Five Mile Proposals Sparking Heated Debate

Plymouth officials shoot down Meijer and Downs plans

By Larry O'Connor

Apair of controversial Plymouth Township developments have proponents and foes locked in a fierce debate over their overall footprint and whether they fit within the fiveyear-old Michigan International Technology Center.

At stake is the township’s heart and soul, residents say.

A proposed Meijer supercenter and Northville Downs harness raceway’s planned move to Five Mile and Ridge resulted in tense Plymouth Township planning commission sessions in the past month. The MITC corridor runs from Beck to Napier roads along Five Mile.

Meijer’s adversaries won Round 1.

The planning commission denied a special land use permit needed to build the 159,000-square-foot supermarket and gas station. The panel cited potential traffic congestion for rejecting the application at a meeting June 21.

The township Board of Trustees will consider final approval for the racetrack’s site plan and community benefit agreement.

The Downs project was not on the board’s July 11 meeting agenda but residents voiced their opposition. Both projects will decimate the township's tranquil setting, one detractor said.

“I live in a lovely community; it's being threatened by all these proposals,” said Laura Auwers during public comments. “Do not destroy my sanctuary. I live so humbly, peacefully and gratefully in Plymouth Township.”

The Northville Downs at Plymouth Township project features a half-mile track and a three-story 480-seat grandstand. The racecourse would open in spring 2024.

Residents worry a casinolike operation is in the race track’s long-term plans, despite assurances from Downs owner John Carlo and township officials who cite a state law that limit gaming establishments to the three existing ones in Detroit.

Critics remain wary, noting efforts to amend the state’s horse racing law so tracks can add up to 1,500 terminals for parimutuel betting.

An MITC consultant also refuted claims the 45-acre race track site is contaminated, a prospect raised by residents during the June 27 meeting. The Downs’ plan includes public soccer fields and pickleball courts.

The confusion stems from a 2018 environmental assessment, which was performed when the track property was combined with a separate 3-acre parcel, said MITC Brownfield Operations consultant James Harless in a July 5 report.

Contamination — including arsenic, cadmium, copper and mercury — is confined within the smaller lot owned by Hillside Ridge Holdings West, Harless’ report said. Northville Downs bought the larger parcel from Hillside in October.

“There is no reason to believe that the environmental conditions (on the 3 acres) are in any way connected,” Harless said.

Trustee Chuck Curmi is concerned about the proposed racecourse’s “real kicker,” a community development agreement being negotiated between Downs owners and the township. Curmi opposed granting the PUD option for the project, which the Board Trustees approved in a 6-1 vote on Feb. 28.

“There is some mixing of government and business covenants, which I find alarming,” said Curmi recently, “and residents should also.”

Critics further argue a retail outlet and betting track are businesses that will bring crime and not produce the high-paying jobs promised when 800-acre MITC corridor was set up in 2018.

A fluctuating real estate market caused planners to shift strategy, said Heise, who also serves as MITC Redevelopment Authority chairman.

Office space is going unfilled with more people working at home. As a result, planners cast their net beyond high-tech, engineering and bio-science firms. “And that includes retail,” he added.

Northville Lumber is investing $21.5 million to move operations on the northeast corner of Five Mile and Napier. The business is expected to open later this year. A hotel and retail are also in the works on Northville Township’s side.

Misleading information and questionable tactics have marred discussion on both of the Plymouth Township proposals, Heise said.

Anti-Meijer forces revealed Planning Commission chairman Dennis Cebulski’s home phone number in a blanket text sent days before the meeting. The chairman said his phone rang nonstop from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m.

"I started not to answer the phone after a while," said Cebulski, who was accused of "doing dirty backroom deals" by some callers.

Intimidation methods discourage volunteers from serving on township boards and commissions, the township supervisor said.

“That's where it got very political and very personal, and resulted in the doxing of an official,” Heise said, “which the last time I checked is a violation of federal law.”

