Camp Dearborn’s official summer season rolls to an end this coming week with the camp’s End of Summer Bash on Labor Day weekend.

Over Labor Day weekend, a live band will once again help campers rock through the last official days of the season at Camp Dearborn, and roll right into fall activities.

The band, to be announced, will perform 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 2 at the popular Canteen Dance.

While the official camping season traditionally ends with an End of Summer Bash on Labor Day weekend, the Camp office changes gears to the welcome the fall camping crowd.

Dearborn officials say the Labor Day Weekend tent and cabin reservations are expected to be fully booked, but campers can call ahead to reserve a campsite for the following weeks at either of the Camp offices: Dearborn Recreation and Parks Department at 313-943-2350 or Milford Camp Office at 248-684-6000.

With plenty of warm days left following Labor Day, many campers opt for the quieter setting, pleasant afternoon swims and cooler evenings of September and October.

Camp offices begin taking 2012 hayride reservations September 20 for groups, and this year, Camp will host three Halloween Weekends filled with family fun and activity. RV sites, tents and cabins remain open for camping through October.

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Levagood pool opened in 1942 as Seashore Pool with a sand beach and Olympic-sized swimming area.

Dearborn residents are invited to join Mayor John B O’Reilly, Jr. at Levagood Park on Thursday, August 23 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the outdoor pool.

The Dearborn Recreation and Parks Department event runs from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. and includes free swimming until dusk. Free hot dogs and pop will be available from 7 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. with complimentary cake served following O’Reilly’s congratulatory remarks at 8 p.m.

The band Bomb Squad entertains with a “Funk and Dunk Concert” from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. The pool deck will be open until 10 p.m. Pool rules apply.

Levagood Park’s pool has historical significance. In 1940, local officials selected the 40-acre site located near Cherry Hill and Telegraph roads for the first of its kind City outdoor pool.

The pool eventually would have two names and several renovations. It was dedicated in 1942 as Seashore Pool and boasted a sand beach and Olympic size swimming area. Refurbished in 1948, the pool was reported to have the best health safeguards in the country.

Residents remember it then and now as a popular place to spend summers. In July 1959, a newspaper article recorded a weekend attendance of over 15,000 people.

The sand beaches were eventually replaced and in 1976, the late Mayor Orville Hubbard dedicated an enhanced pool complex that included a 45 x 60 foot diving tank, a 50-meter main tank of 75 x 165 feet; a fan-shaped wading pool and a renovated bathhouse.

In 1988, the Levagood Park pool was renamed the Jack Dunworth Memorial Pool Complex to honor Dearborn High School’s beloved swim coach and teacher Jack Dunworth. He also, for many years, managed Seashore Pool, and co-founded the Dearborn Dolphins swim team.

Generations of Dearborn residents learned to swim at classes offered by the Recreation Department at the Levagood Park pool. Others joined swim teams, participated in water exercise, enjoyed sun bathing on the deck or watched annual competitions.

In 2012, events held at Dunworth Pool included the prestigious U.S.S. Annual Swim Meet, annual City Swimming Championships and the annual Synchronized Swim Show.

Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. (right) and Fire Chief Joseph Murray (second from right) witness the swearing-in of three new Dearborn firefighters, all of whom participated in the Dearborn Fire Department’s Cadet Program. Shown here (from left) are City Clerk Kathleen Buda, and Probationary Firefighters Timothy Duda, Matthew Bajjey and Matthew Allen Ferrell. They were sworn in during a ceremony on July 18.

Three lifelong Dearborn residents were recently sworn-in as firefighters after earlier participating in the Dearborn Fire Department’s Cadet Program, which helps local students prepare for public safety careers.

The three join two other successful Cadet Program graduates hired by the Fire Department in August, 2010.

The Cadet Program was initiated six years ago by Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. and then-Fire Chief Nazih Hazime as a way to attract Dearborn youth to firefighting careers.

The local students participate to gain valuable training and experience while they pursue the necessary education and certifications at fire academies, which can take three years.

