Midland, Michigan 2016 Population Category: 30,000 - 50,000 AIB ...

Midland, Michigan 2016 Population Category: 30,000 - 50,000 AIB Participation History: 1st entry, 2016 Population: 41,863 (2010 census) Acres of Active Recreation: 1,076 Acres of Passive Recreation: 1,424 Area in Square Miles: 36.06 Website:

http://www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/beautification

Contact Name: Gina Pederson, AIB Chairperson

Midland, Michigan 2016

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Table of Contents Introduction to Midland Michigan

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Floral Displays – Attracting Attention with Colorful Plants

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Landscaped Areas – Designed Tree, Shrub, Turf, and Perennial Plantings

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Urban Forestry—Preserving Our Woodland Heritage

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Environmental Effort – Sustainable Development and Awareness

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Heritage – Preserving Our Past for Future Generations

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Overall Impression

Page 20

Best Ideas

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Contacts

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Judges’ Tour Schedule

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Introduction to Midland, Michigan Midland, Michigan is tucked near the base of the thumb in the middle section of the Michigan “mitten.” Organized as a county in 1850, Midland’s earliest population included members of the Chippewa Indian tribe who settled along the riverbanks as well as loggers and farmers who contributed to the formation of early settlements. Midland has evolved from an Indian village to the "City of Science and Culture."

Midland's Wayfinding Signage

The City of Midland was incorporated in 1887; three years later, a young electrochemical pioneer named Herbert Henry Dow arrived in Midland, attracted by the area’s plentiful brine wells, and subsequently founded The Dow Chemical Company. The growth and success of Dow has enabled Midland to become a cultural melting pot, attracting the minds of science, technology and innovation from around the globe. Midland has evolved into a center for industrial innovation, and is quickly becoming a hub for the solar energy industry, emerging technologies and a variety of entrepreneurial pursuits. It’s also home to the Midland Cogeneration Venture, the largest gas-fueled, steam recovery co-generation facility in North America. Professional opportunities can be found at many large and small businesses throughout Midland and our neighboring communities along with Midland’s state-of-the-art medical facility, Mid-Michigan Medical Center.

Downtown Midland continues to grow and flourish with the addition in 2007 of the Copper Medallion at $50 million Dow Diamond stadium, home of Class-A minor league baseball's US 10 Entranceway Great Lakes Loons. The new East End Development is an urban-style center that adds a contemporary feel to the area. The 5-star H Hotel and conference center offers beautiful rooms and upscale restaurants to the city's casual dining opportunities and specialty shops.

Kayaks by the Tridge

The Tridge, a unique three-legged pedestrian bridge located at the confluence of the Tittabawassee and Chippewa rivers, draws people as an attraction on its own as well as to events and recreational opportunities around it. The Tridge marks the beginning of the 3.5mile Chippewa Nature Trail and the starting point of the Pere Marquette Rail Trail, a Michigan Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Hall of Fame trail. At the base of the Tridge, the popular Farmers' Market brings crowds on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from May through October with its large variety of seasonal local produce, plants, baked goods and other edible fare.

The Center City District is a quaint shopping locale in the center of Midland offering a mix of retail, restaurant, bistro and business services as well as multi-family housing. The Midland Mall, constructed in 1991 is a regional mall featuring four anchor stores and more than 60 specialty and name-brand shops. Many retail stores, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment locales have sprouted up in the mall area. Midland offers outstanding cultural opportunities, including the arts, science, history, and natural beauty. The Midland Center for the Arts provides state-of-the-art stages for audiences of 400 to 1500. The home of well-known mid-20th century architect Alden B. Dow and the Herbert D. Doan Midland County History Center provide interesting enriching opportunities. These offerings, coupled with the outstanding beautification efforts of both residents and businesses gives Midland “small city charm with big city choices.”


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Floral Displays – Attracting Attention with Colorful Plants Midland is known throughout the state of Michigan for its vibrant and extensive floral and landscaped corridors. The downtown area boasts flower beds along its major streets, walking and recreation areas. Floral displays can be found not only in the downtown area but also in multiple parks, traffic islands and city facilities.

 Municipal The City of Midland is a state leader in municipal horticulture efforts. The City established a Horticulture Program in 2007 and employs a horticulturist as a member of its Parks and Recreation Department. The City Horticulturalist serves as an advisor for the Center City District, Midland Blooms, Downtown Development Authority and the State Department of Transportation (MDOT). The horticulture program is responsible for landscape design, maintenance and beautification throughout the city, incorporating visual beauty into public spaces, and effectively making an impact on the quality of life in our community.

Hanging Baskets on Ashman St

Under the direction of the City Horticulturist, the activities of the Horticulture Program include:  Upkeep of the floral and landscape displays, turf maintenance and street tidiness by up to 18 seasonal employees  Design and installation of seasonal floral displays in city facilities such as City Hall, the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, Law Enforcement Center and Municipal Water Plant  Operation of a 2,400 gallon watering truck and a smaller 550 gallon unit that make regular rounds to keep flowerbeds and large portable pots watered and fertilized. Numerous automated irrigation systems simplify watering maintenance for the hanging baskets, Main Street planting displays, outlawn areas and recreation areas  Maintaining the soil health of floral displays through the use of organic compost and soil amendments. Careful consideration to soil fertility is given to make sure the flowers thrive from season to season in a variety of conditions to include tough growing sites such as busy roadsides with hot, Downtown Planter in dry conditions in summer months and road salt during the winter Bloom  Design and installation of seasonal floral displays throughout the City, to include numerous annuals as well as 86 hanging baskets and 75 large portable pots in the downtown area  Incorporation of approximately 10,000 spring bulbs and numerous summer annuals in the colorful beds that line the streets each season  Design and installation of floral displays welcoming patrons to the Farmers Market and dispersed through the streetscape surrounding the hub of activity  Design and installation of brightly colored annuals and perennial displays at the Tridge  Creation of new floral displays each season in six of the premier City Main Street Planting Bed in parks, highlighting entrances of the most popular recreation areas Bloom

 Business Midland is home to the 110-acre, nationally renowned Dow Gardens, visited by thousands each year for its beautiful floral and seasonal displays.


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The many walks reveal an abundance of tulips in the spring, followed by more than 20,000 annuals in the summer An annual “trial garden” workshop helps educate visitors and professionals as to the best new annuals to plant in our area

Chippewa Nature Center maintains a demonstration wildflower/rain garden and sponsors an annual wildflower sale. The Midland Downtown Development Authority puts pride in its yearly floral display planted by the City. The businesses of the Circle Business Association fund the Center City Authority floral container displays located on the medians. Many of these businesses have flower boxes and pots of colorful annuals and perennials as part of their exterior décor, including the US Post Office Building. A beautifully landscaped traffic median highlights the entrance to Center City.

 Residential Midland residents, like most Midwesterners, seem to embrace spring and summer with a competitive spirit toward creating floral masterpieces. From amazing potted annuals and perennials to flowing beds of flowers, it is hard to find a neighborhood without a show-stopping floral display.  Gardeners learn best practices and new techniques at seminars and classes sponsored by garden clubs, master gardeners, area nurseries, home shows, Chippewa Nature Center and Dow Gardens.  Many get inspiration from the City’s downtown planting, which changes every year. Dow Gardens and the master gardeners provide informational columns in the local newspaper, while the annual Reece Endeavor Garden Walk gives gardeners a chance to ask questions of garden docents and see different approaches to landscaping and gardening.  The Dahlia Hill Society and local Daylily Society sell extra plants and bulbs and the Farmers Market has many flower vendors during the spring and summer. The Chippewa Nature Center offers a native plant sale annually that is open to residents.

 Community Involvement Midland Blooms, hosted by the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce, is the single largest volunteer event in the City of Midland. The annual spring planting event engages more than 600 citizens from scout troops, garden clubs, church groups, families, businesses and many other organizations. These community members gather on a Saturday morning in late May to plant the five-mile planting area on the business corridor of US10 on Eastman Avenue with 54,000 colorful annuals.  Midland Blooms was established in 1989 and directed by a volunteer committee of business representatives  The City Horticulture Department prepares the flowerbeds prior to planting and maintains the beds throughout the season. Given the harsh nature of the planting site, situated directly behind the curb of a major state trunk line, the planting area has been under a soil bioremediation project since 2009. At the start of each season, soil tests are taken and the soils organically amended each season with Midland Blooms compost and other microorganisms to improve the health and condition of the soil for a successful planting. Vehicles for planting day are donated by local car dealers.  A volunteer appreciation pancake breakfast is hosted by a local senior housing facility to celebrate the hard work of the volunteers.


