A Taste of Mackinac Island in Downtown Plymouth
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Here is the list of readers who supported local journalism this month:
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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 SPIELMAN – Editor
Scott graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Journalism. He covered western Wayne County for more than 12 years at several publications before transitioning into corporate communications and media relations. A Canton resident, he has also finished his first novel and is hard at work on his next.
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.
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.
MICHELE FECHT – Writer
Michele is an award-winning journalist whose first post-college reporter position was at The Northville Record before moving on to The Detroit News. She has been a City of Northville resident for nearly 40 years and is an author, researcher and local history enthusiast.
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.
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
SUE VOYLES – Writer
Growing up, Sue always knew she wanted to be a writer. She has written for many publications over her long career in public relations and journalism, and taught English and journalism at Schoolcraft College. In 2022, she received the national Headliner Award from the Association for Women in Communications.
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.
BRYAN MITCHELL – Photographer
Bryan started working as a photographer more than 30 years ago, and was a staff photographer for the Plymouth Observer in the 90s. He has freelanced for The Detroit News, The Guardian, Reuters, and other publications. His photography has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the globe.
at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com
Hunger is a local issue, too
It’s hard to believe in a country as prosperous as ours and in communities as generally affluent as Plymouth and Canton, people face food insecurity every day.
Unfortunately, that's the world we live in--even if most of us don't see it. It’s an easy issue to miss, unless you’re looking for it. More often than not, those facing food insecurity tend to hide it pretty well.
The issue is getting worse, too. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released a report indicating the number of food-insecure households in the country rose from 44 million to 47 million in 2023, which is about a 6% increase over the previous year. That means nearly one out of every seven people (and one out of every five children) face food insecurity. I think that’s an astonishing figure, and I’m not alone.
“We must not accept that one in seven people, including one in five children, experience food insecurity in the wealthiest nation in the world,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, in a press release about the report.
I recently took on a communications and public relations position with Food Gatherers, an organization that is based in Ann Arbor and dedicated to eliminating hunger—and the root causes of it—in Washtenaw County. I am convinced it is a solvable problem. Food Gatherers rescued and distributed nearly 10 million pounds of food last year alone. There is potential for more, too—it’s a math and logistics problem, trying to find the proper formula for getting available food to the people who need it.
That’s why I was also encouraged to see another press release, this one from the Plymouth-Canton Community School District, about a food distribution program currently under way. The district will provide free bags of fruits and vegetables out of Discovery Middle School in Canton (on Hanford Road, near Canton Center) from 4-6 p.m. on Fridays through Oct. 11 until supplies last each week.
This district is partnering with several local and regional organizations on the project, including Gateway Farm, Plymouth Orchards & Cider Mill, Troy-based Dick & Jane Baking Co., Country Ridge Bean and the Michigan Bean Commission.
“At Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, our team of nutrition and food specialists is committed to sourcing local fruits, vegetables and beans from our amazing local Michigan farms and farm cooperatives, who are an essential part of our community,” said Kayla McDaniel, director of Food and Nutrition for the district. “This program is a wonderful opportunity to get fresh produce into the hands of students in our communities, provide nutritional education about the food they are eating, teach them about the farms growing their food and create the opportunity for our families to enjoy fresh and nutritious local produce.”
The importance of access to nutritious food cannot be overstated. It fuels the future for our kids. It helps them concentrate better, learn better, feel better—even be more social. Food insecurity may be a hidden issue in our community, but it is an issue, and it will take a dedicated community effort to eradicate it. Kudos to the school district for recognizing it and doing their part.
In other school news, the district recently announced a grant from the Native American Heritage Fund to help fund the rebranding of the Canton High School mascot from the Chiefs to the Cobras. The NAHF will contribute $145,000 to the cause.
I’m curious to see if that will alleviate some of the hard feelings this change caused and how the change will (or if it will) factor into this year’s school board race. The cost was only one part of the change that was unpopular while it was being discussed; there is also the historical component, loyalty to the school and the name: “Once a Chief, always a Chief.” I still see some recall signs in my neighborhood when I'm out walking the dogs.
I can see both sides of it. I always looked at “chief” as a sign of respect, or leadership. I can also understand why people of Native American heritage would find offense at its use, too. For what it’s worth, I attended Plymouth Christian Academy and always looked at high school as something to get through and get away from, not hold on to. As always, thanks for reading and I’d be happy to hear your thoughts.
JOSH WEAVER’S JOURNEY TO HOLLYWOOD
YOUR VOICE: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Parks millage is smart investment
An exceptional city invests in the public amenities that make it a desirable place. For generations, Plymouth's abundant parks and high-quality recreation programs have made us special, and we now have the chance to protect the vitality of these public treasures by supporting a dedicated parks and recreation millage on Nov. 5.
The 1.2 mills for eight years proposed was thoughtfully chosen to address $4.4 million in deferred and projected maintenance and capital improvements to our neighborhood parks and the Cultural Center, plus reactivate Pointe Park in Old Village and provide for a multiuse, multi-age turf field, which is necessary to continue offering a robust recreation program (currently hampered by our severely shrinking access to outdoor field space).
Every Plymouth resident benefits from a parks and recreation system that is adequately funded and responsibly maintained by its community, one that deeply values these critical public assets. I hope you'll join me and my family in voting "yes" for our Plymouth Parks and Recreation on Nov. 5.
Kelly O'Donnell Mayor
Pro Tem, City of Plymouth
The ‘ol’ bait and switch’
In response to the parks and recreation millage being placed on the ballot this November, so far there is little to like about the proposal and much to question.
The taxes collected will be a blank check and can be used to pay salaries and any other operating costs, with no guarantee the money will be used to update equipment and facilities.
While admitting they don’t have the budget to pay for our current parks, the city doesn’t prioritize updating our current parks over all their new spending.
The residents’ input into the 2018 Parks Master Plan (which was a true joint effort between the city and township) resulted in many goals where the city and township would work together to share assets and costs. Our new Master Plan is Plymouth City only. The commission is ignoring the voice of city residents and not working with the township. Historically, millages are usually temporary tax increases used for specific purposes and
usually the last resort used to fund major or unexpected expenses. If this millage was strictly targeted to update the equipment in our current parks, that would be consistent with how millages have been used and would probably easily pass.
However, when the City Commission complains that they don’t have money to maintain our current parks, but they want to spend the new tax money on a new artificial turf field, a fancy new electric Zamboni and a brand-new park, it feels like the ol’ bait and switch and is not fiscally responsible.
After all, we all like parks, and Old Village has truly been neglected. But are these improvements worth all the extras? Will future budgets support them?
The City Commission recently stated they “have done what they set out to do: we said that we would listen and we listened.” When the residents feel the city’s “dialog” was a one-way information session, it appears the Commission only checked the “We Listened” box instead of actually engaging residents. If the millage passes, at the end of eight years the money will be gone but the city will still have a long list of parks in need of updates. In fact, that list of parks will be even longer. Sadly, it appears this commission feels that is a concern for future City Commissions to worry about and that we may have to live with.
Ron Picard
Concerts are aptly named
I read your story in June’s The Rock and your comments about Jack Wilcox. On many Wednesdays, Jack would wander through Music in the Park. At one point I introduced myself. After that, he would stop for a few minutes and look around. I asked him if the concerts were too noisy. He looked at me and said, “Of course not.”