The telephonic deluge did not sway his decision, said Cebulski, who cast the dissenting ballot in a 5-1 vote to shoot down the special use request. The permit would have allowed the Meijer center to be built on property zoned for light industrial use.

Commissioner James Berry was absent.

With the commission’s denial, the supermarket chain must wait a year before reapplying.

Cebulski said he favored allowing developer Southfield-based Redico to withdraw the proposal.

Redico president and CEO Dale Watchowski declined to speculate on when — or if — the Walker, Mich.-based retailer will resubmit the project.

Watchowski was puzzled about why recently approved $10 million in state aid to expand Five Mile didn't factor in the commission's decision.

The grant should cover construction costs from Beck to Ridge roads on the Wayne County-owned thoroughfare, Heise said.

MITC officials are working with Wayne County commissioners to secure more grant money to extend the Five Mile rebuild to Napier, the township supervisor said.

The developer disputed residents’ claims taxpayers are on the hook for $15 million to clean the contaminated site. Redico is paying for environmental remediation and will be reimbursed through the Brownfield Authority’s tax increment financing plan, Watchowski said.

“There was a lot of misinformation and, seeing it unfold, we said, 'let's just pull the application, and we’ll get back to you in a matter of weeks,’” Watchowski said.

An attorney representing Ned Jarwich, who owns a Shell Station at Five Mile and Beck, applauded the commission’s denial. Jarwich retained Joseph Xuereb in a fight to stop the supermarket chain’s expansion.

Xuereb said he was involved when in a similar effort in 2016 Meijer tried to build on the northwest corner of Five Mile and Beck. Despite fierce opposition, Northville Township trustees approved the project, which was scrapped when Redico swapped the land to build homes on the site.

The Livonia-based attorney said the text message was part of a marketing campaign, which was necessary to blunt the township supervisor’s attempt “to slide this in without the residents knowing.” retail and horse racing track. Are in favor of the proposals or would you like to see something else for the Five Mile corridor? Please email your to Editor Kurt Kuban at

“This idea that we doxed or bullied the planning commission is so stupid,” Xuereb added.

With the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s 2022-23 season concluding, it’s time to take one look back on some of the highlights from the Plymouth Canton Educational Park’s spring sports campaign.

There were several memorable highlights, both team-wise and individually for the studentathletes at Canton, Plymouth and Salem high schools.

Here’s a capsule look as the three schools will now turn the calendar and embark on the new 2023-24 MHSAA school year starting with the fall season.

Baseball

Salem (18-18, 4-10 KLAA West) took sixth in the division led by All-KLAA selections Robert Ahlgren and Ben Cannon, both seniors, along with junior Aaron Pryce. The Rocks lost to Northville in the second round of the Division 1-District 15 playoffs, 4-3.

Ahlgren was also named to play for the East squad in the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Classic played June 28 at Jimmy John’s Park in Utica. Salem’s John Wright was also named to the coaching staff.

Canton (14-21, 3-11 KLAA West) took seventh place and fell to Livonia Churchill in the second round of the district, 1-0. Earning All-KLAA honors for the Chiefs included senior Jack Will, along with juniors Caleb Williams and

Marcus Vince.

Longtime Canton head coach Mark Blomshield was also inducted into the MHSBCA Hall of Fame.

Plymouth (21-16, 2-12 KLAA West) finished eighth in the division and lost to Churchill in the first round of the district, 4-3. Seniors Drew Dawson and Joey Davis, along with junior Michael Nicholas, earned All-KLAA honors for the Wildcats.

Softball

Despite a losing record, Canton (14-17-1, 6-8 KLAA West) got hot at the right time and made a run all the way to the Division 1 quarterfinals before losing to eventual state runnerup Woodhaven, 5-1, at Albion College.

The Chiefs, coached by Al White, defeated Salem (3-2) and Plymouth (5-0) for the District 13 title and then won the Region 4 crown at Northville with a 3-0 victory over defending state champion Allen Park after eliminating Garden City earlier in the day, 5-1.