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Dahlia Hill Society of Midland, a non-profit organization dedicated to dahlias, was founded in 1966 and has grown over the years to its nowterraced hillside location.  The garden is maintained solely by its 50 volunteers and open free of charge to the public.  There are eight terraces with approximately 3,000 dahlias. Extra dahlias are sold each year in late May at a bulb sale, and 200-300 Aerial View of Dahlia Hill bulbs are donated to the City for use in the downtown floral displays.  Local artist Charles Breed created and donated four abstract dahlia sculptures with human characteristics to represent the four stages of life; these are on display at Dahlia Hill. The City of Midland offers an “Adopt a Flower Bed” program where citizens are invited to help support the city’s maintenance of its many flower beds. Garden Clubs Garden Clubs are volunteer organizations sponsor projects throughout the city, to help promote a beautiful city environment.  Chemical City Garden Club plants annuals and perennials at the Post Office on Rodd Street and plants and maintains annuals at the gravesites of 150 Midland City Cemetery veterans.  Evergreen Garden Club created and maintains the beds on either side of Horticulture Division the entryway of the pool building at Plymouth Park. Working in partnership Tending Blooms with the City of Midland horticulturist, the large oval bed in the drive leading to the pool has season-long color with knock-out roses, tall grasses, hydrangeas and perennials in colors of pink, purple, rose, and white to provide pool users with a beautiful entryway. Another garden, the Jerome Street Traffic Island, invites neighbors to wander on pathways among dwarf evergreens, blooming shrubs, perennials and herbs.  Great Lakes Gardeners maintains gardens at three senior living facilities: Cleveland Manor gardens, Kings Daughters gardens, and the Seasons-Adult Care Services Courtyard.  Midland Garden Club plants and supports the plantings of annuals and perennials at the Rehabilitation Courtyard, located on the campus of Mid-Michigan Medical Center.

Landscaped Areas – Designed Tree, Shrub, Turf and Perennial Plantings Landscape designs throughout the city include flowering trees and shrubs, spring bulbs, summer blooming annuals, perennials and ornamental grasses. The overall effect is to present a pleasing display throughout the city, with year-round interest from spring blooms to structural winter elements such as evergreens. The downtown sidewalk beds begin with tulips each spring, progress to summer annuals and twinkle each winter with lighted deciduous trees and holiday decorations. Examples of spring blooming bulbs, flowering trees and shrubs and ornamental grasses can be seen on the Grand Curves, Eastman Road Overpass area and the M-20 and Currie Parkway entrance into the city.

 Municipal Midland has worked with foundations and volunteers to define and enhance the appearance of the city. Organized in 2001, Entranceways Initiative Task Force is composed of citizens, city planners, business leaders and foundation members who joined together with the central mission of improving the appearance and function of the entranceways into the City of Midland. Improvements include sustainable and attractive hardscaping and landscaping with seasonal interest plantings and informative signage.  The City Horticulture Department is responsible for the maintenance of the city’s entranceway projects. Examples of project areas include the landscaping at the base of the U.S.10 bridge and Eastman Rd., the Grand Curves (the green space between Indian St. and Buttles St. that starts at State St.) and the landscaping at the corner of M-20 and Currie Parkway.


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Native plant material and drought-tolerant species are given priority when designing new planting areas or renovating existing ones. Sustainability and low maintenance are priorities when considering the type of plant species for these areas. Most of the turf areas under maintenance by the city are under an organic fertilization program. Special consideration is given to the seven acres of turf surrounding the Farmers Market and Tridge area. This highly popular area sees a high volume of foot traffic throughout the year during programs such as Tunes by the Tridge, a summer concert series that hosts thousands each summer. Many of the City’s municipal buildings such as the Water Plant, Service Center, Law Enforcement Center and Library have undergone landscape renovations over the last three years. The Japanese Garden of the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library viewed from the magnificent floor to ceiling windows in the library's quiet room is a highlight of the library’s landscape. The Japanese lanterns were presented to the citizens of Midland from the delegates of Handa, Japan in recognition of our long-standing Sister City relationship.

Circle Area Community Garden At the corner of Edwin and Cambridge Streets is the Circle Area Community Garden. Surrounded by a white picket fence, it includes 30 individual raised beds and is bordered by a perennial and annual garden, maintained by the City of Midland’s Community Garden Manager and Master Gardener volunteers. The Circle Community Garden is designed to be a teaching garden, with amenities such as a gazebo and a bench installed as an Eagle Scout Project. The garden was dedicated in late summer 2012 with financial support from the city, churches, non-profit organizations, local food pantries, local businesses and individual contributions.

Circle Area Community Garden

Entranceways There are three main entryways: Eastman Avenue, US-10, and the M-20 Corridor. Over the last 10 years, various projects have been completed to improve first impressions of the city. Such projects involved the Fairgrounds north and south entrances on Eastman Avenue (2003-04), and the Eastman overpass with medallions (2004-05). The southern Fairgrounds entrance was planted with annuals, perennials and grasses. The northern Fairgrounds entrance was planted with low grasses, flowering shrub roses, and hydrangeas. The Eastman overpass was landscaped with long blooming perennials, roses and flowering trees and shrubs. The Bay City entrance was completed in October 2007, and the M-20/Currie Parkway entrance was completed in 2009. The Bay City Road entrance was reshaped from existing soil to allow for more natural-looking drainage, and Michigan native trees were planted. In 2008 the Currie Parkway/M-20 entrance into the city was designed and landscaped with large stone walls, spring bulbs, flowering trees and shrubs and low-maintenance perennials. The park-and-ride lot on Wackerly Street near the US10 exit to Eastman Avenue was completed in 2005 and landscaped with low maintenance ornamental grasses and other hardy perennials. Grand Curves Parkway The Grand Curve Parkway is a greenbelt comprised of 30-plus acres. It was designed as a recreational pathway along Business US 10 connecting with the PereMarquette Rail Trail. The paved pathway is asphalt and imprinted concrete; about 1,300 perennials and 300-plus trees and shrubs are planted along the 4.25 mile pathway, with seating benches dotted throughout.

Circle Traffic Island


Traffic Islands and Medians Midland has several traffic islands, each planted with specially selected droughttolerant plant material and/or native species in an effort to remain environmentally conscious. The Circle traffic island is planted with long-blooming, low-maintenance Nepeta. Plant height is important in these areas to allow for high visibility of the 7

passing cars while at the same time providing year-round interest to the location. At the Saginaw-Wheeler intersection, the two traffic islands were planted in 2009 with native ornamental grass and drought-tolerant allium to accommodate the full-sun location as well as an accumulation of winter road salt. The beds continue to flourish and provide the city with a pleasing display. US10 Roundabout In 2014, a new roundabout on business US 10 brought the need for additional landscaping. The City Horticulturist worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to design a low-maintenance display containing evergreen trees and shrubs and colored stone mulches. The plants selected for this area needed to be particularly tough and able to withstand the occasional destruction by vehicular traffic. Downtown The City Horticulturist collaborated with the City’s Engineering Department to redesign the streetscape of Ellsworth Street. The project also included renovating nearby Putnam Park, which sits along the corridor, with new seating areas and perennial floral displays. The street is a connector between downtown and the newly developed East End Office Complex and Dow Diamond. Closer to the river, the Farmers Market display and Tridge landscaping include trees, large natural stone elements, flowering shrubs and long blooming perennials. The Farmers Market is a floral display of color with blooming trees, groundcovers, ornamental grasses, perennials and a mix of annuals planted each spring. One of downtown’s most unique features is a universally accessible canoe and kayak launch. The launch area, which was completed in 2010, boasts steep hillsides with native wildflowers and grasses. Grand Curves Parks and Recreation There are more than 72 city parks in Midland. Some of the parks have been left natural, but most are greenspace areas maintained by the city.  For many years, the City required that green space be a part of all neighborhood planning. As a result, many “pocket parks” were established within neighborhoods providing additional green space for all residents.  The premier parks house ball fields, a dog park, a skate park and a hockey rink, multi-use trails, picnic pavilions, canoe launches, playgrounds, splash parks, festival areas, a public pool, municipal forests, Michigan’s only iced toboggan runs and a man-made lake.  Currie Municipal Golf Course is owned by the City and under professional management of Billy Casper Golf. The golf course plants annual containers and numerous displays along with colorful landscape planting beds around the clubhouse and throughout the course.  Midland Cemetery, owned and maintained by the City, provides lovely seasonal landscaping along the road and entry points.