I always enjoyed seeing Jack. I would have loved to sit down and chat with him, but that was not him. It’s nice that those concerts are called “Wilcox Music in the Park” concerts.
How about a recreation center?
Please consider a community recreation center as an alternative for the land on Five Mile where the race track was proposed. I am aware that funding will be the biggest question. Are grants available -- state, federal, non-profit sources? I have to believe within the Plymouth community we have individuals familiar with grant writing to help acquire some of the funding.
Can we not inquire about the funding plan used for the Canton Summit? How were they able to afford their facility? To assist with funding, membership could be open to those outside the Plymouth area - Northville, Novi, and South Lyon, for example. Perhaps the membership fee is based on the contribution linked to the funds raised and contributed by these surrounding community areas?
Why a community center? Similar to the Canton Summit, a Plymouth center would serve the entire community from the very youngest to our oldest members, providing an outlet for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. A community fitness center creates an environment where we can connect with each other. Planet Fitness and other organizations do not offer this same type of connectedness that you achieve from a community-based facility.
Nice job with The Rock.
Debra Madonna
SOUND OFF
In addition to the expected basketball and racquet courts, an aquatic center, walking track, and fitness rooms, the possibility for a multi-purpose/conservatory type room where members can enjoy a coffee and a snack would be greatly used and valued. Sustainable day dining could be offered with allocated land being used as a garden allotment or a nature walk area. Opportunities for service learning for all ages could be organized by engaging with local schools. What better way for young people to learn about caring for the planet than by being active contributors? Local jobs would be generated for young people and retirees alike. These are just a few ideas, regarding funding options as well as program and planning proposals. If you feel this could be a worthwhile and valuable investment for everyone, please share your thoughts, ideas with those in a position to consider this option.
Laurie Mackaill
Please submit your letters by emailing Editor Scott Spielman at scottyspielman@gmail.com. Letters should be no more than 150 words. We reserve the right to edit all letters.
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‘Brimming With Heritage’ Historic District Commission marks township’s past
Plymouth residents have a new place to learn about the community’s past — and it’s right out in the open.
Township officials unveiled a new historical marker at Golfview Park recently to accent the work that has recently taken place there. The park is located
By Scott Spielman
from its former apple orchards to Old Plank Road, one-room school houses and the old Gunsully Mill—which, now restored, is located in Greenfield Village. The mill operated from 1850-1890 just north of the Plymouth Road overpass.
“This has been a very wellreceived, collaborative effort
“Our history isn’t just about our past, it’s about our present and our future. When we learn more about our history, it helps us to understand how we got to this moment in time.”
Wendy Harless, of the Plymouth Township Historic District Commission
off Ann Arbor Trail and Beck roads, just south of the Hilltop Golf Course.
With the heading ‘A Township Brimming With Heritage,’ the marker depicts scenes and provides information about the history of Plymouth Township,
between the township and also Wayne County,” said Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise.
The marker was the brainchild of Plymouth historian Jack Dempsey and led by the Historic District Commission. It was included in improvements at the
Environmental Leadership Commission.
“The idea behind the covid funding was to get people outside, to breathe clean air and enjoy recreation,” Heise said. “We used almost all of that Wayne County money to clean up the forest area here, to plant native plantings and also to fund the historic marker. It’s all part of the parks millage.”
The Historic District Commission is an all-volunteer group that seeks to educate the community about its unique past, said HDC chair Wendy Harless, a life-long township resident.
“Our history isn’t just about our past, it’s about our present and our future,” she said. “When we learn more about our history, it helps us to understand how we got to this moment in time.”
Despite her own history in the township, she said she learned a lot about the community while researching the project.
“If we approach things with an open mind, we can create spaces that people are excited to experience, spaces we can all enjoy — like this beautiful new park, where people can
park that were funded through the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA), which was enacted to help the country recover from the covid pandemic, and the Wayne County parks millage.
Other improvements at the park include a walking path around its triangular footprint, benches and native plantings suggested by the township
come together in the spirit of community and cooperation,” she said. “I hope everyone can learn something from this marker and it motivates them to do some research on their own.”
State Rep. Matt Koleszar has spent the past six years fighting for the residents of Plymouth and Plymouth Township
Endorsed
by
Suzie Deal, Mayor of Plymouth
Alanna Maguire, Plymouth City Commissioner
Jen Kehoe, Plymouth City Commissioner
Brock Minton, Plymouth City Commissioner
Nick Moroz, Plymouth City Commissioner
☑ Secured Funding for a new Police Cruiser for the Plymouth Police Department and a new band shell for Kellogg Park
☑ $1.5 Million for Economic development in Plymouth Township
☑ Funding for the long-needed resurfacing of 5 Mile Road
Re-Elect Matt by Mail or on Nov 5th
THE ROCK IN FOCUS WITH SEAN POWER
Community Spirit Shines At Fall Festival
Fall-like weather brings out the crowds for annual Plymouth celebration
The annual Fall Festival returned to downtown Plymouth from Sept. 6-8, filling the town with the sounds of music and laughter and teasing the nose with the tantalizing smells of sizzling food. The weather was great – and downright fall like.
The festival has been a community staple for nearly 70 years—it originated in 1956 as a Rotary barbecue and evolved into the Fall Festival four years later. Each year, community service groups gather to entertain and educate and raise funds that will be put right back into the community in the form of neighborhood improvements, park enhancements, scholarships and much, much more.
In addition to the carnival, local entertainment, pancake breakfast, spaghetti dinner and, of course, the Rotary Chicken Barbecue—which served up more than 10,000 chicken dinners on Sunday—the event featured a pet show, car show and plenty of community spirit.
Photographer Sean Power was there throughout the weekend to capture it all.
Josh Weaver’s journey of creativity and innovation led him to Hollywood
By Wensdy Von Buskirk
Josh Weaver's career has been anything but ordinary. From developing successful games with the company that created Exploding Kittens to starring in FOX's We Are Family, the Plymouth native stays on the cutting edge of creativity while maintaining his local ties.
Growing up in Plymouth and Northville, Josh’s love for the arts began early, leading him to University of Detroit Jesuit High School and later to Western Michigan University. Initially set on a career in theater, Weaver found a talent for public relations.
“Auditioning to get into PR felt like being in theater again,” Josh recalls. “I absolutely fell in love with it.”
BETTING ON VEGAS
Weaver’s passion for PR led him to Las Vegas, where he worked during the early days of social media. He convinced his
coworkers to invest in Twitter when it was still an SMS-based service.
“It was like everyone had a personal megaphone, and then people got the hang of turning it into a social place,” he explains.
This knack for understanding emerging technologies and trends set Weaver apart, ultimately leading him to Zappos, where he played a key role in negotiating major deals with social media giants like Instagram, Facebook,
and Twitter. Zappos was the first to launch an ad on Instagram, a move that transformed digital marketing.
After his success at Zappos, Weaver joined the company that created Exploding Kittens, a quirky card game that captured the public's imagination and shattered crowdfunding records, raising over $8.7 million on Kickstarter.
His first project as marketing director was to develop an entire tabletop gaming convention called Burning Cat, complete with a 22-foottall talking cat statue and 10,000 planned attendees. Set for May, 2020, the event was canceled due to COVID.
Weaver’s role at the company shifted to running the marketing and public relations teams, where he helped develop marketing launch plans for more than 20 board games, including the Toy of the Year Game "A Game of Cat & Mouth" and two digital games for mobile — Exploding Kittens: the app and Kitty Letter.