The Cadet Program is similar in concept and operation to the Police Department’s Intern Program, which also was initiated by Mayor O’Reilly, along with Police Chief Ron Haddad.

The intern program recruits young people from the Dearborn community who have an interest in public safety.

Four graduates from Fordson and Edsel Ford high schools are active in the internship program, which began in July 2010, and the police plan to have Dearborn High graduates soon. Another two local students will start as unpaid interns in the fall.

These programs support the extensive recruiting efforts pursued by the Dearborn Fire and Police departments.

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The State of Michigan has removed the ban on the sale and use of many types of powerful or airborne fireworks, such as bottle rockets and Roman candles.

To be in compliance with state law, the City of Dearborn revised its fireworks ordinance as well.

However, despite the change in state law, important restrictions still apply. Dearborn residents are encouraged to call 313-943-3030 to anonymously report unsafe activity in their neighborhood, or to call 9-1-1 if there is a dangerous or emergency situation.

Provisions in the new state law that all residents should be aware of:

• No one is allowed to use fireworks on public properties, including schools, churches, government buildings, city streets and parks.

• You cannot discharge fireworks while under the influence of alcoholic beverages.

• It is illegal for a minor under the age of 18 to purchase or discharge consumer fireworks.

• The Police will still be enforcing the city’s noise ordinance, within the provisions of the state law, and issue violations when necessary.

• You will be held accountable for any injury or property damage caused by discharging fireworks.

Even though powerful fireworks are now legal in Michigan, their use carries the same potential dangers and liabilities as always.

Every year, thousands of dollars in property damage is reported due to fires caused by the unsafe use of fireworks.

In addition; in 2010 more than 8,000 people across the country were treated for burn injuries caused by fireworks.

In a new twist on pay-to-play, residents in Dearborn’s Hemlock Park have petitioned the city of Dearborn to allow residents to decide whether they want to pay to keep their neighborhood pool open.

Hemlock Pool is one of two pools that city officials decided to close after the 2010 summer season in an attempt to bring municipal costs in line with available revenue.

If residents wanted to keep the pool open about 2,000 homes in the area would be assessed a tax of between $60 and $70 annually for the next decade for improvements and general maintenance to the pool.

A public meeting for residents in the Hemlock Park area is being held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26 at Hemlock Cabin concerning the pool’s future.

The meeting is intended as a public forum to provide information about the proposed future of Hemlock Pool. It will be hosted by Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department Director Greg Orner and include other city officials.

The meeting could be a contentious one, particularly since the city has been talking about budget issues and being forced to close pools and library branches to make ends meet but still managed to spend nearly $4 million to purchase a vacant building that it plans to convert into a new City Hall.

Residents in the Hemlock Park area, through a petition campaign, have indicated their interest in allowing area residents to vote on whether they would like to reopen the pool—after extensive redesign and modernization—by assuming financial responsibility for the facility.

As the next step in the process, the city has created a Special Assessment District (SAD), which includes approximately 2,000 residential parcels.

This Special Assessment District (SAD) encompasses the area from Warren to Wyoming, along the Detroit Terminal Railroad to Ford Road, west to Schaefer, north to Haggerty, west to Maple and north back to Warren.

The owners of these parcels will be asked if they are willing to assume responsibility for the capital improvements, maintenance and operation of the pool for the next 10 years at an annual cost of approximately $60-70 per household.

Initial capital improvements call for the modernization and reconfiguration of the pool into an L-shaped facility with a zero-depth entry at a cost of approximately $1.3 million.

If payments are assessed through the SAD, property owners within the district would not pay an entrance fee to use Hemlock Pool or pay for seasonal pool tags for Hemlock Pool.

Eight new cabins at Camp Dearborn will be open June 17.

Camp Dearborn is gearing up for its full activity season, and is anticipating heavy use of eight new resort cabins and WiFi at the Canteen this summer.

The cabins, designed to offer a more modern option of vacationing in the campground, will be ready for occupancy Sunday, June 17.

Just one day after announcing that the cabins would be available for rental at $660 per week, nearly half were sold out for the summer site unseen. The additional cabins are a good addition to Camp Dearborn and will certainly pay for themselves.