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Midland Cemetery

The Dow Gardens provides 110 acres of professionally landscaped gardens. Winding paths and a meandering stream guide visitors through many different landscapes: pine forest with rhododendrons, rolling hills covered with birches, a rock garden and waterfall with specimen conifers, seasonal displays of flowers, perennial and herb gardens, rose gardens, grasses and fern glades. An award-winning children’s garden showcases companion plantings of vegetables and flowers around play structures and a water feature. Garden staff plans and maintains the areas and provides functions for enjoying the many venues. Dow Gardens Visitor Center Midland, Michigan 2016

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The Circle Business Association funds the Center City Authority’s holiday lights and seasonal container displays. In addition, the area has a landscaped traffic median that includes trees and grasses, evergreens and perennials. These plantings provide pedestrians and vehicular traffic with a year-long seasonal display in a collaborative effort with the City’s Wastewater Department to provide a visual block to the wastewater pump station. Other area businesses take pride in landscaping for residents’ enjoyment:  The Dow Diamond landscape creates a park-like setting around the stadium. On-site maintenance keeps both the ball field and the landscaping in top shape. The stadium lights are powered by solar panels. The landscaping flows seamlessly into the adjacent Dow Founders Garden, overlooking the Tittabawassee River and Main Street.  The largest employer in the area, The Dow Chemical Company, has manufacturing, research and corporate headquarters areas within the City. Some of their landscaping incorporates natural, native grasses and trees. Other areas are sweeping green expanses of well-maintained turf. The front of the corporate headquarters on Patrick Road is impressive, with trees lining the property and mowed lawn, opposite the greenbelt pathway leading into the Grand Curves area across Saginaw Road and into the downtown area. Dow Chemical fulfills its role of being a good neighbor, as its property blends seamlessly with the surrounding residential neighborhoods.  Midland Soccer Club has set a fine example of softening the expansive playing fields and parking areas with landscaping that provides appealing spaces for residents and visiting families.  Built in 1991, the Midland Mall is located near the Eastman Road Exit from US-10. In 2015, ash trees killed by the emerald ash borer were replaced with 23 new trees and the landscaping in front of the Ruby Tuesday’s restaurant was renovated. As hotels and businesses populate the mall area, they incorporate landscaping into their entrances and parking areas.  The area Home Builders Association and local nurseries host a Parade of Homes each year. Landscaping has become an important component of this showcase. The Home and Garden Show in the spring has special emphasis on landscaping and design and brings in garden authors to hold educational seminars.  Area churches such as Memorial Presbyterian Church, Aldersgate Methodist Church, Christian Celebration Center and Midland Reformed Church take great pride in their landscaping and have won Appreciation of Beautification Awards for their efforts.  Numerous large and small businesses located in renovated homes and office spaces have updated or installed new landscapes and plantings, winning City of Midland Beautification Awards for their efforts.  The MidMichigan Medical Center campus is adorned with beautiful landscaping, floral displays and fitness trails that wind through forested areas that are open to the public as an exercise venue. Memorial Presbyterian Church

 Residential The City of Midland is a city of neighborhoods, mostly developed after WWII. Each neighborhood takes its character from the decade in which it was built as well as its developers. The residential neighborhoods surrounding the Circle Business Area have homes dating from the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, while other areas reflect the 1980s and beyond. Because Midland has five Michigan Garden Clubs as well as a Michigan Master Gardener Volunteer Association, and numerous landscape and floral businesses, there is no scarcity of gardening expertise. Gardeners learn best practices and new techniques at seminars and classes sponsored by garden clubs, master gardeners, area nurseries, home shows and Dow Gardens. Reece Endeavor Garden Walk Each year, five to six residential gardens participate in the popular Reece Endeavor Garden Walk. The walk takes ticket holders through different landscapes large to small and provides an opportunity to talk to and


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learn from the homeowners and volunteer Master Gardeners while raising funds to provide housing for individuals with special needs in Midland County.

 Community Involvement In 2014, the Beautification Advisory Committee was awarded the Michigan Recreation and Park Association’s Community Service Award for their 40 years of service. This volunteer committee of the city promotes beautification through its awards programs. Beautification awards go to businesses and individuals for landscaping or site and structural improvements. Outstanding effort in beautification Volunteer Tended Planting Bed is touted through special recognition with the Bette R. Tollar Civic Commitment Award. This award is generally given to projects that have involved local foundation funding, volunteers and city resources over a period of time. Many organizations maintain recreational areas and promote volunteering in the community.  Midland citizens are invited to “Adopt a Park” to help maintain and clean up parks. A sign is posted in the park with the organization’s name. In 2015, nine parks were adopted. The individual, business or organization commits to a minimum of two clean-ups per year.  Little League fields for Fraternal Northwest and Northeast Little Leagues have been improved with help from volunteers and local foundations. Both have won beautification awards from the City for their landscaping and site improvement. The Midland Girls’ Softball League and other youth softball organizations have also worked to improve Optimist Park. Master Gardener Volunteers The Midland County Master Gardener Association contributes approximately 4,000 hours per year in Midland working with a variety of organizations, including:  Community and church gardens  Side-by-side with children in school gardens  Inside Dow Gardens, Whiting Forest and the Historical Society’s Heritage Gardens  Teaching local Midland residents to grow vegetables and herbs through 4H projects and with the Circle Area Community Garden.  Partnering with the Reece Endeavour Garden Walk to provide education during the Walk  A regular informational gardening column in the local newspaper (co-written with Dow Gardens)  Participation in the annual Midland Blooms planting and identifying wildflowers on the Pere Marquette Rail Trail

Urban Forestry—Preserving Our Woodland Heritage Midland is in a transition area between northern and southern forest types. From about 1840 to 1900, most of the Michigan forests were cut down for farms and to produce lumber for buildings, ships and mines; Midland was a center for logging and moving trees down the rivers to Lake Huron. After 1900, Michigan realized the importance of forests for both recreation and wildlife preservation and began the process of rebuilding the forests. Midland has a rich diversity of plant and animal life dependent on the forest cycles, along with many wonderful examples of transition woodlands within the city.

 Municipal The Forestry Division of the City of Midland Parks and Recreation Department is committed to planting, maintaining and the overall health of Midland’s urban forest. The City maintains over 28,000 trees in the outlawns of the city and nearly the same number located in the many parks in Midland. There are 5,442 acres of woodland within the city. The City of Midland has a comprehensive tree management program. Below are some highlights of the program: Midland, Michigan 2016

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Rules for selecting, planting and caring for trees in city right of ways and parks are found in the City of Midland Master Plan, which is reviewed every 5 years. Chapter 3 of the Master Plan details the natural resources inventory of the city. Chapter 5 details plans for future land use. Plans to deal with disease and damage are in place for both street and park trees. Parks and street trees are maintained according to the plans. Specimen trees have been saved and specially treated to maintain their position in parks and other areas. Replacement tree plans include planting mixed species to avoid devastation of any one type of tree in continuous areas. Outlawn ash trees, sycamore trees and elms were evaluated and many are treated on a regular basis to prevent disease. Others too infested are removed. The city partners with Consumers Energy on problem trees and recommends trimming or removal as needed with regard to utility line clearance. The two organizations also collaborate on planting the right trees to avoid future tree-utility line conflicts. In addition, city ordinances detail duties of the home or business owner and the city’s responsibilities in plantings, maintenance and proper trimming and removal of trees deemed hazardous. Citizens request pruning, tree planting and evaluation of problem trees.

In addition to the outlawn tree management program, the city also manages three vibrant urban forests utilized by citizens throughout the year:  City Forest is the largest park in the City of Midland, boasting 520 acres of hardwoods and pines. As one of the most utilized parks, City Forest is perfect for a variety of year-round activities. The forest provides 11 kilometers of groomed trails perfect for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing and hiking. In addition, there are 13 miles of mountain biking trails that are open year-round that are maintained by a volunteer user group. Equestrians use the trails in the spring, summer and fall months. The park also hosts toboggan runs, a sled hill and an ice rink and offers a warming Chalet with rental equipment and refreshments.  Stratford Woods Park is home to Kiwassee Lake, a shallow, sandybottom man-made lake perfect for children and adults alike. The large beach is available for sunbathing or playing in the sand. The pond is fully City Forest Nordic Skier stocked for fishing. The park has a variety of play equipment, basketball courts, a BMX bike track and four beach volleyball areas. The west side of the park has a number of trails running through the woods for hiking and walking. A picnic area with a pavilion, grills and tables is also available for use.  Barstow Woods is a 24.9-acre natural wooded area with year-round trails. In the winter, the paths are perfect for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. In warmer months, walkers, runners and hikers frequent the trails. This natural area is a great place to watch the spring bloom or fall color change.

 Business Whiting Forest is a native woodland offering of the Dow Gardens featuring plants native to the Central Michigan region. Whiting Forest’s vision is to showcase an urban forest with native provenance for education and recreation. The forest consists of Jack Pine and Tamarack, White & Red Pine, Wet Deciduous and Old field succession areas. Part of the original apple orchard from the Dow Estate was also preserved while native wildflowers were reintroduced into the forest and adjacent fields.