“I’m living the dream and going out to auditions for people who need a chunky bearded boy from the Midwest.”
Plymouth native Josh Weaver
LIVING IN LA
Amid the whirlwind of success, Weaver realized he needed a change. He moved to Los Angeles to explore new creative avenues, including acting and film production. He has since landed roles in several movies and acted in shorts for film festivals. He also represents actors and artists as a publicist.
Weaver appeared on FOX’s We Are Family, a game show that has contestants guess the identity of a celebrity based on an array of clues.
“It was a blast," he says. "I was in all 10 episodes, and it really stretched my pop culture knowledge."
The show aired early this year and can be streamed on Hulu.
Now, Weaver works at Ad Leverage, an agency specializing in localized advertising strategies. He lives in West Hollywood with his partner, Lizzie Spellman, a professional improv actor.
“She does a couple shows a week and I do my best to be a loving publicist where I can,” he says. “It’s been great getting into another genre of performing, working to represent more improv actors.”
In July, things came full circle when Weaver returned to work with the team at Exploding Kittens to finally debut the giant
cat statue “Catleesi,” pass out games and promote the new Exploding Kittens show on Netflix at this year’s San Diego Comic Con.
Despite his many achievements, Weaver remains connected to his roots.
“My family is still all in Plymouth,” he shares. “My mom
still sends me clippings from the local newspaper.”
As Weaver forges his way in the entertainment industry, he says he’ll continue to seek roles that will make his family proud.
“I’m living the dream and going out to auditions for people who need a chunky bearded boy from the Midwest,” he quips.
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Peek Inside Your Health: Full Body MRI Screenings Unveil Silent Issues Before Symptoms Arise
(SOUTHFIELD, MI) Full body MRI clinics have gained national attention lately, as TV personalities publicly share their personal full body scan experiences. One actress credits the scan for saving her life after doctors dismissed her unexplained pain for months. After various tests, including a CT scan, had “unremarkable” results, the pregnant actress became her own advocate, searched out a full body MRI clinic and discovered she had pancreatic cancer. Thanks to early detection the tumor was removed successfully.
As a general rule, when symptoms occur related to cancer, it usually has progressed to stage three or four. Even with annual physicals, there are limitations. Most screenings only cover about 29% of cancers with 71%
occurring outside of where doctors are able to screen. However, full body MRI scans can detect cancer in every organ from the top of the head through the genitals and can detect it very early.
For a long time, full body MRI scans were available only in select areas outside of Michigan, requiring expensive flights like in Vancouver or California. However, this changed when a clinic opened in Southfield, making these scans available to Metro Detroit residents.
“Our advanced MRI screening can detect cancers very early when they are as small as a pencil eraser and are more easily treatable. If cancer goes undetected, however, it can grow into stage three or stage four with difficult treatments. We can
also identify conditions such as brain, abdominal, chest, and groin aneurysms,” stated the founder of the Southfield clinic called Bionicc Body Screening.
The primary focus of Bionicc Body Screening is to deliver peace of mind, offering a comprehensive and detailed imaging of the body’s internal structures. The ultimate hope is for excellent health. However, in the event that something is detected, the advanced screening aims to catch any potential issues at their earliest stages. This approach offers the best opportunity for successful treatment outcomes, should the need arise.
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Blending Old New
Local B&B Robyn’s Inn mixes time-tested hospitality with modern style
By Sue Voyles | Photos by Ken Voyles
Tucked away in downtown Plymouth is a 100-plus year-old gem with a history that goes back to the early days of automobiles. Today the historic home called Robyn’s Inn is a quaint bed and breakfast that seamlessly blends old and new, welcoming guests from near and far.
Innkeeper Robyn Hyde said she always felt drawn to the hospitality industry.
“In my freshman year of college, I worked on Mackinac Island one summer at the Hotel Iroquois and it was one of my favorite jobs in the world,” says Hyde, adding that the experience really confirmed her career path. Turns out that working under the guidance of the Iroquois’ innkeeper Margaret McIntire,
or Mrs. Mac as she was referred to, would shape Hyde’s future innkeeper career in ways she could not yet imagine.
PURSUING HER DREAM
Hyde grew up in Northville, where her mom Nancy Baidas still lives some 45 years later. While a student at Northville High School, she worked at the Sheraton Detroit Novi on Haggerty Road. Even then, she demonstrated talent for the hospitality business.
“They wanted to hire Robyn after graduation, and I had to ask her, ‘Did you tell them you’re leaving for college?,’” says Baidas.
Pursuing her dream, Hyde headed to Purdue University, where she earned a degree in hospitality and tourism management.
She worked all through college
at summer jobs with hotels to gain experience, including the Chateau Elan, a 3,500-acre resort in Atlanta, Georgia featuring championship golf courses, a winery, high-end culinary experiences and health spa. While there, she worked as a spa receptionist, assisted with golf tournaments and banquets, facilitated wine tastings and tours and managed the retail outlet.
Back at Purdue University, Hyde also assisted with conferences and meetings for various clients, as well as working as a server at the university president’s campus home.
Graduating from Purdue, Hyde joined the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, starting at the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in Sante Fe, New Mexico handling sales and
catering. She eventually moved over to the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas, originally a 1920s private residence that is now considered one of the city’s luxury hotels.
“I was traveling quite a bit, working on corporate accounts and entertainment clientele, trying to get them to stay at the Rosewood in Dallas,” she says.
Ultimately, Hyde wanted to come back to Michigan to be closer to family. “I started looking in 2018 and none of the hotels in Detroit at the time really spoke to me. I couldn’t find the right fit.”
It was also the time that a bed and breakfast near Harvey and Penniman, called 932 Penniman, went up for sale. The 1903 Victorian style home was built by Dr. Harrison Nichols as a gift for his wife, Ella Roe Nichols, who lived there until her death in 1934. Nearly 60 years later, the private residence was purchased and transformed into a historic bed and breakfast in 1995, with the new owners adding a carriage house behind the original home.
“My sister sent me the listing as
kind of a joke. She said, ‘here’s a bed and breakfast for sale,’” recalls Hyde. “My whole family met me at the listing appointment and walked through. Then we sat down for lunch in Plymouth afterward and got everyone’s opinion.”
With her mom’s help, Hyde purchased the property in January 2019. The property featuring three rooms in the main house and two rooms in the carriage house “had really good bones and it made sense.”
B&B’S REBIRTH
By February, Hyde was hosting an estate sale to empty out the home before starting renovation to create her vision of what would be called Robyn’s Inn.
The renovation uncovered more issues than anticipated and took longer than expected due to the pandemic, but was nonetheless a “labor of love,” says the 34-yearold Plymouth resident. “We found a local contractor that had a historic renovation background, and he was great to work with. He could tell what had been added in the 1990s and what was period correct.”
bird names,” says Hyde, adding that it took “a long time to pick out the names because I didn’t want to use well-known birds like cardinals.” The final results? Starling, Goldfinch, Sparrow, Lark and Wren.
Of course, there was also the work of learning to be an innkeeper.
“I had no experience with bed and breakfast operations. We did a couple of courses and went to aspiring innkeeper school,” says Hyde. “We are part of Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association and we went to the national conference for B and Bs before we opened. The vendor area was the place where we got to touch the sheets, towels, and items before buying them. Listening to the veteran owners and their ups and downs was very helpful, too.”