Greg Orner, Dearborn’s recreation chief, deserves a lot of credit for pushing this plan to install more cabins, and WiFi at the canteen. Despite what some may feel about the Camp, it continues to operate in the black and is finding new ways to further generate income to sustain and even feed back revenue to fund other recreation department needs.

One of eight new cabins at Camp Dearborn.

The cabins, custom-designed and constructed by Legendary Timberworks of Novi, are positioned in a single row overlooking one of the Camp’s lakes. Each cabin has a complete bathroom with shower and an additional stainless steel sink for dishwashing, as well as a garbage disposal.

The cabins include built-in beds to accommodate six people; two standard twin bunks and one standard full-size bed, each with a foam mattress.

The sleeping comfort of the new cabins is enhanced by five double-hung Anderson window/screen combinations and a ceiling fan.

The camper-kitchen unit stands outside the cabin, similar to the existing tents and cabins in TV1. Like other camping units, the cabins are constructed on a cement base and equipped with a picnic table, grill and firepit.

To reserve a cabin, call the Milford Camp Office at 248-684-6000. In-season fees for the cabins will be $660 for weekly rentals ($94 per night). Daily rentals will also be available at $110 per night with a minimum stay requirement.

Though the resort cabins will stand out as the most significant change to Camp Dearborn this year, other improvements have occurred. This season campers and day visitors will enjoy the convenience of WiFi at the Canteen. Patrons will be able to “connect” as they relax with their favorite menu selections at the Canteen.

The removal of the sea wall at Lake 5 in Tent Village is another noticeable improvement. Lake 5 serves campers as a swimming lake with beach. The removal of the sea wall has restored the remainder of the lake to a natural shoreline, adding beauty to the area and leaving the beach and swimming area intact.

Fishermen will continue to be welcome on the shoreline in a more natural environment.

Camp Dearborn continues to be a favorite camping destination for many families in southeast Michigan. Campsites are available May 1 through October 31, with the full activity season operating from mid-June through Labor Day each year. Camp Dearborn offers 191 temporary RV sites, 118 tents, 30 rustic cabins and now the eight resort cabins.

Temporary sites are either full hook-up or electric only and can be reserved by calling either of the Camp offices: Dearborn Recreation Department at 313-943-2350 or Milford Camp Office at 248-684-6000.

In addition to the popular camping area, Camp Dearborn offers acres of picnic area equipped with tables and grills alongside a beautiful half-mile beach and swimming lake. The Camp is open to the public daily 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Admission at the gate is $4 per car for residents of Dearborn or Milford, $6 per car for all others and $10 per car for all on special event dates.

Season passes are available for frequent visitors at the rate of $25 for residents of Dearborn or Milford and $35 for the general public.

More information about Camp Dearborn and scheduled events can be found at www.campdearborn.com, the Camp Dearborn Official Page on Facebook, or by calling either of the Camp offices.

Despite running a multi-million dollar deficit, Dearborn city leaders voted to purchase a new city hall.

With the city of Dearborn running a budget deficit that city officials have repeatedly said is upwards of $20 million, the decision this week by council and mayor to set aside nearly $4 million in taxpayer money to buy a new city hall has us shaking our head in disbelief.

For sure the building at 16901 Michigan Ave., which formerly housed the metro Detroit headquarters of payroll processor ADP Inc. and has been vacant since 2010, is a decent “deal” in a down real estate market. But a “good deal” shouldn’t be reason to spend when residents have been told we have money challenges.

Yes one can make the argument this purchase is for the long haul, but don’t think for a minute the new building won’t need major rework to accommodate city offices. This isn’t as simple as hanging a new city hall sign on Michigan Avenue.

City leaders know this, too, which is likely why no one was able to address the costs required to retrofit the ADP building to make it City Hall suitable. The city has set aside about $525,000 above the $3.2 million purchase price for the building. That won’t even begin to cover costs to get this building into shape.

Finance Director Jim O’Connor told the Dearborn Press & Guide that the money to cover the purchase of the building will come from either accumulated savings in the general fund, bonds, or an unspecified third source that he called “promising.”