Whiting Forest Lodge

Other Midland businesses and institutions have embraced the forests of mid-Michigan as part of their landscaping as well:


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The Dow Chemical Company has many naturally forested areas surrounding its holdings. MidMichigan Medical Center has forested trails throughout its campus. Along the Sturgeon Creek Watershed, its Wellness Trails encompass three miles of walking trails through the surrounding woods. Specimen trees have been identified and preserved. Overhead utility lines have been rerouted to produce minimum destruction. New buildings always work to enable access while fitting buildings into the woods, maintaining the tranquil feeling of the forest. Northwood University campus is surrounded by many wooded areas and borders the PereMarquette Rail Trail as well. Buildings nestle into the wooded setting and students and visitors move down shaded streets to classes and displays Many of the Home Builders Association members use forest-friendly planning to maintain natural areas around new homes. Most businesses also consider the natural landscape when building new buildings and incorporate surrounding natural areas into their plans. In 2016 and 2017, the Arboriculture Society of Michigan will hold its summer conference and Michigan Tree Climbing Championship in Midland’s Revere Park.

 Residential With Midland having a City Master Plan for urban growth, many neighborhoods have benefited from naturalized planning by homebuilders and architects. Minimal destruction of natural habitat has left Midland with beautiful residential areas. There are many neighborhoods with 100-year-old trees that were saved when homes were constructed. Natural wooded areas as well as parks are a part of many neighborhoods. A designated Tree City USA community for twenty years, Midland takes pride in its many beautiful wooded neighborhoods. Winding through Midland are many of the drains and streams that are part of the Sturgeon Creek and Tittabawassee River watersheds. Much of this area is a right-of-way for the Drain Commission and along the creeks and streams are many lovely trees. As Sturgeon Creek meets the Tittabawassee, there are also many trees in the primarily rural residential areas leading into Emerson and Chippewassee Parks and further along the Chippewa River into Chippewa Nature Center. Residences can also be found along the wooded banks of the Pine and Chippewa Rivers. Classes on Shade Gardening and Woodland Gardening have been offered by Dow Gardens in its annual Know and Grow Seminars and Winter Classes. Whiting Forest has offered tree identification, chain saw and tree maintenance courses. In 2015, they sponsored Wood Lot management courses. Local MSUE Master Gardener Volunteers also offer classes and advice to the community on tree health and maintenance. The 5 local Michigan Garden Clubs also stress ecology and landscaping with trees. Chippewa Nature Center and Little Forks Conservancy provide training on native species and control of exotic invasive species, as well as wood lot maintenance.

 Community Involvement Community involvement programs have developed over the years to help preserve the natural environment of the area. Several exemplary community involvement programs include: 

Arbor Day activities with local elementary schools. For 30 years, the City of Midland has observed Arbor Day by partnering with a local elementary school, teaching children facts about trees and then planting a tree. The Arboriculture Society of Michigan awarded the City with the Gold Leaf Award for the 2014 Arbor Day activity, partnering with Dow Gardens to help school children plant trees in Central Park.


City Forester at Arbor Day

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Wild Ones, a nationwide natural landscaping movement, has a local chapter. Trouts Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited both have large local memberships, all dedicated to preserving the natural environment.

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Little Forks Conservancy and interns from AmeriCorps teach forestry management to local landowners and volunteers help create boardwalks and remove invasive species from conservancy lands. Recently, Little Forks Conservancy has been growing and gaining ground in preserving natural areas in the area.

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Non-profit organizations have been started by Midland volunteers over the years to help preserve the natural environment of the area. The largest and most successful is the Chippewa Nature Center (CNC), a private nature center open to the public yearround. Its mission is to connect all people with nature through educational, recreational and cultural experiences, and its vision is to inspire people to be stewards of the natural world. Since 1966, CNC has grown from its original 198 acre parcel to over 1,200 acres. Its original ‘staff’ of dedicated volunteers is now 40 staff members and hundreds of volunteers, along with a Visitor Center, 15 miles of trails and a LEED™ Gold Certified Nature Preschool. There are more than 60,000 Chippewa Nature Center visitors to CNC each year, including 20,000 school kids and 900 Nature Day campers. 

The Nature Center’s natural resources are its main feature for visitors and are maintained and improved for the purpose of interpreting the natural environment and the relationship people have to it. The Center’s land management focus is to produce and maintain ecosystems that are healthy and natural-appearing, composed of historically native plant communities, inhabited by animals in balance with the vegetation, generally characterized by natural events and show diversity of ecosystems.

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CNC is home to a variety of plants and animals. This area is the southern-most limit for many northern species like birch and the northern-most limit for many southern species like sycamore. Visitors can experience this diversity by exploring over 15 miles of trails winding through fields, woodlands, rivers and wetlands. Walking, jogging, skiing and snowshoeing are welcome.

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In 1976, volunteers worked with the Midland Beautification Advisory Commission, the Michigan Division of The Dow Chemical Company, the Midland Public Schools and Chippewa Nature Center to plant a Bicentennial Forest in an area that once was forested. More than 25,000 seedlings of 26 different varieties native to this part of Michigan were planted by about 3,000 persons (most of them students from grades 3 to 6) on 25 acres of land located at the Chippewa Nature Center. Midland Garden Clubs provided essentially all the supervisory personnel. The land was acquired through grants from The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation.

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The Saginaw Valley Nursery and Landscape Association (SVNLA) hosts the educational seminar “Let’s Talk Trees” every fall for local landscapers and homeowners.

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Classes on woodland gardening have been offered by Dow Gardens at its annual Know and Grow Seminar and winter education classes. Whiting Forest has offered tree identification, chain saw and tree maintenance courses. In 2015, they sponsored wood lot management courses. Local master gardener volunteers also offer classes and advice to the community on tree health and maintenance. The five local Michigan garden clubs also stress ecology and landscaping with trees.


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Chippewa Nature Center and Little Forks Conservancy provide training on native species and control of exotic invasive species, as well as wood lot maintenance.

Environmental Effort – Sustainable Development and Awareness  Municipal The City of Midland's Department of Public Services (DPS) is responsible for providing a variety of environmental and clean-up services:  Household refuse is collected weekly based upon the scheduled collection day assigned to the street address, Monday-Friday. Refuse is collected in tied plastic bags, covered garbage cans with handles, or 95-gallon carts available for purchase from the City of Midland.  A single-stream residential recycling program started in August 2010 when Midland replaced a more restrictive bi-weekly curbside sorted recycling system. Under the single-stream program, recyclables are collected curbside once per month in 95-gallon carts on the homeowners normal refuse collection day.  Yard waste collection includes grass clipping, leaves, small twigs, straw, plants and garden waste. Yard waste is collected for composting on the weekly refuse day from April through November. Yard waste is collected in paper compost bags that require a bag collection sticker and 95-gallon yard waste bins, which require an annual collection sticker. Yard waste bins are available for purchase from the City of Midland. For four weeks in the spring and fall, yard waste is collected curbside for free in paper compost bags and yard waste bins.  Bulk fall leaf collection usually begins near the end of October. Leaves are raked to the street and collected with by city crews.  Heavy items and brush are collected from residential properties once per month.  In the Borrow-A-Container Program, a 4-cubic-yard dumpster can be reserved for overnight loading. Residents can reserve a container up to four times per year. There is no charge for this Bulk Fall Leaf Collection service.  Direct landfill disposal of up to three cubic yards of refuse is available at no charge to all residents once a month. Additional volume can be disposed of for a fee.  Road maintenance of over 250 miles of the city's major and local streets includes street sweeping and snow removal along with street, curb, sidewalk and catch-basin repair.  The Department of Public Services also is responsible for a curb-to-curb public transit through the Dial-A Ride transportation system. In addition to these responsibilities, Midland has created more ways to protect the environment: 

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Garbage to Methane/CO2 to Power -The City of Midland’s landfill facility is a great asset to the city but at the same time can be a problem with the methane and carbon dioxide gasses generated by its operation, which are not friendly to the environment. Midland has developed a process by which these gasses are captured, piped to a burning facility and converted into electricity, which is then sold to The Dow Chemical Company for use in their buildings and plants. Mulching – Trees under municipal care that are removed by the City of Midland Forestry Department are chipped and used as mulch in the many parks and public areas of the city. Excess wood chips are made available to the public at no charge. Invasive Species Removal - The City has developed an active invasive species removal program. With help from foundation grants, and overseen by the Parks and Recreation Department, this team has removed invasive plants from the Rail Trail, Stratford Woods Park, Barstow Woods, and the Tittabawassee riverbank. The city’s plans include a four-year maintenance program to help control


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the return of the invasive species through the use of herbicides, along with the planting of native species to help establish a healthier ecosystem.

