Council approves $150,000 for Westland Historic Village Park parking lot

The Westland City Council adopted a resolution to allocate up to $150,000 in ARPA funds for construction and installation of a parking lot at Westland Historic Village Park to address chronic parking shortages and improve safety for events.

Brett Mahaffy, chair of the City of Westland Historic Commission, urged the council during public comment to approve funding, describing current conditions as ‘‘a gravel patch’’ with only three or four unmarked spots and noting safety concerns when events draw large crowds. “When we have larger events… it was a nightmare,” Mahaffy said.

Councilmembers supported the allocation as a long-sought improvement that will make the site safer and more usable for events such as weddings, trick-or-treating and community gatherings. Council members noted the project could enable more programming at the “hidden gem” site and help protect historic assets. One councilmember highlighted the potential for rentals and private events once parking and landscaping improvements are in place.

The motion passed with no dissent. Councilmembers thanked members of the Historic Commission for their advocacy and said parks and recreation staff will work on programming and maintenance to ensure broader use of the site after improvements.