Earning All-KLAA honors for Canton included senior Camille Oyer, juniors Emma Grau and Ella Fournier, along with sophomore Ryley Frank. Grau, a pitcher, earned D1 honorable mention AllState honors.

Meanwhile, Plymouth tied with Canton for fourth in the KLAA West at 6-8 and had four players make All-KLAA including seniors Ashley Rosiewicz and Erika Tucker, along with sophomores Hannah Simko and Natalie McCall.

Rosiewicz, a shortstop, and Simko, a second baseman, both earned Division 1 first-team All-State honors by the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association.

Salem, which finished seventh in the KLAA West at 4-10, put three players on the All-Conference team including senior Megan Claerhout, junior Sydney Taylor and freshman Shannon McAuliffe.

Girls Soccer

Canton (11-5-5, 8-2-5 KLAA) took second in the West Division and captured the D1-District 11 championship with a 3-0 win over Salem after ousting Plymouth in the semifinals, 2-1.

In Region 3, the Chiefs defeated Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 1-0, before falling to Saline in the finals, 1-0 (overtime).

Senior forward Tara Dunn earned second-team All-State by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association. Senior forward Caril Urkainec earned third-team, while sophomore goalkeeper Campbell Appert and sophomore defender Scarlett Nuechterlein were named honorable mention.

The foursome earned All-KLAA honors along with junior defender Sydney Bohn, junior midfielder

Alexis Pickerel, junior midfielder Nora Schley and junior defender Chloe Hendricks.

Salem (10-8-3, 6-6-3 KLAA) took fifth in the West Division led by second-team All-Stater Olivia Schuck, a senior forward, while senior midfielder Emerson Lukomski was named third-team. Both earned All-KLAA honors along with senior midfielder Elyse Wiacek and senior defender Olivia Ahlgren.

Plymouth (5-10-3, 4-9-3 KLAA) finished seventh in the West and was led by honorable mention AllStater Allison Duggan, a senior forward. She earned All-KLAA honors for the Wildcats along with senior forward Brynn Riley and senior defender Haley Offerall.

BOYS TRACK & FIELD

Canton sophomore Quincy Isaac captured first place in the long jump (22 feet, 11 inches). In the Division 1 finals held June 3 at Rockford as the Chiefs tied for 13th in the team standings with 18 points.

Canton junior Nathan Levine was runner-up in the high jump with a leap of 6’-6”.

Plymouth tied for 15th in the team standings with 15 points led by senior Sean Byrnes, who was runner-up in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:12.65. He also teamed up with junior Anirudh Krishnan, senior Max Zoltowski and senior Alex Bobak for a fourth in the 4 x 800 relay (7:48.44). The of 5-10, while senior Kate Stewart took third in the pole vault after clearing 11-9.

Wildcats’ Idrys Cotton, a junior, took fifth in the shot put (52-0.5).

Meanwhile, Salem’s 4 x 800-meter relay team of senior Adam Andrews, junior Paul Quint, senior Elliot Carey and junior Mitchell Robillard placed sixth (7:55.27) and scored three points.

In the Region 6 meet May 19 at Livonia Stevenson, Northville came away with the team title with 143.5 points followed by runner-up Plymouth (91.5) and third place Canton (63.5). Salem was ninth with 22.

Individual PCEP regional champions included Cotton, shot put (71.7.5) discus (143-4); Levine, high jump (6-6); Isaac, long jump (22-2); Byrnes, 3,200 (9:20.1); and Canton senior Derrick Graves II, 110 hurdles (15.29).

In the Region 6 meet, Northville captured the team title with 124 points while Salem was runnerup with 115. Plymouth and Canton finished fourth and fifth, respectively, with 62 and 56 points.