 Business Midland Farmers Market is open from 7:00 am until 1:00 pm on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Market rules provide that produce vendors must grow at least half of the fruits and vegetables they sell on their own land, while the remainder must originate in Michigan. If a vendor doesn’t adhere to that standard, they must label their stand with a neon green ‘W’ sign indicating they’re a wholesaler. On busy Saturdays, visitors to the market can exceed 8,000. In recent years the market has diversified by adding vendors for fresh pasta, soap, organic meat, eggs and fish. This movement to consume locally grown products has helped to reduce the carbon footprint of the area.

Farmers Market

Saginaw-Midland Municipal Water Supply Corp. was established in 1946 by the cities of Midland and Saginaw to supply water for their use. To find the best source of water they went 60 miles north of Bay City to White Stone Point. Two pipelines were built (one 60” and another 48”) to bring the water down to Junction Station on Three Mile Road just east of Bay City. The water is then diverted into pipelines that run to each city. Through conservation efforts by the cities and local industry over the last ten years the corporation has developed a surplus of pumping capacity. In 2013, the City and County of Bay City, along with several other smaller communities, approached the corporation requesting they supply raw water to them replacing their less-than-optimum water supply source. This linkage was scheduled to be completed in 2015 and will make the corporation the major supplier of water to the Great Lakes Bay Region. Brady News and Recycling offers residential drop-off and programs for commercial/industrial recycling. Brady celebrated its 60th year in 2013, recycling plastics containers, metals, newspapers, corrugated cardboard, office paper, mail, magazines, phone books and catalogs.

 Residential 2015 City of Midland’s Curbside Recycling Program Data shows that the City achieved an 86.38% participation rate among residents for the year. Each participating home recycled over 28 pounds of materials during an average month.


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 Community Involvement Since 1996, The Little Forks Conservancy has partnered with private landowners in or near the Tittabawassee River Watershed to protect and preserve the unique natural features of this region. Through the use of conservation easements, land donations, bargain sale of land, and land purchases over 2,200 acres have been conserved. Some preserved lands provide opportunities for public recreation and access to unique resources in our region, while other more sensitive sites require limiting public access to preserve native associations of flora and fauna. Trails have been developed and there is a continuing effort at removing invasive species. A new program, Conservation@Home, is an education and recognition program created by The Conservation Foundation and implemented in 2015. The Midland County Health Department and the City of Midland Landfill co-sponsor a free Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program several times each year to provide residents with the opportunity to safely and properly dispose of hazardous materials in the home such as automotive products, cleaning products, paint and garden products. Residents may also dispose of electronic items such as computers and monitors, cell phones, old thermometers and other items containing mercury. For over 25 years Midland Recyclers has been educating the community on resource conservation through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. Its mission is to conserve resources by giving residents and businesses the opportunity to recycle by operating the Midland Recycler Center (located at the entrance to the Midland Landfill) where materials are accepted and processed. Multiple community gardens have been developed throughout Midland as a source of fresh food. These gardens are sponsored by the City, churches, schools, charitable foundations and other community organizations and individuals. Many of these gardens are used to provide food to the emergency food pantry network. Midland’s Habitat for Humanity has many local businesses which sponsor volunteer builds and home rehabilitation projects for low-income neighborhoods in Midland. In 2014 and 2015, Habitat introduced Women’s Build days to their programming as well.

Heritage – Preserving Our Past for Future Generations  Municipal On the confluence of the Chippewa and Tittabawassee Rivers, Midland evolved from an Indian village, to a trading post for hunters, lumberjacks and farmers, to the second largest sawmill in the Saginaw Valley before becoming incorporated in 1887. Through the efforts of Herbert Henry Dow in 1890 using Midland’s underground brine to produce chemicals in a new way by utilizing electricity, and successfully establishing The Dow Chemical Company in 1897, the city survived the demise of the logging era. Midland has grown to become the “City of Science and Culture” and the “City of Modern Explorers”. Wayfinding signage throughout the city directs residents and visitors to the various historical sites, museums, parks and buildings of unique design and heritage, as well as communicating their historical significance. Herbert Henry Dow laid the first cornerstone for the Tudor-style Midland County Courthouse on March 29, 1925, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2013-2014, the jail and the Alden B. Dowdesigned addition were removed in a renovation project to restore the Courthouse to its original configuration. It has records of historical and genealogical significance dating from the 1800s and remains in use as the current courthouse for Midland County. The Midland County Veterans’ Memorial was established in 1949 and was refurbished in 2014 with Midland County Courthouse Midland, Michigan 2016

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expanded recognition from the original World War II monument to include the Civil War, Korean and Vietnam Wars, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other conflicts. Revere Park was the site for Midland’s first cemetery. The current Midland Cemetery has been used since June 13, 1873. Originally 40 acres, it has grown to over 55 acres and in 1949 the City of Midland assumed maintenance and passed regulations to preserve its history and character. Volunteers have located, cleaned and documented the gravestones of Civil War veterans. Volunteers conduct the popular, living history tours within the cemetery annually, organized by the Midland County Historical Society. Centennial Park was created as “a tribute to The Dow Chemical Company’s relationship with the Midland community”. The entrance is under a metal “gateway sculpture” representing the history between Dow Chemical and Midland. The large bronze mural, entitled “Midland: The City of Modern Explorers” highlights this lovely park. The original plaster mural is now showcased in the Doan History Center. The Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell, located in Central Park, is a Midland landmark designed by Alden B. Dow in 1938 as part of a Public Works project under FDR’s Administration. A major renovation effort in 2012, made possible through public fundraising and the Alden and Vada Dow Family Foundation, has helped this popular gathering place to continue its free, open air concerts. On Wednesday evenings in the summer, the Midland Chemical City Band continues this musical legacy. It is available for public use through the Midland Parks and Recreation Department. Discovery Square is the city’s name for a cultural-scientific grouping of three learning venues in close proximity to each other: 

The Midland Center for the Arts was laid out on one of the few remaining pieces of Herbert H. Dow’s orchard property in July of 1968. Designed by Alden B. Dow, the Midland Center for the Arts is where art, history and science come alive through the Center’s museums, interactive exhibits, lecturers and classes. Music, theater and art are enthusiastically supported through performances of residential and guest musicians, choral groups, artists, and theatrical talents. Classes and learning opportunities are offered for all ages. MATRIX: MIDLAND brings world-class performers, musicians, and professional speakers to the Center during each summer.

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Dow Gardens first surrounded the family home and estate of Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow. Built in 1899, Mr. Dow designed the house himself. Renovations and additions Dow Gardens in the Fall were made throughout the years and tours are available regularly. The Gardens' original flat and sandy eight acres has been transformed into an oasis of ponds, ornamental plantings and beds and graceful hills with sculpture and design elements. Alden B. Dow had his studio and home abutting the Gardens. The artistic and changing nature of the Gardens has been its appeal throughout the years. A beautiful educational, historical, and horticultural tool, the Dow Gardens are now 110 acres nurtured by The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation.

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In 1899 Mary Dow, sister of Herbert H. Dow, was the first librarian in a subscription-type library of 25 paying members. In January 1919 a new, brick Carnegie Library of Midland opened. By 1935 the City of Midland was funding the library and by 1950 it had outgrown its facilities. The current building, The Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, financed in part by the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, designed by Alden B. Dow and named in honor of his mother, opened on January 24, 1955 in a corner of the former Dow Orchards. Various expansions and renovations have been made throughout the years, generously funded by the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation and


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the City of Midland. It has a special, local genealogy room with volunteers to help research Midland area families and history.

 Business Heritage Park consists of three “state-of-the-art archival and multipurpose facilities” in close proximity within a park-like campus: 

The Herbert D. Doan Midland County History Center Replica of First Dow Brine Well Considered the “gateway” to the Heritage Park, the Herbert D. Doan History Center offers interactive exhibits, highlighting Midland’s history from early days to the present. The Midland Historical Society maintains a collection of historical periodicals, early Court records and other documents as well as artifacts made or used over the past 120 years. Volunteers create special exhibits periodically. Tours and educational programs help preserve the heritage crafts and activities of Midland.

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Multi-media exhibits depict the creative beginning of The Dow Chemical Company. From the early brine well derrick to the experiments of pioneering chemist Herbert H. Dow, the Herbert H. Dow Historical Museum shares the rich chemical heritage Midland brought to the everyday life of people around the world.