We are told there’s a “potential buyer” lined up for City Hall, which is why this measure passed on a 5-2 council vote. City Council in March authorized a letter of intent to sell the campus to Artspace Projects Inc. for repurposing as live-work space for low-income artists.

But the nonprofit developer has not yet signed off on the agreement nor have city officials shared what price, if anything, the city will get for this prime piece of real estate.

We have heard the arguments that City Hall needs a supposed $5.7 million in repairs and that’s why Dearborn needs a new City Hall. But that is nonsense. Like classic cars, you can restore a building and indeed make it better. Even more efficient. The new building supposedly is three times less costly to operate? Says who?

Does Artspace have the funding to fix the building or is the city simply giving the building away?

If the city really is working to trim its workforce and operate with fewer people does it really need more space, which is one of the key arguments to justify the purchase of a new building. We think not. Yet, city leaders argued that the current City Hall – 95,000 square feet of it – has wasted space, such as the sweeping circle staircase in the center of the main City Hall building. Most people, including Artspace, would call that staircase a great design. So, too, about City Hall’s wide hallways.

They don’t make buildings like our City Hall any longer because it would cost too much to duplicate it. It is easier to build cheap buildings, such as one the city plans to purchase.

Just two council members opposed the purchase plan. Council President Tom Tafelksi and Councilman Brian O’Donnell.

“We’re saying we’re broke,” Tafelski said. “We can’t open up pools. Our neighborhoods have grass that’s nine and ten and twelve inches. Our legacy should not be in bricks and mortar. It should be in preserving and protecting the neighborhoods and fundamentally changing the downtown districts.”

Do our elected officials even have a plan to resuscitate our ailing city?

The fountain at the Henry Ford Centennial Library needs about $750,000 in repairs, city officials say.

We had heard the rumors and now The Detroit News reports that the water fountain which sits in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library could be demolished and replaced with a smaller one because Dearborn lacks the needed money to repair the marble structure.

The fountain was a gift from the Ford Motor Company, an elegant water display to greet visitors to the city’s main library, which opened in 1969.

A new proposal could see the marble structure that once featured jets of water dancing upward amid colorful lights in a “water symphony” demolished in favor of a smaller version or even leveled for a garden.

According to The News, the venerable landmark to the drive down Michigan Avenue has fallen into disrepair, even after a $250,000 donation by a local benefactor more than a decade ago and repairs that were intended to “ensure the long-term future of the fountain,” according to the former public works director in 2006.

Jim Murray, director of the city’s Public Works Department, tells The News that annual maintenance and operation costs near $75,000. He says full restoration could cost as much as $750,000, a bit strain on the city’s budget. Officials are exploring options, including paving over the iconic structure.

All of this raises the simple question: How did we get here?

The start time for the adoption of the City of Dearborn’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget is now 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 29 in the City Council Chambers. The meeting was previously scheduled for May 22.

This meeting is open to the public.

Dearborn City Council is still scheduled to review Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr.’s proposed Fiscal Year 2013 budget at a public hearing on May 14 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at Dearborn City Hall.

Extensive documents relating to the budget proposed for Fiscal Year 2013, which begins July 1, 2012, are posted at the city’s website, www.cityofdearborn.org. Additional information about the city’s overall finances, proposals for future budget years, and past spending can also be found at the same website.

A new Tim Hortons coffee shop could soon be headed into a second location on Michigan Avenue. The Dearborn Elks, owner of the property at 25000 Michigan Ave., is requesting to have their property rezoned as part of negotiations it is having with the Tim Hortons franchise.

The property, formerly home to the Elks organization, is zoned BB, Community Business at the southern portion, while the northern portion is zoned RA, One Family Residential. The request is to rezone the residentially zoned portion of the property to BB Community Business. The change will accommodate resuse and redevelopment of the property.

The Dearborn Elks have been renting the property out for banquets, as it is too large for their current use.

Mark Kellenberger, on behalf of Tim Hortons, will make the request to have the property rezoned at a Monday evening meeting of the Dearborn Plan Commission.