First-place finishers for the Rocks included Morson, high jump (5-8); Kate Stewart, pole vault (12-6); and senior Emma Stewart, long jump (16-6.5). Salem’s 4 x 100 relay team of Emma Stewart, sophomores Gracyn Ray and Maeve Skinner, along with Morson, took first in 50.39.

Newman swept the 1,600 and 3,200 with times of 4:59.45 and 10:54.3, respectively.

Plymouth’s two individual champs included senior Mira Vulaj (200, 26.0) and senior Shravya Ghantasala (100 hurdles, 15.25).

Cosgrove, Cleveland and Timberlake also earned Division 1 honorable mention All-State honors by the Michigan High School Lacrosse Coaches Association.

Canton (6-12, 2-2 KLAA East) went 4-5 overall in the conference as seniors Dallas Newman (goalie), Gabe Porco (defender) and Ben Crova (midfielder) made AllKLAA.

Salem (4-14, 1-3) finished 1-8 overall in the conference and were led by All-KLAA picks Aaron Smith (defender) and Ben Gramer (midfielder), both juniors. Junior attacker Ryan Peters made honorable mention All-State.

Girls Lacrosse

Plymouth (5-8, 1-2 KLAA East) finished 2-5 overall in the conference while claiming PCEP honors with victories over Canton and Salem.

Canton and Plymouth tied for 10th with 331 as senior Luke Aldrich led Canton with a 77 (20th) and senior Aiden Newman added a 78 (24th). Plymouth senior Easton Andrews was 38th with an 81.

The top three team finishers included Novi Detroit Catholic Central (288), Brighton (296) and eventual state champion Northville (300).

In the KLAA postseason tourney May 31 at Kensington Metropark, Canton (319) took fourth led by Newman’s 73 (fifth individually). Aldrich added a 74 to place seventh.

In the KLAA preseason event, April 20 at Kensington, Newman and Aldrich tied for 19th individual with an 80 each.

In the final KLAA West Division standings, Canton was fifth (2-5); Salem, sixth (2-4) and Plymouth, eighth (0-5).

Girls Tennis

Novi (7-0) captured the KLAA West Division followed by Northville (6-1), while Canton (4-3) took fourth. Plymouth (3-4) and Salem (2-6) finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

In the D1-Regional 2 tourney at Novi, the host Wildcats took the team title followed by Northville (26) and Canton (15). Plymouth was seventh with three points, while Salem took ninth with one.

On May 13 at Howell, Northville captured the KLAA meet with 121 points followed up runner-up Belleville (70). They were followed by Plymouth (fourth, 61); Canton (sixth, 51); and Salem, 13th (21).

Isaac captured the long jump (22-2.75) and Levine took the high jump (6-6).

GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

In the D1 finals at Rockford, Canton senior Cara Newman earned All-State (top eight) in two individual events while scoring all five of the Chiefs’ points placing sixth in the 1,600 (4:52.95) and seventh in the 3,200 (10:50.18).

Salem junior Madison Morson was runner-up in the high jump for the second straight year with a leap

Northville scored 114 to win the KLAA meet with Salem finishing second with 91. Plymouth and Canton took seventh and eighth, respectively, with 44 and 37.

Individual champions include Newman, 1,600 (5:01.16); 3,200 (10:57.89); Ghantasala, 100 hurdles (15.36); 300 hurdles (46.66); Morson, high jump (5-4); and Emma Stewart, pole vault (12-0).

BOYS LACROSSE

Plymouth (8-9, 3-1) finished one game out of first behind Livonia United in the KLAA East Division, while going 5-4 overall in the conference.

Junior midfielder Evan Cosgrove, sophomore long stick midfielder Jimmy Cleveland, senior attacker Gavin Timberlake and senior goalie Griffin Amos garnered All-KLAA honors.

Earning All-KLAA honors for the Wildcats included Maggie Kime, Hannah Oberski, Ava Lemon and Danielle Turner.