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The restored 1874 Victorian Bradley Home shows what daily life was like for a Midland family in the late 1800s. The Carriage House holds a large collection of carriages and sleighs and houses mid-Michigan’s largest functioning blacksmith shop. Volunteer blacksmiths demonstrate their craft and volunteers in period clothing give tours of the Bradley home. Volunteer-led tours involving Victorian funeral practices, Christmas decorations, and a Civil War encampment and other special events are all very popular.

Bradley Home

Dow Chemical’s Founder’s Garden received the 2012 Honor Award for Architectural Landscape Design as presented to Hamilton Anderson Associates by the Michigan Chapter of the American Landscape Architects for work on this park.  Visitors to the Founder’s Garden begin in the Rotunda Plaza where salvaged bricks from the former world headquarters of The Dow Chemical Company, Building 47, mark the location of that site.  A statue of Herbert H. Dow sits in the center of the plaza, surrounded by his sketches, with a map highlighting how the company has expanded throughout the world. The five walls emerging from the earth symbolize Dow’s discovery of the first five chemicals he extracted from the brine deposits that sit below the Midland area.  Hamilton Anderson Associates worked with the company leadership, community, historians and chemists to distill the local heritage into a design that is meaningful to local residents and visitors.  The trail that is routed through the site has become popular for runners and cyclists. Utilized at night, lighting was an important part of the design process. Founder's Garden


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 Residential The City-appointed West Main Street Historic District Commission oversees a city-established area of historic homes known as the Historic District. Close to the downtown area, the District is rich with homes of unique architectural history and cultural significance. The Commission is responsible for supporting preservation and restoration consistent with the heritage of that neighborhood. A National Historic Landmark, the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio, was designed in 1934 when Alden B. Dow returned to Midland after studying under Frank Lloyd Wright in Wisconsin. It was built between 1937-1941 using Alden B. Dow’s patented ‘Unit Block’ construction system.  Cited in Architectural Digest as “one of the two most beautiful contemporary homes in the United States (the other one being Wright-designed Fallingwater), the Home and Studio is an outstanding example of man and nature creating together.” Alden B. Dow Home and Studio  Traditional Home magazine in 2014 designated it as one of 25 “Best Historic Homes in America,” celebrating the Home and Studio “on a national level and assigning significance to its part in the history of American Architecture”.  In 1989 the Home and Studio was listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service.  The Alden and Vada Dow Foundation has preserved Alden B. Dow’s Home and Studio for “architectural study, educational programming, and to share with the public” through tours and through the Alden B. Dow Archives. It offers summer youth programs as well as adult educational opportunities. The Home and Studio brings 10,000 tourists yearly to the Great Lakes Bay Region.  The Foundation also sponsors the continually sold-out annual tours of other Alden B. Dow- designed homes and buildings within the city. He designed over 60 residences in Midland, 21 of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. Alden B. Dow designed more than 132 structures in Midland over four decades. Midland is also known as “The City of Beautiful Churches,” with 101 houses of faith. In October 2013, The Alden B Dow Home and Studio organized a tour of nine of Midland’s architecturally important churches, The Light from Above - Midland Houses of Faith Tour. This tour has continued every other year since Midland has several houses of faith that fit these architectural criteria.

 Community Involvement Chippewa Nature Center showcases historical life in the mid-Michigan area. A dedicated CNC staff and many enthusiastic volunteers of all ages work together to provide educational and historical classes, demonstrations, field trips, workshops, festivals, summer camps, walk-in programs, hikes and displays.  The Homestead Farm allows visitors to explore what rural life was like in the 1870s. Pigs, cattle, sheep and chickens inhabit the reconstructed log barn and chicken coop. The Leicester long wool sheep are a heritage breed that would actually have been in the Midland area in the late 1800s. Staff and volunteers, in vintage clothing, offer activities and demonstrations using farm tools, felting and dyeing, cooking on a woodstove, harvesting and storing vegetables and fruits and visiting an outhouse. The heritage varieties of fruits and vegetables grown in the garden provide a Midland food bank with over 600 pounds of organic produce from one growing season. Special educational/historical offerings include workshops such as candle and soap making, craft demonstrations, history programs geared toward children and the Fall Harvest Festival. This Festival uses more than 300 community volunteers to give visitors a view of an 1870 Michigan harvest season.


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The popular Maple Syrup Festival, a 1870’s style sap boiling and tree-tapping event, involves volunteers and visitors gathering maple sap from the Sugarbush. An 1868 home built in Clare was dismantled by volunteers, transported to CNC in 1978 and re-purposed into a sugarhouse to boil down the syrup.

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A short distance from the sugarhouse is the Log Schoolhouse, where today’s students can learn lessons with traditional implements and materials from the 1800s.

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In the Wigwam, a visitor can learn about the life of the Ojibwa Indians several hundred years ago along the Pine River. Using hands-on skills, a person can learn about the fur trade, making tools for hunting, and how local plants and animals were used to sustain Native American life in this area.

Santa House is on the grounds of the Midland County Courthouse. The charming architecture, paintings, clock and glockenspiel make the Santa House stand out in the downtown area year-round. It is transformed into a magical experience during the holiday season with support from the Midland Area Community Foundation, businesses and volunteers and a seasonal lease from the County. The worldrenowned C.W. Howard Santa School is based here each fall.

River Cruising during Riverdays

Riverdays is a two-day summer celebration of the Tittabawassee and Chippewa Rivers and their role in the development of Midland. Riverdays has been a Midland Area Community Foundation (MACF) event for 31 years. The Riverdays committee is made up of volunteers representing several organizations in Midland. Riverdays is held in Chippewassee Park and hosted by the Midland Area Community Foundation. The festival provides free, family-focused activities such as blacksmithing demonstrations, wood branding, Voyageur canoe rides, Midland history displays, riverboat rides, music, food vendors, mud volleyball, fireworks and a pancake breakfast – all to bring area residents together to celebrate Midland's river history.

Overall Impression  Municipal Midland has been named one of America’s top 100 safest communities and was named one of the top 10 best places to live in Michigan. A lot of this appeal can be traced back to the overall appearance of the city to visitors. Midland is very proud of the working relationship that exists between the city government, state government, philanthropic foundations, and business community and citizens volunteers. These groups joined together to form the Entranceways Initiative Task Force, commissioned to improve the entranceways of Midland. This effort improved both US 10 Entranceway Plantings landscaping and hardscaping at the major entrances to Midland. The project was completed over a 10-year period and has greatly improved the look of the entrances to the city. In addition to private funding for the project, monies were provided for maintenance of the new enhancements. The entranceways included the following:  North and south fairgrounds entrances  Eastman overpass plantings and medallions  US10/Grand Curve entrance  M20/Currie Parkway entrance Midland, Michigan 2016

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Park-and-Ride lot Wackerly entrance New directional wayfinding signage for points of interest around the city Publishing of a tree planting guide for businesses

The Midland Beautification Advisory Committee encourages the development of aesthetics in the City of Midland by recognizing residential and business properties for beautification projects and their outstanding contributions that are readily visible to the public. Below are the two programs that the Beautification Advisory Committee sponsors each year:  Appreciation of Beautification Awards presented annually to owners/renters of property in the City of Midland who have improved their property with regard to structural site improvements and landscaping, in the areas of development, redevelopment and remodeling. The awards are presented for improvements that have a positive impact on and are aesthetically pleasing to the immediate neighborhood and community and enhance the appearance of an existing structure or property or the construction of a new structure which is an extraordinary example of aesthetically pleasing architecture and or site design.  Make Midland Beautiful Art Celebration is a poster contest for the more than 800 public and parochial students in 2nd and 6th grade to create a poster on what Makes Midland Beautiful to them. One poster is selected from each participating classroom to represent the school. The City Planning Commission is responsible for overseeing the City's Master Plan, conducting public hearings and offering recommendations to the City Council on a wide range of local land use issues including site plans for new developments, zoning law amendments and various land divisions. Signage in Midland is controlled by Section 8 of the City Ordinances and designed to ensure the following:  Safety: The requirements with regard to placement, installation, maintenance, size and location of signs are intended to minimize distractions to motorists, maintain unobstructed vision for motorists, protect pedestrians, and otherwise minimize any threat to public health or safety.  Aesthetics: Signs should enhance the aesthetic appeal of the City. Thus, these regulations are intended to: 1) regulate signs that are out-of-scale with surrounding buildings and structures, 2) prevent an excessive accumulation of signs, and 3) encourage signs that enhance the appearance and value of the business districts.  Equal protection and fairness: These regulations are designed to be fair to each property owner by establishing uniform standards that provide adequate exposure to the public for all property owners.  Land use planning objectives: The placement and design of signs should further the land use planning objectives of the City, and protect neighborhood character and the value of surrounding properties. The City Code of Ordinances regulates many other neighborhood and business activities as well, ranging from refuse collection to property maintenance to overall appearance of properties.