A TASTE OF MACKINAC ISLAND
Walking around the property today, it’s clear that Hyde’s experience at the Hotel Iroquois (which dates back to 1902, just one year apart from 932 Penniman) and the relationship she developed
While the expected renovation of six months that stretched to two years was challenging, there was the fun of rebranding the business to Robyn’s Inn, a name, Baidas says was a natural choice. “Robyn always loved her name, which her sister picked out.”
“It’s a B and B thing to name every room, so we had to do
screened in and we were sitting on the porch and wondered what would Mrs. Mac do to make this a Mackinac Island porch?” That question resulted in removal of all the screens to create a porch that features comfortable seating with a bird’s eye view of Penniman Avenue.
From the lavish gardens featuring a gazebo and wrought iron fence (all added by Hyde), to the marble flooring in the bathrooms, to the hardwood floors, to the rooms featuring soft robes hanging in the closet and comfortable bedding accented by serene décor of neutrals with “pops of blue,” to the bicycles parked and ready to ride, everything at Robyn’s Inn has been carefully curated.
Much of that has been a partnership between Hyde and her mother, who studied interior design in college, although never pursued a professional career.
The original fireplace in the parlor is just one example.
pastries from So Delish in Livonia – all served using china and crystal selected by Hyde.
Two years after the purchase, the Inn opened for Plymouth Ice Festival 2021. While it was a learning curve in the beginning, Hyde has settled into her role, welcoming guests including fans attending University of Michigan football games, businesspeople from Germany and Israel, as well as those visiting family in Plymouth who don’t have space in their own homes to host.
“I love hosting people, whether it’s here or at home,” she says. “I love just talking with our guests and hearing why they are coming to Plymouth. I get to know them and hear their stories. They become like family.” In fact, when Hyde gave birth to her daughter, now age one, she received many gifts from past guests.
Hyde beams with contentment as she walks around the Inn.
with Margaret McIntire and her daughter Becky, who helped run the hotel, has influenced many features of Robyn’s Inn.
“Mrs. Mac and Becky were totally inspirational to Robyn,” says Baidas, adding that Becky was one of the first guests at the Inn.
“The original porch was all
“The tile was cracked and so we went to Pewabic Pottery and picked out new tile,” says Baidas, noting that the design and colors selected by her and her daughter harmonizes with the chairs in the dining room, where guests enjoy breakfast during their stay.
“We make sure guests have a great breakfast,” says Hyde, who shops almost daily at local markets to provide the fresh fruit and yogurt for granola parfaits and juice, coffee from Espresso Elevado in Plymouth and quiche
“We know the house will stand another 100 years with all the work we have done. I would like to continue as long as I can, and it works for our family.”
Inn
OWNER: Robyn Hyde
ADDRESS: 932 Penniman Ave., downtown Plymouth
PHONE: (734) 667-3343
WEBSITE: robynsinn.com
Rock
Robyn's
City Awaits Word On Revised ‘Brookside’ Plan
Neighbors say mixed-use development would bring traffic, density concerns
The fate of a prominent piece of property near downtown Plymouth may soon be up for debate again. City officials and residents alike are waiting to see the latest version of a proposed mixed-use development at the site of the First Church of Christ, Scientist on Ann Arbor Trail. The project, tentatively named ‘Brookside,’ would see the two current structures demolished and replaced by a smaller church and several residences.
“They’re not scheduled for any agenda right now,” said John Buzuvis, the city’s Economic Development Director. “At some point they’re going to be coming back, but I don’t know exactly when that will be. I think it’ll certainly be before the end of
the year.”
The 2.2 acre parcel on Ann Arbor Trail, just outside of the Plymouth Downtown Development Authority (DDA), has been the topic of discussion for more t han a decade; the property has been for sale off and on since about 2006, when the city was in talks to purchase it for additional downtown parking.
By Scott Spielman
There are two buildings on site now, one 8,000 square feet and the other, 4,200. The initial plan consisted of 30 2.5-story townhomes along with a 3,000-square-foot church. The most recent version included 20 townhomes and the church structure.
The land is zoned for mixeduse low density on the future
land use plan, Buzuvis said, ideally to transition from the more commercial downtown area and the single-family residences to the west.
The combination of the size of the lot and the desire to keep a church on the property, along with the proximity to the Tonquish Creek drain present some challenges to development.
“There’s been one (church) in downtown ever since I can remember; they’ve been in
various spots,” he said. “That’s very important to the church to maintain that. That has been part of their desire criteria.”
Even with fewer townhomes, residents are concerned that the project is overly dense and would bring too much traffic down the nearby streets— particularly on Sheridan and Joel streets, where the church lot meets the entrance to Tonquish Manor.
“There are already safety issues at the corner. It’s mayhem half the time,” said Tom Dolan, whose house sits on the corner of Joel and Sheridan. “I’ve been repeating that. I’ve been asking both the city and the developer to refute what I say. Nobody has ever responded. It’s almost like they’re ignoring that corner.”
Others said it was simply two dense and would not fit the character of the neighborhood.
“It’s so ill-conceived and it’s all designed to just jam as much stuff in this space,” said Scott Lorenz, who lives nearby. He and his neighbors have spoken against the project.
“We pay the price, in that the city loses part of the charm that makes it so attractive to people who want to live here. It’s a dagger in our heart, whether we are immediately impacted by the traffic or not. We’re defending Plymouth and the charm and what makes it so great,” Lorenz continued.
“None of us are opposed to development. I would be totally fine if they did a big development that was consistent with the existing zoning,” added David Pierce. “That wouldn’t bother me at all. It’s just that this project, I don’t think it’s good for Plymouth. It’s very out of character.”
The project has been proposed as a Planned Unit Development (PUD), which stipulates the developer would be required to provide some community benefits in exchange for more flexible zoning. Among those being discussed are a proposed pocket park on Ann Arbor Trail and enhancements to the Tonquish Creek walkway.
“It’s been a strategic goal of the city commission for
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
There have been multiple redevelopment proposals for the 2.2-acre First Church of Christ, Scientist property on Ann Arbor Trail just west of Harvey. Proposals have called for 20 to 30 townhomes, and a smaller church. What would you like to see on the site? Email opinions to Editor Scott Spielman at scottyspielman@gmail.com.
years to improve that path,” Buzuvis said. “That’s been on the list for a while, but it’s challenging.”
Buzuvis said he expected an informal study session about the project prior to its return to the planning commission and, ultimately, the city commission. That could happen later this month or in October, he said, but nothing has been put on the books yet.
Residents said that they’ll continue to voice their concerns and hope the city will take them into account—which, they added, has not always been the case.
“This isn’t an emotional response from us that we don’t want all these homes. This is very wellthought-out, very tactical reasons—black and white, not emotional—about
why this project doesn’t work,” said Kathryn Szary, who
lives down the street from the project. “I think that’s the most frustrating part: we are truly, as a community, bringing well thought out, factual points to be considered and they’re being waved off. There’s no response from the mayor, there’s no response from anyone saying they’re looking into it. It’s just ‘thank you for your comments.’”
A Big Relief!
Penn Theatre gets tax exemption it needed
That dark property tax cloud hovering above downtown Plymouth’s cherished Penn Theatre finally is gone – bringing a much sunnier long-term financial picture for the 83-year-old historic treasure.