Salem (5-8, 1-2) finished 2-5 in the conference and were led by All-KLAA picks Mileena Cotter, junior midfielder; Eric Cao, senior defender; and Kaitlyn Courtney, junior attack-midfielder.

Canton (2-16, 0-3) went 0-7 in conference action and were led by All-KLAA selections Abby Sullivan, a senior defender, along with Jordan Wetmore, a junior midfielder.

Boys Golf

Salem placed eighth in the Division 1-Regional 3 tourney May 31 at Salem Hill with a four-player team score of 324 as sophomore Dominic Chaput took 24th individually with 78.

Canton sophomore Saee Pawar, second seed at No. 2 singles, finished runner-up to Northville’s Sophia DePilla, 6-2, 6-1.

When Jim O’Farrell and some buddies stood around about three years ago at an Ypsilanti Township pole barn – aka The Shed – talking about doing something to help others in need, little did the small group of men realize what they were about to unleash.

“A group of us guys would hang out at what is called ‘The Shed,’ but actually it’s a guy’s pole barn,” O’Farrell reminisced. “And we would refer to each other as Shednecks.”

Discussions turned to what they could do to make the world a better place.

Plymouth resident O’Farrell soon pinned down who he and his fellow “Shednecks” wanted to help, namely teenagers and young adults battling various forms of cancer who fell between the cracks of efforts such as the Make-a-Wish Foundation – which primarily focuses on infants and children.

During his research efforts in autumn 2020, O’Farrell contacted the director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program at Ann Arbor’s C.S. Mott’s Children’s Hospital. The AYA was partially funded by Teen Cancer America.

“Her response was ‘This is absolutely fantastic, we don’t have anyone like you,’” O’Farrell continued. “She asked me what we wanted to do. We wanted to deliver some smiles.”

Not long afterward, the 501 (c)3 Shedneck Foundation was officially formed and O’Farrell became it’s CEO. Today, he along with board members Vince Kretschmer, Todd Saunders and Mike Sheppard are overseeing an endeavor that keeps on building in scope and impact.

Helping grant wishes for current cancer patients, known as the Shedneck “Warriors,” the foundation relies on the generosity of area businesses and philanthropic-minded community members.

Circle Of Friends

“There is no other organization that I’m aware of that is constructed, built like us, other than the Make-a-Wish Foundation,” O’Farrell said. “And we do not aspire to be anything like them other than the delivery of a wish. They are a global organization, … this (Shedneck Foundation) is all volunteer work, every single cent including tickets purchased goes to delivering these wishes for these warriors.”

The tickets he was referring to are for the upcoming, third annual Shedneck Foundation Hoe Down, set for 5-10 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 19 (at 676 W. Ann Arbor Trail near the historic Wilcox House in downtown Plymouth). Tickets are $50 and can be purchased in advance through www. shedneckfoundation.org.

This year’s fundraiser will help bring smiles and thrills to the current roster of warriors, a growing “Circle of Friends” now extending from the PlymouthCanton area to Belleville, Brighton and Livonia.

“We’ll have six warriors there (Aug. 19),” O’Farrell added.

Boosting the expanded circle is the organization’s new connection with Beaumont Hospital to help young people from the northern suburbs to augment the C.S. Mott network.

“That network, since having that first pole-barn meeting at The Shed has grown from one pole barn to several communities in southeast Michigan,” O’Farrell said. “We’ve (increased event attendance) from 100 to 300 and are hoping to get 400 at the Hoe Down. If we have to move to a bigger site, get a bigger tent, it’s a good problem to have.”

What is getting bigger and better had relatively modest beginnings during 2020-21.

The very first “Warrior” who the organization turned its attention to was then-Plymouth High School senior Zoe Weber, a friend of the O’Farrell family who was suffering from stage

2 Hodgkins Lymphoma. The illness, followed by rounds of chemotherapy, forced her to miss nearly her entire senior season on the Wildcats’ varsity girls’ lacrosse team.

