We Earned Two mParks Awards!

This week is the annual mParks (Michigan Recreation and Park Association) conference. Some of the best agencies and professionals in the industry statewide are recognized for their work as part of the three-day (virtual) event. Livonia Parks and Recreation has earned recognition via two awards for 2020:

Innovative Program – The UNITY Project was born as part of the Summer Fun Series, taking on a life of its own as a 40-foot circular arrangement of 32 poles in a large field along the heavily traveled Five Mile Road. Standing at 10-feet tall apiece, each pole was labeled with personal identifies – such as “I’m a parent,” “I speak English as a Second Language,” “I identify as LGBTQ,” etc. – and were connected to other poles with yarn to form a canopy of interconnectedness. This interactive art project celebrated the uniqueness of individuals and raised awareness of how labels impact our perception of and interactions with the world. It examined how labels both help and hinder our ability to build unity as a nation and as a human race. Revisit a video about the project.

COVID-19 Response – As part of the City’s emergency response team, Livonia Parks’ Kirksey Recreation Center was set up as a donation site. Working with the Livonia Chamber of Commerce, personal protective equipment donations were collected and tracked before being distributed to City departments and local care facilities throughout the city who were in need. Forming the Together Livonia Cares program with the Livonia Fire Department and other community partners, nursing homes were also provided with no-cost COVID-19 testing and best medical practices. Through the CARES Act, TLC distributed more than $125,000 in grants to support 25 Livonia small businesses. Recreational programs took on multiple safety precautions ranging from program sizes to split schedules, protective equipment and cleaning measures; some went digital or outdoors, and the unique UNITY Project was born.