A Season of Growth: Inside Livonia's Summer/Fall 2026 Connections Magazine

A Major Election on the Horizon

Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan opens the issue by urging residents to vote on Aug. 4, when two millage renewals will be on the ballot: the Public Safety Millage and the Seniors and Cultural Services Millage p. 2. Both are explored in depth later in the issue.

The Public Safety Operating Millage renewal would continue a 1.7-mill tax generating roughly $9.9 million annually, funding more than 45 police and fire positions along with equipment and training p. 64. City officials warn that failure to renew could put more than 20 percent of the public safety budget at risk, potentially slowing emergency response times p. 64. The Cultural and Senior Services Operating Millage renewal, a smaller 0.25-mill tax generating about $1.4 million a year, supports staffing and programming at the Livonia Senior Wellness Center and Greenmead Historical Park p. 64. Both proposals are renewals of existing 10-year millages rather than new taxes, according to the magazine p. 64.

Parks and Recreation Get a Major Facelift

The issue's first feature story chronicles a "busy year of upgrades" across Livonia's parks system pp. 4–5. The centerpiece is the completed #RecreatingTheRec renovation at the Jack E. Kirksey Recreation Center, which added three new activity rooms, expanded fitness space with more than 90 pieces of equipment, and a new cardio loft. Outdoors, The Rec gained a rebuilt splash pad and a new playground.

Meanwhile, Shelden Park is undergoing a complete overhaul near Plymouth and Farmington roads, with a new splash pad, playground, fitness equipment, pickleball and tennis courts, and a walking trail — funded in part by a Wayne County Parks grant and Bill Brown Ford pp. 4–5. The magazine also includes a citywide parks map, a detailed amenities chart for all 40 parks, and information on the city's dog park program at Bicentennial Park p. 6.

The Kirksey Recreation Center: Livonia's Hub for Fitness and Aquatics

Several pages are devoted to membership details, pricing, and amenities at the Kirksey Recreation Center, including day-pass rates, annual membership tiers for residents and non-residents, and family/business membership options pp. 8–11. The center houses the Ronald R. Reinke Aquatic Center — home to both a leisure pool with a slide and a competition lap pool — along with a climbing wall, indoor track, and Kid Quarters child care pp. 12–13.

The aquatics sections lay out an extensive swim-lesson program built around color-coded skill groups (Green through Star), synchronized/artistic swimming classes, water exercise offerings, and outdoor pool information for Botsford, Clements Circle, and the new Shelden Splash Pad pp. 14–19.

Fitness, Wellness, and Massage Therapy

A large portion of the magazine — nearly a dozen pages — is dedicated to the city's fitness and wellness offerings. This includes personal training rates, nutrition counseling packages led by a registered dietitian, Pilates Reformer privates, and specialized training for Parkinson's disease and autism spectrum populations pp. 20–25. A "Coming Soon" callout introduces a new women's strength workshop, Learning 2 Lift p. 26.

Dozens of group exercise classes are described in detail, from Barre and TRX to Tai Chi and Zumba, each with instructor names and a full weekly schedule grid pp. 26–31. The section closes with a massage therapy menu covering relaxation, deep tissue, sports, prenatal, and warm bamboo massage p. 29.

Special Events Fill the Calendar

The Parks and Recreation Department's special events lineup spans the entire season, including Kid Concerts, "Music from the Heart," America's 250th anniversary celebrations, and a Shakespeare in the Park production of "The Tempest" pp. 32–33. Fall brings Holly Jolly Splash, Spooky Swim, a Halloween Turkey Trot benefiting the Livonia Goodfellows, and the Merry & Bright Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting pp. 34–35. The historic Wilson Barn hosts its own recurring slate of events, including Pumpkin Fest, a Haunted Barn, and monthly game nights p. 35.

Adult and Youth Programming

Adult programs range from sports leagues — 5v5 basketball and slow-pitch softball — to martial arts, ballroom dance, guitar workshops, and a women's self-protection and defense class pp. 36–41. Golf Livonia operates three municipal courses: Fox Creek, Whispering Willows, and Idyl Wyld p. 38.

Youth programming covers T-ball and coach-pitch leagues, junior golf, youth tennis, fencing, and a STEAM lineup that includes messy-play art classes and Nerf Nights pp. 42–43. Livonia's archery range and rock climbing wall round out the recreational offerings, with detailed pricing for day passes and season passes pp. 44–47.

Senior Services at the Livonia Senior Wellness Center

The Livonia Senior Wellness Center, a drop-in facility for residents 55 and older, offers a lengthy roster of no- and low-cost activities — from bridge and mahjong to woodcarving and tech support pp. 48–50. The center also runs a meal program, a transportation service called Liv&Go, and organizes group trips, including Detroit Symphony Orchestra outings and (sold-out) Mackinac Island getaways p. 50. A full slate of senior-focused fitness classes, including chair yoga, Tai Chi, and Zumba Gold, is scheduled throughout the week pp. 50–53.

A Community Partnership: Students Renovating Homes

One of the magazine's featured stories highlights a decades-old collaboration between the City of Livonia and Livonia Public Schools' Construction Trades Program p. 55. Since partnering with the city in 2010, the program has given high school students hands-on experience renovating tax-foreclosed homes before they return to the market, funded through Community Development Block Grant dollars. According to the article, more than 1,500 students have gone through the program over the past 22 years, with about 80 percent going on to trades or trade-related careers. Proceeds from renovated home sales have funded mental health counseling, domestic violence support, and — most recently — an ADA-accessible restroom at the Bennett Civic Center Library p. 55.

Greenmead Historical Park and the Public Library

Greenmead Historical Park's fall calendar is packed with living-history programming: the Highland Games, a Civil War reenactment weekend, headstone restoration workshops, and themed dining and lecture series pp. 56–58. The Livonia Public Library complements this with programs for every age group — baby and toddler storytimes, STEAM and Pokémon clubs for kids, teen book clubs, and adult programs like a "Blood on the Clocktower" game series and a true-crime author talk pp. 58–63.

City Services and Community Photos

The issue closes with practical information from the Department of Public Works on grass-cutting ordinances and yard waste collection p. 65, a full directory of city department contacts p. 66, and a "City Seen" photo spread inviting residents to submit their own snapshots of community life for a chance to be featured in a future issue p. 67.