Now age 20, Weber has recovered enough to return to play varsity women’s lacrosse at Adrian College. Meanwhile, patrons to the Ironwood Grille on Ann Arbor Trail near Main Street can glimpse her framed, high school No. 21 jersey on a restaurant wall.

Helping With Perspective

“It’s pretty cool, I felt really honored that they did that,” said Weber, who is an ambassador for the Shedneck Foundation. She want us to be one and done. So we changed how we approach creating this VIP wish. We meet with the family prior, we invite them to things we are doing. Each warrior, including Zoe, we have gotten to know their family.” and have them see first-hand what they are donating for or to.” intends to always be available to talk to new warriors about her experience and what they might expect.

The goal was to collect enough money to help Weber celebrate her senior prom.

“We went to Ironwood (Grill) for dinner and for my prom we went to (downtown) Detroit, got pictures, just hung out around there and spent the night at one of my friend’s house,” Weber recalled.

As magical as that night was, Weber said she is “a little jealous” at how the Shedneck Foundation is able to help 2023 Warriors with their own senior celebrations.

For example, the organization has grown enough to be able to send a Brighton teen and three other family members on a weekend excursion to the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands along the coast of North Carolina. But after a chuckle, Weber quickly asserted how great it is to make others’ dreams become reality.

And as those relationships have developed, other warriors and their families also stay connected.

“It has turned out to be a mental healing with the families,” O’Farrell said.

According to Weber, it is important for former warriors to be there for new ones joining the Circle of Friends, too. The 2023 Hoe Down will be attended by Weber, Alex Blue (Belleville), Lane Kleinglass (Canton), Peyton Mann (Brighton), Andy Kelly (Livonia) and Madison Odum (Brighton).

Those several hundred who don cowboy hats, boots and other Western-themed garb for the third annual Hoe Down are certain to come away from the Wilcox House even more committed than ever to helping deliver smiles.

“I’m doing good,” Weber noted. “July will be two years in remission and I feel good, I’m getting stronger, I’m getting my athleticism back.”

The second warrior was Autumn Waack, of Brighton, who passed away from her cancer in October 2022. O’Farrell said the foundation later this year will be doing a toy drive in Autumn’s memory for C.S. Mott’s Christmas store.

Looking back at the organization’s beginnings, O’Farrell said the Shedneck Foundation’s first fundraiser was a small-scale one in April 2021 attended by a handful of couples.

“I think the growth (of the Shedneck Foundation) is great, I’m glad we’re getting new warriors,” Weber said. “But I wish we didn’t have to get these warriors, I wish they didn’t have to go through all this. But it’s nice to help them out and give them a nice day out, or a nice trip and everything.

NOT ‘ONE AND DONE’

O’Farrell said the original concept was to provide warriors with their wish and move on to others in need.

“We would be ‘one and done,’ we’re going to deliver a wish and we’ll be done,” O’Farrell emphasized. “We’ll move on to the next one.”

But Weber and the Shednecks mutually wanted to not end their relationship anytime soon. That idea is becoming the rule rather than the exception.

“The challenge we faced with Zoe is, we loved her so much and she wanted to remain in contact,” O’Farrell explained. “She didn’t

“I think it’s really beneficial,” Weber stressed. “Because you don’t know what their situation is and everything. It might be hard at home, or they’re having a hard time with treatment… So it’s nice to have someone that’s been through it and able to talk to you about it.”

Weber also applauds the Shedneck Foundation for how it fills the void of attention and steps up for a demographic that might have unwittingly been overlooked by established charitable groups.

O’Farrell said the Hoe Down’s purpose goes beyond celebrating with the Warriors and their families. He underscored how important it is for those who have given to the foundation to see for themselves how their money or time is continuing to pay dividends.

“The reason we have the Hoe Down is to celebrate our warriors,” O’Farrell said. “But as we celebrate them, to take the people who have donated during the year, or by buying a ticket,