 Business Overall cleanliness This is a city to which appearance is important! Properties are maintained, and there are no areas of boarded windows, vacant or abandoned buildings, trashed lots, or overgrown shrubs. Graffiti is rare, and when it does happen, it is painted over or erased quickly. The local Beatification Advisory Committee gives out both landscaping and structural improvement awards to local business annually. Conditions of buildings and properties City Ordinances require that sub-standard buildings be attended to as indicated. Sections 12- 23 and similar ordinances dictate that buildings be kept in good repair or be removed. Throughout the City of Midland business areas, including the South Saginaw businesses, the Downtown Area, the City Center area, the Eastman-Saginaw area, or the Midland Mall area, buildings are maintained and kept clean. Midland, Michigan 2016

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 Residential Overall cleanliness As a “City of Neighborhoods”, each developed independently in various decades, Midland presents many faces and styles of housing, from older homes along Rodd Street, to small homes from the WWII era, to the ‘60s, ‘70s, and so on. City trucks collect trimmings from shrubs and trees on a monthly basis. Residents put out refuse containers as scheduled for weekly collection along with monthly curbside recycling. City Ordinance requires that lawns be mowed and forbids parking of inoperable vehicles on city streets. Streets are swept regularly by the city street maintenance crews, who also provide bulk curbside collection of leaves each fall, and snow/ice removal in the winter. Conditions of buildings and properties Articles III through VIII of the City Ordinances outline minimum standards for houses, rental units, and hotels, ensuring that safe standards are maintained throughout the City of Midland. City Ordinance also requires that houses and buildings be painted (section 12-102) and that public areas, yards, and premises should be kept clean and in sanitary condition. (Section 22-16)

 Community Involvement Midland is a city of volunteers. Whether it’s planting flowers along Eastman Avenue, business-sponsored volunteer days to improve lower income housing, Arbor Day activities for school children, building and revitalizing the Plymouth Park Fun Zone, or any number of projects – when the call goes out, the volunteers come! Midland has many local foundation funding opportunities and smaller Currie Parkway Bridge grants available from the Midland Area Community Foundation’s donor funds as well. In addition, national service organizations and fraternal organizations have local chapters. Churches and organizations are involved in many projects to enhance the city. Midland has remained a dynamic city with interest and involvement in all aspects of city planning, from the many volunteer commissions to charitable foundations, service organizations and business organizations. This level of cooperation and list of achievements is truly a reason for Midland’s many designations and awards. It is known as the City of Beautiful Churches and Tree City USA, among others as noted on the following list: YEAR 2013-2014 2015 2011-2014

HONOR 100 Safest Cities in America (#72 and #61) 5 Star Community - Entrepreneurial Climate 5 Star Entrepreneurial Support

2013

Award of Excellence - Citizens Academy

2011 2015 2014

Best City in America for Economic Growth (#8) Best Michigan Community to Start a Business #15 Best Place for the Middle Class (County) 8 named nationally Best Place to Live in Michigan Best Places for Job Seekers in Michigan (#2) Best Tennis Town USA Bike Friendly Community (Bronze) Community for a Lifetime

2013 2013 2009 2012 2013


SPONSOR NeighborhoodScout.com MiQuest University of Michigan, Dearborn iLabs City & County Communications & Marketing Association U.S. Business Facilities Magazine Nerd Wallet CNN Money Movoto Nerd Wallet USTA American League of Bicyclists Michigan Office of Services to the Aging 22

2015 2014 2014 2010-2014 2010 1995-2015

Company that Cares Most diverse place in Michigan (#3) #1 income diversity, top 10 educational diversity Outstanding Service Award (legislative) Top 100 Community for Young People Top 5 Places in America to Raise a Family Tree City USA

United Way of Midland County Movoto Michigan Municipal League Americas Promise Forbes Arbor Day Foundation

Best Ideas! BLOOMing Where We Are Planted Midland BLOOMS gives special meaning to the words “springtime in Midland.” The Saturday before Memorial Day, 60 planting teams, comprised of 8-10 volunteers per team, plant flowers on a 2.5 mile route (total of five miles of planting space) along Eastman Avenue. This community volunteer project began in 1989 and is funded by local foundations. The most rewarding aspect of Midland Blooms is the community feeling of 600+ volunteers from area businesses, organizations, churches, clubs, scout troops, families and neighborhoods working together. Once the flowers are planted by the volunteers, the City of Midland employs seasonal workers to maintain the 5 miles of planting beds with daily weeding and watering. Soil preparations for the spring planting are handled by the city and careful attention is paid to the health and condition of the soil through organic means. A soil bioremediation project was put in place in 2008 to improve the fertility of the soil and ensure a sustainable, flourishing display for years to come. Soil tests are taken each spring and an organic compost mix is custom formulated, then tilled in prior to planting. This careful attention to soil health has allowed us to eliminate the use of synthetic fertilizers during the growing season, providing a rich organic soil for the volunteers to get their hands dirty in and a beautiful display to enjoy all season. Midland BLOOMS is more than pretty flowers. It is another example of our residents showing their civic pride to make a difference in our community! New Life for Dead Trees Ash trees killed by Emerald Ash Borer can find a second life as beautiful, highly rot-resistant, kiln-dried lumber. The city’s forestry crew takes diseased, damaged trees down and brings the best logs to a storage area. A portable sawmill operator processes the logs into boards and timber; they’re then taken to a local dry kiln. The high heat of the drying operation kills any insects or eggs that may be present. This process can take from a few weeks to a few months. The dried lumber is then transported to a facility with a specialized kiln to undergo thermal modification. The wood is heated to over 350 degrees Fahrenheit in a controlled, oxygen-free environment using both steam and hot air. This process, called pyrolysis, causes chemical changes in the cell walls of the wood. It makes the wood more stable and rotresistant without the toxins and green color of pressure-treated wood. It also gives the wood a deep, attractive walnut color that can be clear coated or left natural to weather into a silver-gray.

Fun Zone Ash Fence Pickets

The lumber is used by the Midland Parks and Recreation Department in projects to benefit the community, such as the donor fence at the Fun Zone Playground and upgrades to the toboggan run staircases. This is a great way to recycle local resources in an environmentally-friendly way. Midland, Michigan 2016

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Contacts Name

Affiliation, Title

Email

Craig McDonald

Alden B & Vada Dow Home and Studio

[email protected]

Amy Tolton

America in Bloom Core Committee

[email protected]

Carl Coons


[email protected]

Gina Pederson


[email protected]

Nancy Wells


[email protected]

Abbey Claerhout


[email protected]

Selina Tisdale

Center City Authority

[email protected]

Bill Allen

Midland Area Chamber of Commerce

[email protected]

Dick Touvell

Chippewa Nature Center

[email protected]

Dennis Pilaske


[email protected]

Gina Pederson

Midland Beautification Advisory Committee, Chairperson

[email protected]

989.631.8503

Bette Tollar

Midland Beautification Advisory Committee, Member Emeritus

Karen Murphy

City of Midland Public Services, Director

[email protected]

989.837.6909

Jon Lynch

City of Midland, City Manager

[email protected]

989.837.3305

Maureen Donker

City of Midland, Mayor – Midland City Council

[email protected]

Brad Kaye

City of Midland, Planner

[email protected]

Noel Bush

City of Midland, Retired Utilities Director

[email protected]

Peggy Kernstock

Dahlia Hill, Representative

[email protected]

Gary Skory

Doan History Center

[email protected]

Ed Haycock

Dow Gardens, Executive Director

[email protected]

Selina Tisdale

Downtown Development Authority, Executive Director

[email protected]

Cherie King

Keep Michigan Beautiful, Past President

[email protected]

Andrea Foster

Little Forks Conservancy

[email protected]

Sharon Mortenson

Midland Area Community Foundation, Executive Director

[email protected]

Terri Trotter

Midland Center for the Arts, President & CEO

[email protected]

Blue Dingman

Midland County Master Gardener Association, President

[email protected]

Jessica Haynes

Midland Daily News

[email protected]

Anne Woodard

Midland Garden Council, President

[email protected]

Esther Williams

Midland Recyclers, Executive Director

[email protected]

989.631.1668

Paul Barbeau

Momentum Midland/Great Lakes Loons, Executive Director

[email protected]

989.837.6121

Bobbie Arnold

The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation, Executive Director

[email protected]


Phone

989.835.4886

989.631.5930

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Judges’ Itinerary – Tour Schedule Thursday, July 21 Event Pick‐up Breakfast

Lunch

Rest

Dinner

Location

Activity

Attendees

H Hotel Doan Historical Museum, Bradley House & Brinewell Northwood University, Dow High School, Senior Centers, MidMichigan Medical Center, Residential Areas