After nearly 32 months embroiled in a legal struggle with the City of Plymouth, the Penn Theatre received property tax exemption and thus will not be on the hook for a coffers-draining annual tax bill of $25,000.
“A lot of people think it (the case) is (about) our non-profit status, which it is not that,” stressed Ellen Elliott, Friends of the Penn executive director. “Really, to make it clear, this is all about property tax exemption. When a non-profit organization owns and occupies a building, they’re eligible for property tax exemption per the law in Michigan. For some reason, the city didn’t think we were eligible for that, but we were.
By Tim Smith
“For us to finally be on the other side of it is really nice, because we have to move on and start to really focus on things we can do with programming and necessary building improvements.”
According to an e-mail from City Manager Paul Sincock, “the city is satisfied with the resolution of this matter and looks forward to continuing its partnership with Friends of the Penn.”
The standoff dates back to early 2022, when the Plymouth Board of Review, assisted by the city assessor, determined Friends of the Penn did not meet the criteria established in previous Michigan Tax Tribunal cases to be designated as a charitable organization, noted Sincock in his e-mail.
But Michigan Tax Tribunal Judge Patricia L. Halm recently determined that the Friends of the Penn does qualify as a charitable institution and that the Penn itself qualifies as a non-profit theatre.
goers and community members the best programming possible.
“We have some issues, like in the basement with ground water that we’ve needed to get addressed,” she noted. “We knew it’s going to be a lot of money.
“We’re hoping to be able to reset and get on track to make sure the building has what it needs to stay viable for the next generation. In terms of programming, we’re full-steam ahead on everything we’ve been doing with the schools and free field trips for kids and keeping the price low ($5) for the movies themselves.”
Elliott continued to stress that a message she continuously delivers to the public is that “the building is never truly saved, because you don’t know what’s going to happen.
Halm ruled that she agreed with Friends of the Penn that, “preserving and maintaining the property, it is able to offer the theatre to the community for films and live events, which is, after all, the purpose of the theatre property itself.”
She added that Friends of the Penn’s “activities as a whole… constitute a charitable gift for the benefit of the general public.”
MUCH-NEEDED BOOST
In addition to not being required to pay the tax bill each year going forward, Elliott said Friends of the Penn (the 501c3 non-profit community group which bought the theatre outright in 2021) would receive about $75,000 including reimbursement for the 2022 and 2023 tax bills.
Having that money will be essential to help keep the building’s infrastructure in good repair, be ready for any unwanted surprises that could occur and be ready to continue offering movie-
“But if you don’t have to have these ongoing tax payments, that you know are only going to increase, that helps you be able to use the money for things that are important. It gives us a little bit of breathing room to not have to worry about the bill anymore.”
READY FOR CLEAN SLATE
With the property tax exemption issue finally resolved, next up for Elliott and Friends of the Penn is retiring the original $550,000 mortgage.
Only $46,000 remains to be paid off, and Elliott said such a payment could occur by the end of 2024. “We’re hoping to get the mortgage paid off soon, and then we’ll really be hyper-focused on everything” that needs to be done in the near future.
Regardless of the recent legal victory, Elliott said it is imperative that Friends of the Penn pursue donations, sponsorships and grants to ensure long-term financial stability. To that end, the annual Penn Theatre “gala” was set for Friday, Sept. 20.
“It’s a really nice party for people to come together and
support the Penn,” Elliott said.
“This year we are auctioning off some of our movie sponsorships, some of the more popular ones like ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’
“We’re hoping to get more money for those sponsorships because people want their name on those. That’s something new we’re trying.”
But donations are vital, too. She said people can go to www. penntheatre.org if they are interested in donating.
“On a day-to-day basis we’re always getting people (donating), whether it’s one dollar, 10 dollars, 100 dollars,” Elliott said. “We’re always getting donations because people understand that connection between their involvement and the survival of the institutions.”
Movie nights are Thursdays through Sundays, with community events such as a Plymouth-Canton Community Schools lecture series and programs from other non-profit
May 29, 2024
To Whom It May Concern:
groups such as the Plymouth Historical Society, Plymouth Pollinators, Keep Plymouth Leafy and the Plymouth Community Arts Council taking place other nights of the week.
A COMMUNITY TREASURE
Elliott said it would have been a major blow to Plymouth for the theatre to not remain financially viable for the long run.
“You see so many communities losing these valuable, valuable assets that are good for the
I am writing in full support of Robert (Bob) Miller, who is running for Trustee in Plymouth Township on the Democratic ticket. As a matter of principle, it is important to have balanced representation, both Republican and Democrat, for the people of Plymouth Township.
My knowledge of Bob Miller’s skill set and work ethic dates to the 1980’s when we both worked in broadcasting together. I know him as a dedicated manager, collaborator, and problem solver. Bob has good ideas and gets things done.
As an educator, Bob is a skillful communicator. He understands how to frame an issue thoughtfully and can help constituents understand what is at stake. His diligent research and prep work position him well for the role of Trustee.
His experience as a law assistant highlights his knowledge of law and policy, crucial for an elected leader in this position. Bob pays careful attention to detail and the nuance of various outcomes.
In essence, his expertise in broadcasting, communication, education and law provides Robert Miller with unique set of skills that the citizens of Plymouth Township deserve. It gets better: Bob has unique ties to the military and community service.
Robert Miller is honest, fair and reasonable. He is easy to work with and he will listen to his constituents with an open mind. Bob has experience in multicultural settings, is respectful of all voices and feels called to serve.
For all these reasons, I urge you to support the intelligent and promising candidacy of Robert Miller for Plymouth Township Trustee.
Sincerely,
Robin Spring
Associate Professor School of Communications
Grand Valley State University
economic standpoint, for cultural reasons, for historical reasons,” Elliott emphasized. “And so for us to have this roadblock put up inhibiting our ability to preserve this building was so disappointing.
“But not we’ve got that moving forward and that’s our goal – to keep moving forward, making sure that what we’re doing is being the best caretakers of this building that we can be.”
Elliott has made presentations in Michigan and elsewhere to discuss the importance of such
legacy movie houses to their respective communities.
To that end, she recently met with a group from Benton Harbor, “and they were just in awe of our community. Their theatre was built in 1942, ours was built in ’41. They just want this so bad for their community. It shows you how important it is when others come in and say ‘Wow, this is so amazing.’
“We have a gem there that I just think some people don’t fully understand how important it is,” Elliott added. “We’ve got great supporters, we’ve got great donors. We’ve had unwavering support from the community and I think that’s helped us keep going.”
The Penn Theatre is located at 760 Penniman Avenue. Go to the Friends of the Penn website (www.penntheatre.org) for comprehensive information about upcoming movies, events and how to get involved.
Selling Revised Parks Millage
City leaders note money would target neighborhood parks, cultural center
By Scott Spielman
With the August primary election in the rearview mirror, officials in the City of Plymouth are getting ready for the next big thing: a revised millage proposal to fund improvements at the city's neighborhood parks and the cultural center.
The city commission kicked off the education effort on Sept. 11, with an informal gathering at Smith Park. The goal -- to be successful in 2024 where they weren’t in 2023. The city asked for a millage last year to fund a variety of projects, including the acquisition of the former lumber yard off Lilley Road and Ann Arbor Trail. Voters rejected the proposal by a margin of just 60 votes.
