady drive down Woodward, remember that the trees are more than just relief for the eyes; they’re just a small part of helping keep our neighborhoods pristine and healthy.

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Last Day of Fun at the Rochester Farmer’s Market

As the holiday season edges closer and closer, the Rochester Farmers’ Market is nearing the end of its five-month stay on the corner of Water St. and East Third, just a stone’s throw off Main street. In fact, this Saturday, the 29^th, will be the final day that each vendor will have his or her fresh produce on display—so there’s no time like the present to stop by!

The market hosts dozens of local produce vendors from the southeast side of state, and offers a veritable cornucopia of flowers, vegetables, and fruits to browse and enjoy. The growers themselves are on hand to help select produce or even to just say hi, making the market more than just a supermarket aisle; it’s a community of Michiganians who care a lot about what they grow. A different vendor is highlighted each week, and this week’s featured vendor is Helga Soave of Choices Bath and Body, whose educational background in chemistry, coupled with a familial struggle with cancer, lead to her developing a holistic line of bath and body products.

In commemoration of the end of the farming season—and in keeping with the Halloween spirit—the Farmers’ Market is closing with a Trick-or-Treat Downtown, so be sure to bring the whole family and a costume for some festive fun with your neighbors. The Rochester Fire Department will also be hosting free hayrides and a spaghetti dinner, the proceeds of which will benefit the Rochester Area Youth Assistance, so don’t let your trick-or-treating candy spoil your appetite. Enjoy a hot plate of spaghetti with the rest of the community, and support a great organization in the process!

In Rochester, Halloween isn’t just about Hershey bars and spooky thrills; it’s also a time to come together as a city, to enjoy the local produce, and to help make our neighborhoods a safer place. So don’t miss out on all the Halloween fun—bring your family and friends to the last Farmer’s Market this Saturday, and celebrate the end of the season with the entire community!

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Bloomfield Community Feature: St. Dunstan’s Theatre

A few weeks ago, I made my first Community Feature post on the Cranbrook CEC, one of the many great institutions that make life in Bloomfield Hills vibrant, exciting, and educational—qualities that any homebuyer will want to look for when searching for their future neighborhood. Today, I thought I’d continue this feature, but also flip it on its head a bit; instead of focusing on the many science and learning opportunities offered by Cranbrook, I thought I’d do a feature on another important center of culture in Bloomfield Hills: St. Dunstan’s Theatre.

Located off Lone Pine Road where it intersects with Goodhue, St. Dunstan’s is a community theatre that can boast nearly a century of history. Originally built as the outdoor Cranbrook Greek Theatre in 1916, it was one of only a handful of such theatres in the state. The main playhouse, which now houses the majority of the Theatre’s events, was built later as a shelter in case the weather proved inhospitable for the outdoor shows, but has since stolen the limelight as the primary theatre. Although founded as a professional theatre, the theatre is now run by the St. Dunstan’s Theatre Guild of Cranbrook, a non-profit organization dedicated to “producing quality theatre” in the Cranbrook community.

And produce it does. Anyone is welcome to join the theatre, whether it be onstage or off, and the shows are widely acclaimed in the Detroit area. The current mainstage production is The 39 Steps, a comedy based upon Hitchcock’s 1935 spy thriller of the same name, and the show has only continued the St. Dunstan’s tradition of excellent theatre. In the spirit of Halloween, both shows on the 28^th and 29^th will be “costume” showings, so guests are advised to bring their favorite Hitchcock disguise and join the cloak-and-dagger atmosphere of the stage in their own seats! Disguise yourself well enough, and there might even be a prize to win at intermission…

The community of Bloomfield hills is one that’s dedicated to both the sciences and the arts, equally. Its residents understand the need to offer opportunities, no matter what the pursuit—which is exactly what your hometown should offer its homeowners.

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