“We felt that there’s still a need for this in the community,” said Mayor Suzi Deal. “We lost by such a small amount last time that
we thought residents were still looking for this. We’ve narrowed it down a little bit; we’re not as aggressive as we were last time.”
This time, the city is asking for 1.2 mills for eight years. It would generate about $800,000 annually that would be directed primarily toward neighborhood parks. Deal estimated that city parks, in total, need about $4 million in deferred maintenance and upkeep. Other large ticket items include a new roof for the cultural center, a new Zamboni for the ice rink, the reactivation of Point Park and developing a multi-use turf field.
“I think this time around it’s a little more simple. We’re not going after purchasing property, we’re not trying to develop something like we tried to do last time,” Deal said. “We listened to what residents have said, we’ve talked about it what we felt the city needed and what the parks needed.”
earlier this year and said she thinks it’s a good opportunity to make needed repairs and seek additional funds through grant applications.
“I was really surprised to learn that we don’t have a budget that keeps pace with the need and we don’t have funding that we can use as a city for matching grants, so that we can go after grants from state and federal government agencies or nonprofits and foundations,” Gavin said. “Not having that money in hand means we can’t even apply for some of those types of funding. That’s something that makes me feel like this is a good idea for the city because having something we can use to get larger sources of funding from other sources is something we can’t do right now.”
Kara Gavin, a 20-year resident of the city, said she is in favor of the millage request. She learned about the issue at one of the community education sessions
Deal said the millage would provide seed money the city could use as matching funds when seeking grants, which would make it more likely they could stretch tax dollars further.
“It gives us an opportunity to apply for more grants, whether they’re with public grants or
"We felt that there’s still a need for this in the community. We lost by such a small amount last time that we thought residents were still looking for this. We’ve narrowed it down a little bit; we’re not as aggressive as we were last time.”
Mayor Suzi Deal
private partnerships,” she said. “You have to always have some type of supporting money that will meet that grant. It gives us the opportunity to take some money and make it double by applying for grants. There’s so much more than we can do if we can get some of that funding.”
Other residents are leery of the proposal and the way the city went about arriving at the
spend money wisely,” she added. “My focus is just to make sure people are informed.”
Deal said the city will host two additional information and engagement sessions, one on Sept. 19 and the other on Oct. 17. Both will be at the Plymouth Cultural Center. A dedicated website, www. ourplymouthparks.org, will also provide information. There is
decision to ask taxpayers for more money. Some said they didn’t adequately investigate potential partnerships with Plymouth Township. Some said they didn’t feel engaged in the process.
“I think their hearts are in the right place, but I disagree with the methodology,” said city resident Karen Sisolak. “There’s a difference between talking one-on-one and having a public discussion. They didn’t really engage the public.
“The one thing we can agree with all of the political craziness going on is that we want to support our parks and we want to
also a Facebook page for Our Plymouth Parks, which will provide updates.
Deal hopes to have at least a general outline of potential projects that would be tackled during the first couple of years the millage is in effect by Sept. 19 and promised plenty of engagement with neighborhood residents as improvements to the parks are planned.
“We will be working with the neighborhoods when we go to address the parks, in looking how to upgrade them or renovate them,”
she said. “We will definitely be working with the residents in that neighborhood to see what they’re looking for and to communicate information to them—similar to how we’re doing roads right now. We will be doing a lot of community engagement with all of this, as well.
“I know people want the details. We know they want to know what’s going to happen,” she added. “Unfortunately, there isn’t a crystal ball, but we can give a basic outline about what we want to address in the first years. Some of it will depend on if we get grant money, the costs
of products, timing—that kind of stuff.”
The issue will be on the Nov. 5 ballot.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
The City of Plymouth will again ask residents to approve a scaled-back version of a parks and recreation millage. Do you think city leaders adjusted the request properly to support local parks and recreation programs? Or would you like to see something else? Please email your opinions to Editor Scott Spielman at scottyspielman@gmail.com.
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Old Growth Forest
Miller Woods, a unique serene oasis, gets national recognition
By Scott Spielman
Miller Woods is a 10acre nature preserve in Plymouth Township where the trees have never been touched by axe or saw. The hidden gem on the west side of the township is open to the public, populated by maple and sugar brush trees, eyecatching flowers and more—yet not many people know where it is or how to access it.
“One of our goals was to increase awareness in the community. People didn’t know much about it. They didn’t know it existed. If they knew it existed, they’d never been there,” said Cheryl Bord, president of the Friends of Miller Woods, the volunteer group that looks after the natural oasis. “Our goal has always been: how do we draw more attention?”
Mission accomplished.
The preserve was recently added to the Old Growth Forest Network, a nationwide nonprofit that is dedicated to the preservation of old growth forests.
“Our main goal is to have protected, publicly accessible old growth forests in every county across the United States where forests can grow,” said Leona Addie, Great Lakes Regional Manager with the OGFN. “These forests are protected from logging, open to the public so that they can experience them the way previous generations have.”
Miller Woods is the first piece of woodland in Wayne County to receive the distinction—and it is in rare company, indeed. Although the OGFN is open to older, second-growth forests,
only 1% of the forests in the eastern United States have never been cut.
The preserve gets its name from Norman and Cornelia Miller, who purchased more than 1,000 acres of land in 1902. The Millers farmed the
land until Norman’s death in 1958. The family sold 40 acres to the Plymouth-Canton School District, stipulating that the 10 acres that had never been harvested be preserved. There are trees on the property that are about 400 years old.
The district still owns the 40acre parcel. At one time, it was thought that the 30 acres of nonprotected area would house a school, but development patterns turned south, to Canton, and the land was never developed. Plymouth Township dedicated Miller Woods as a nature preserve in 1991.
“There was always the fear, on our part, that they’d sell the property,” Bord said. “We figured one way to counter those fears was to become more ingrained in the community and increase the awareness anyway we could.”
The group did not have much money, but they raised awareness by making presentations to the school board, each new school superintendent, township trustees and elected officials, and through regular newsletters. They also gave tours along the 1/3 mile walking path that winds among the roots, flowers and lofty beech and maple trees. Bord said that most people who walk through the preserve are left with a sense of awe.
“We figure that each person that comes through is an ambassador for us,” she said.
Earlier this year, she was
contacted by the OGFN, who said someone had anonymously nominated the preserve for inclusion into the network. She filled out a form, facilitated a visit and the group received word over the summer. They’ll receive a plaque that will be
installed somewhere along the walking path.
There have been other signs, too, that the community has taken more notice. Miller Woods is included in the mosaic in Plymouth Township Hall. Members of the historic district commission reached out, and included it in their materials. It’s mentioned on the new historical marker recently unveiled in Gulfview Park, off Ann Arbor Trail.
“It’s taken a long time, it’s little steps, but I think we’re there,” Bord said. “I think these acknowledgments have increased the awareness and that’s what we wanted.”
She said she also hopes it’s a sign that society, in general, is recognizing the importance of these unique, rare and historic sites.
“There’s much more talk at the national level about the necessity of having these forests,” she said. “While we’re little by most standards of forests, we’re old—and it’s those older forests that are going to become more
important over time.”
The preserve is open to the public, although no dogs are allowed. The entrance is located off Powell Road, east of Ridge Road.
The organization is preparing for its fall tours, too. The tours take place from 2-4 p.m. on Oct. 20 and Oct. 27; they’re about an hour long, with a group leaving every 30 minutes, and are led by local experts.
For more information, visit www.millerwoods.com or the Miller Woods Nature Preserve page on Facebook.
TAKE A TOUR
There’s no better time to walk through the Miller Woods Nature Preserve than in the fall when the colors have changed on the giant maples and beech trees.
Friends of Miller Woods will be offering guided fall tours on Oct. 20 and Oct. 27. The tours take about an hour, and will be taking place every 30 minutes from 2-4 p.m. For more information, visit www. millerwoods.com.
Rock
From the Oval to the Office
Speed skater Michael Kooreman finds his niche in Plymouth
By Sue Voyles | Photos by Ken Voyles
From the Olympics to World Cup competitions, Michael Kooreman has experienced exhilarating moments as well as disappointments. Looking back over the past three decades, the Plymouth resident takes it all in with a sense of amazement and gratitude.
The 45-year-old Grand Rapids native, who now leads a local mortgage company, grew up in a family with a speed skating tradition.
“My grandfather is from the Netherlands where everyone speed skates. My dad was a speed skater and tried out for the Olympic team, but didn’t make it,” explains Kooreman. “We would go to the rink as a family activity.”
As fate would have it, the West Michigan Speed Skating Club was practicing about a mile from where the family lived. They started going to Club practices, which led to Kooreman, his brother Matt and two sisters all taking up the sport.
While his two sisters
eventually moved on to other things, Kooreman and his brother stuck with speed skating and kept improving.
“It was exciting for my dad to see us competing at a high level.”
AN ATHLETE’S DREAM
There was just one thing, however. While there are speed skating clubs in the state, “you cannot make it to a high level and stay at home in Michigan,” says Kooreman.
That meant Kooreman had to leave home to pursue his dream. So, at age 14, his parents Peter and Barbara agreed to send him to the Olympic training center in Lake Placid, New York (home to the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics).
“I still talk to my parents about how all that happened,” he says with a smile. “I can’t imagine letting my kids go to another state when they are 14 years old.”
Admitting that he was
“very focused on what he was doing,” Kooreman improved and competed at three Olympic trials. His first was in 1998. Unfortunately, he was battling mononucleosis and missed making Team USA by three spots.
Most memorable was the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he roomed with Apollo Ohno, who has won a total of eight Olympic medals over the course of his speed skating career.
“That season I broke my back and had surgery. I came back and missed the team by one spot. It was brutal,” says Kooreman “I knew what I was capable of… because I was winning in the seasons between the Olympics, but I couldn’t stop at that point. I decided to do four more years and about six weeks before 2006 trials I got bronchitis. I thought I could kick it in a week or two. I never got better.”
Still battling the illness, Kooreman raced in the 1500-, 1000- and 500-meter trials, but
missed making the team again.
For 11 years, Kooreman was a competitive speed skater, winning medals in World Cups but always facing an illness or injury that caused him to just miss the U.S. Olympic team. The 2006 trial was the final disappointment, but it didn’t keep Kooreman down for long.
“From there I decided to get into coaching. A lot of the top coaches in the world are skaters where something happened during their career.”
Kooreman came back to the Olympic games in 2010 in Vancouver, but this time as a sprint coach and long-track program coordinator for U.S. Speedskating. The U.S. brought home gold and bronze medals in the men’s 1000-meter, silver in the men’s 1500-meter and a silver medal in the men’s team pursuit.
His next journey in speed skating would take him overseas, where he was a coach for the German national team. It also
brought him together with his wife, Jessica, a notable speed skater in her own right.
Like her husband, Jessica’s athletic career has also had an interesting arc. As an inline speed skater, the Michigan native won 16 World Championship gold medals. But inline speed skating is not an Olympic sport. To get there would take a change of course.
Intent on pursuing the dream of going to the Olympics, she decided to switch over to ice speed skating in 2007. She tried out for the 2010 Olympic speed skating team and missed by one spot. Like her husband, Jessica decided to keep going and by the 2014 Sochi trials she swept every distance -500, 1000 and 1500 meters.
As ice speed skaters, Michael and Jessica had “seen each other and crossed paths many times. But I was always with someone and so was she,” says Kooreman.
With his job coaching the German national team, that was about to change.
“The first World Cup was in Moscow. The U.S. team was walking into the hotel lobby when we were checking in. When Jessica walked into the lobby of the hotel, we gave each other a big hug and talked,” remembers Kooreman. “We ended up dating over a distance for three years while I was in Germany. We would see each other at competitions but couldn’t spend a lot of time (together) there. It was an interesting dynamic for a coach of a foreign team to be dating a U.S. athlete.”
After that, Kooreman moved back home and resided in Salt Lake City where Jessica was living. They married about a year later.
NO PLACE LIKE MICHIGAN
When it came time to think about starting a family, the Kooremans knew they wanted to be closer to home. Starting out with a place Downriver, near Jessica’s birthplace of Dearborn, they eventually settled in Plymouth.
“I love the small-town family atmosphere. My wife loves Hallmark movies and you know what downtown Plymouth looks like at the holidays,” says Kooreman with a smile.
The road to Plymouth wasn’t exactly a straight line, however. Like many world-class athletes, when the time came for Kooreman to focus on the next chapter of his life, he wasn’t sure what path he would take.
“When we wanted to be closer to family, I found a job in Wisconsin with a real estate development company, and we moved from Utah to Wisconsin. It didn’t turn out to be the job that we thought it was,” he explains, adding that he had always been interested in real estate.
It was a visit back to Michigan that would bring opportunity.
“My wife has a childhood friend she used to skate with who is a mortgage broker. We had lunch with him, and he said, ‘Wait a minute you need a job? I have an empty desk right here.’ I had not considered the mortgage business before that. I took a few weeks to think about it. A month later I got my license and started writing loans right away.”
in the mortgage business, he finds that the skills learned during his athletic career are still applicable.
“The mortgage business is mostly sales and I had never sold anything in my life. I actually did a couple of sales courses and started to realize that it’s basically something I am passionate about anyway. Coming from coaching, where my whole world revolved around getting to
Today, Kooreman is president and senior loan advisor at Eagle Home Financial, LLC, which has its main office in Farmington Hills and satellite offices in Canton, Plymouth, Novi, Milford and Bloomfield Hills.
While he has found his niche
know someone and finding the best ways to help them -- that is what this business is all about.”
When he started with Eagle, it was just him and another loan officer. Today, he’s managing a team of 12 in a company that is growing, despite elevated interest
rates and a housing shortage. In fact, Kooreman sees the current economy as an opportunity.
“From my athletic background, when things get really difficult, those are the days when you win. Those days are the days that set you apart from the rest of the competition. It’s too easy on a bad day to say, ‘I will come back again and try tomorrow.’ Finding the ways to make yourself better when things are not going well is what leads to success in my mind.”
While business success has been important to Kooreman, there’s nothing that compares to family.
“My family is the most important thing to me in the world. My kids are also athletic, they got those genes. Going to their practices – swimming, soccer -- it makes me proud to have a job where I can still make it to their practices and spend time with them.”
And there’s skating -something still very close to the Kooremans’ hearts. Every Saturday Michael and Jessica and their two boys Crew and Ryker go ice skating at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth and then inline skating at the Skatin’ Station in Canton.
Who knows, perhaps the family athletic tradition will continue right here in Plymouth.
Ben Eikey has only lived in Plymouth Township for about three years, but he already knows more local history than some long-time residents.
Eikey, a member of the township’s historic district commission, is on a mission to share his discoveries and tell people in the community about the rich—and sometimes surprising—history of the area. He’s started a podcast about the history of the township, with with three episodes already listed on the township website and another due out this month.
“I thought it would be fun. I was new to Plymouth and I wanted to learn about the community,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed history and I feel like a lot of times we don’t do enough to talk about history that’s right here in our own
backyards and it’s really quite amazing.”
He moved to the township in 2021. Knowing Supervisor Kurt Heise from a previous role when Heise served in the state legislature, Eikey reached out to him to ask about ways to get involved. The Historic District was fairly new at the time—it was created in 2019—Heise suggested he apply to serve on that commission.
There is no defined historic district in the township—the purpose of the commission is to foster the preservation of historic structures and places within the community by enabling property owners to voluntarily seek the creation of historic districts under applicable laws of the State of Michigan. The volunteer board meets regularly, performs clean-ups at the Shearer Cemetery on North Territorial
Road, creates historic markers for places of distinction and provides historical facts for the township newsletter, among other activities.
Eikey said the podcast idea was designed to bring historical information to more people. He runs a legislative oversight podcast through his role at the law school at Wayne State University and pitched the idea for a podcast that focused on history to the rest of the commission.
“I started thinking about what would be a good vehicle to get the information out to the community,” said Eikey. “I realized I had the skills; I could interview people in the area and get some good information about some really interesting pieces of history in the community.”
The first three episodes are on the township website. Topics
are: cleaning up the Shearer Cemetery with Darrin Silvester; an interview with local historian Jack Dempsey—who released a book about the township earlier this year—and a conversation about the St. John’s Resort. Each episode is about 25 minutes long; Eikey said they’re designed that way to fit into an average hometo-work commute.
Each time, he said he’s learned something new. From Paul Weigert at St. John’s, he learned that the part of the priestly duties at the former seminary involved maintaining a nine-hole golf course. From Dempsey, he learned about a Walt Whitman connection to the township. And from Silvester, he learned a lot about the people who first settled in the township as well as the ongoing need to do more research there.
“We’re trying to get the state to do some ground-penetrating
radar there. Right now, we have tombstones that are in there, but we do not know who, entirely, is in that cemetery,” Eikey said. “We do not know where any of the actual graves are in that cemetery. Over decades of it being left alone, there were some grave stones that just got buried in the ground over the years, or some people would steal them and use them for Halloween decorations.
“It's one of those areas where, we go and give our best efforts to preserve it and to mark it, but until the state decides on some ground-penetrating radar, we’re just not going to know. We’ll never know who they are, but we’ll at least be able to use the stones we have there to mark where someone is buried.”
Each episode takes between five and seven hours to put
zoom, edits them down to fit the time he’s allowed and send them to a friend to polish them up.
“He does a good job with them,” said Dempsey. “He’s got a very good approach and they’re very informative.”
Upcoming episodes include the Plymouth District Library, the Rotary Chicken BBQ that predated the annual Fall Festival, the Phoenix Mill and the Salem Train Wreck of 1907—still counted as one of the deadliest train disasters in Michigan history.
“It’ll be interesting to learn what kind of impact that crash had on the industry and regulations,” Eikey said. “One of the reasons why it was so devastating is because the train cars were made of a very brittle, very flammable cedar. When one went up in flames, the entire train did as a result. There were a lot of conversations afterward, a lot of changes made.”
He also wants to do a podcast about the different historical sites outlined in a Historic District publication—essentially a driving map of areas of interest—and narrate them in real time so people could listen to it while they’re traveling to each one.
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together. Eikey will come up with a topic, find an expert, pitch the idea and supply a few prepared questions. He records them at his township home over
“I do think being able to have a good record of history in the community and recognize what’s important and what makes it unique—that matters a lot,” he said. “Plus, it’s fun learning about the area and the community. I want people to have a chance to appreciate the township, to appreciate their neighborhoods and this is a fun way to do that with today’s modern life and the resources that are available.”
You can find Ben Eikey’s podcasts on the Plymouth Township website at www.plymouthtwp.org
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Your Season, Your Style
Phil’s 79th season will kick off with John Williams celebration
By Ken Voyles
has more than 60 professional musicians, many among the best in the area, and a highly respected conductor, Nan Washburn, with over 40 years of experience, including 26 leading the Phil.
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT THE PHIL’S 2024-25 CONCERTS. MORE INFO CAN BE FOUND AT THEIR WEBSITE: MICHIGANPHIL.ORG
SEPT. 28: Salem High, Canton. Opening night “John Williams Celebration”
OCT. 19: Marquis Theater, Northville. Annual Halloween “Phright Night”
NOV. 15: St. Kenneth’s Church, Plymouth. “Soul of Remembrance” Veterans Day salute
For 79 years Plymouth’s own regional symphony has brought classical and pops music to the community, focusing on audiences of all ages. This year the Michigan Philharmonic (the “Phil”) is presenting an eightconcert schedule called, “Your Season. Your Style.”
Kicking off with a special John Williams celebration
in September, the symphony (once known as the Plymouth Symphony) will combine modern pops music and beloved classical pieces at venues throughout Plymouth, Canton, Northville and Garden City.
Williams is famous for his musical compositions for dozens of Hollywood films, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, four Indiana Jones films, and some of the Harry Potter films.
Besides its regular season, the Phil launches the return of “Tiny Tunes” at PARC. Now in its third season, the concerts are designed for “little ears.” They began earlier this month and will continue with three more performances, including a special October event “Harp-y Halloween” featuring harpthemed Halloween sounds.
The Plymouth orchestra
Based at Plymouth’s PARC facility and supported by thousands of devoted fans, business and group sponsors, donors and a dedicated staff and board of directors, the Phil experience is unique in the community.
“Ultimately, Phil donors, season ticket holders, friends and neighbors who volunteer, are beyond special. Without them the Phil would not be able to offer what it does,” says Beth Stewart, executive director of the Phil. “We care about our audience and the community. We’re focused on experience and offering the styles of music people of all ages love.”
According to Stewart, a Phil concert is a community experience first and foremost. Passionate professional musicians and a dynamic conductor; patrons who love to dress up or dress down, relax and make a night of it or try the Phil as a first date, a Valentine’s Day celebration and just away to unwind and enjoy beautifully performed music.
DEC. 12 & 13: First United Methodist Church, Plymouth & Marquis Theater, Northville. Beloved “Holiday Pops” celebrates the season
JAN. 19, 2025: Saint John’s, Plymouth. “Mini Masterpiece” series features “Viva Viola!”
FEB. 15: O’Leary Performing Arts Center, Garden City. A “Soul, Rock & Pop” celebration
MAR. 9: First United Methodist, Plymouth. To be or not to be with “Brahms & Belen”
M AY 3: Salem High, Canton. Journey to Holst’s “The Planets”
AND DON’T FORGET THE TINY TUNES CONCERTS. HERE’S A BRIEF LOOK:
OCT. 26: Harp-y Halloween
(Wear a favorite Halloween costume and join the fun)
FEB. 8, 2025: Rhythm & Dance Welcoming students from Artistry Dance Studio
M AY 10: Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra showcases young musicians
Rock
— Lori, Plymouth
Dr. Craig Rogers Chair, Department of Urology