Drive to Breakfast Midland Historical Presentation & Tour of Facility

Gina and Carl, BAC

Driving Tour

BAC

Dahlia Hill Discovery Square: Library, Center for Arts, Dow Gardens, MMI

Walking Tour

Peggy Kernstock

Driving Tour

BAC

Dow Gardens Thrune Park, Bicentennial Park, Historical Area

Walking or Cart Tour

Elizabeth Lumbert

Alden B. Dow Home and Studio Downtown District & Santa House Court House, City/County Buildings, Tridge & Farmers Market, Riverside Place, East End, Dow Diamond, Founders Garden

Presentation & Tour of Facility

Craig McDonald, Stephanie Richardson, Selina Tisdale

Walking Tour

Stephanie Richardson, Celina Tisdale, & Tom Valent

H Hotel

Reflection Period

TBD

Momentum Midland, Foundations Activity

Tittabawasse River

Voyager Canoe Ride

Gary Skory, Mayor Donker, AIB Committee

Driving Tour

Judges Paul Barbeau , Mayor, City Council, BAC, Parks & Rec, City Manager, Dow Chemical PR, Bobbie Arnold (Strosacker Foundation) Chippewa Nature Center & Little Forks Conservancy

Return To Hotel Friday, July 22 Event Pick‐up Breakfast

Lunch

Rest Dinner

Location

Activity

Attendees

H Hotel

Drive to Breakfast


Tour Of Nature Center

Kyle Begnall, Dennis Pilaske‐‐CNC reps, Doug Koop—Little Forks Rep

Midland Recyclers

Walking Tour

Ester William

Sanitary Landfill & Methane Recycling Grand Curves, Dow Headquarters, Midland High School, Plymouth Park, Stratford Woods, Residential Areas

Walking/Driving Tour

Noel Bush

Driving Tour

Midland Country Club Memorial Presbyterian Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, Blessed Sacrament Church, Jerome Park, Barstow Woods, Center City, Community Foundation, Community Center, Central Park, Band Shell, Residential Areas

Roundtable on City Development Plans

H Hotel

Reflection Period

City Forest Mall Area, Soccer Fields, tennis Center, Fairgrounds/Airport, Little League Parks, Residential Areas

Wind‐up


Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development, Center City Development, City Planner

Driving Tour Judges Midland in Bloom Committee, Garden Club Presidents, City Horticulturist

Driving Tour

25

Day 1 America in Bloom Tour Notes: Driving Time Factor: H Hotel to Doan Historic Museum - 7 Minutes 

General Notes: Keep presentation to 30 minutes to allow time for tour of Historic Museum and walk over to Bradley House

Driving Time Factor: Bradley House, Northwood University – 10 Minutes 

Notes for Commentary: Student Auto Show, Adult Housing, Hantz Stadium, Number of Students, Church Family Administration Building, Hach Center, New Devois School of Management (catered breakfast), Ball field, Rail Trail, Low Income Housing

Driving Time Factor: Northwood University to Senior Services – 2 minutes – Drive around Senior Services Buildings - 5 minutes 

Driver Notes: Tour Day Alzheimer Center First then Admin Building

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Notes for Commentary: Day Center for Alzheimer’s to give caregivers a break, Senior Services Administration Building, Rail Side Senior Dining daily, Meals on Wheels, Senior Transportation Services, area of mixed multi unit housing and high end housing,

Driving Time Factor: From Senior Services to Dow High - 2 Minutes 

Notes for Commentary: MSC Building – home to DPW – refuse collection, snow plowing, Street Maintenance, Water Distribution, Vehicle Maintenance, Parks and Recreation

Driving Time Factor: Dow High Parking Lot. Driving Tour of Parking Lot Time - 5 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Enter off Saginaw Road Tour pool side parking Lot and exit onto Saginaw Road

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Notes for Commentary: Education Excellence award 2014 and 2015, Exemplary School. IB Program, Shared police presence at both Midland and Dow High

Driving Time Factor: From Dow High to Mid Michigan Medical Center – 2 Minutes – Driving Tour Time of hospital campus - 10 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Enter off Wellness and drive by Reiker Surgery Center, Then Main Hospital, Then to Campus Ridge to See New Gerstacker Building

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Notes for Commentary: Brought in electricity to not disrupt landscape, Flood plain for Sturgeon Creek, Wild Life, Walking Trails, and Community Classes offered for wellness and screenings, infusion center, Women’s Center, Total Campus Acreage, and Urban Forest

Driving Time Factor: Leave Hospital from Wellness Drive turn on to Saginaw Road to Orchard Drive and Head to the Cemetery - 2 Minutes – Driving Tour Time at Cemetery - 5 Minutes 

General Notes: Check to see if funeral that day

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Driver Notes: Enter from Main Entrance – Third entrance on left. Exit back onto Orchard turn left on Main Street

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Notes for Commentary: City maintained cemetery, Jewish, Military, Veterans areas. Veterans’ areas maintained by Garden Club, Eagle Scout Clean Old Stones. Go by Herbert H. Dow Stone and Alden B. Dow Stone

Driving Time Factor: Leave Cemetery arrive Dahlia Hill – 2 Minutes – 

Tour Time: Dahlia Hill - 10 Minutes

Driving Time Factor: Leave Dahlia Hill to Emerson Park, Revere Park, Thrune Park, Historic District – 10 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Left on Revere, Left on W Park, Right on McGregor, Right on E. Park, Left on Sayre, Left on Eastman

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Notes for Commentary: Emerson Park – Get information from Marcie on Baseball stuff, Revere Park – host to 2016 Tree Climbing Championship, Pardee House, Thrune Park - Money donated by Thrune Family to upgrade park in 2010. Historic District – House where Dow kids went to school, Historic District building rules

Driving Time Factor: Leaving Historic District Headed to Discovery Square – 7 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Turn into Dow Gardens entrance and drive thought he parking lot to MCFTA. The take St. Andrews to Eastman to Whiting Forest Entrance.

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Notes for commentary: Share information on the initial build of the Library, Book Sale, and Recent large community foundation donation for building renovation, Japanese Garden

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Tour Time: MCFTA - 15 Minutes

General Notes: Need to schedule this with MCFTA 

Tour Time: Dow Gardens - 1 Hour

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General Notes: Check with Abby to see if she has commentary prepared or off the cuff. Does she have golf carts reserved?

Driving Time Factor: Leave Whiting Forest and Head to Alden B. Dow Home & Studio – 6 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Eastman to Main Street to Post Street

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Commentary Notes: Midland Blooms – how many years, number of volunteers, rotation of petunia and marigolds, number of volunteers, brief history of Hart Park, Need info on Post Street School, Little Forks Conservancy – Native Plants, Pump House, Alden B Dow Home backs to Dow Gardens

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Lunch & Tour Time: Lunch Alden B. Dow Home and Studio – 1 Hour

Driving Time Factor: Leave Alden B. Dow Home and Studio begin driving tour – 10 Minutes

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Driver Notes: Main Street to M 20 – to Currie Parkway to Main – Drop off at Arbury Park

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Commentary Notes: Talk about Chippewassee Park, Dog Park, Riverdays, 4th of July, Skate Park, Flooding EITF, Way Finding Signs, Currie Municipal Golf Course under Management Company, Driving Range, Top Birding Place, Number of Holes, Donation of Clubhouse and Maintenance Building, Red Bridge

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Tour Time: Walking Tour of downtown – 2 Hours

Day 2 America in Bloom Tour Notes: Driving Time Factor: H Hotel to Chippewa Nature Center – 15 Minutes 

Commentary Notes: Remediation of 4D property, get ball diamond information from Marcie (number if fields, games, women’s softball, tournaments, etc.) Rugby fields, disk golf, Chippewa Trail Connection, Bicentennial Forest, Need additional filler here: Questions from previous day?

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Breakfast & Presentation by CNC - 1 hour and 15 minutes

Driving Time Factor: Chippewa Nature Center to Overlook Park – 10 Minutes 

Tour Time: 20 Minute Tour of Park – allow judges to read history signs

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General Notes: Contact MACF to make sure freshly mowed

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Commentary Notes: Need more information to share on drive from Nature Center to Overlook Park. At Park review educational signs, Midland Cogeneration Venture, Largest Eagle Stopover in State.

Driving Time Factor: Leave Overlook Park and begin driving tour to end at Independence Village – 15 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Buttles to Lyon to Lincoln to Wexford Go by Arnold Center to Bayliss to E. Lyon to E. Patrick to Rockwell

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Commentary Notes: When were the Grand Curves Built, green belt around the plant, donate to City, Large Auto Dealer now parking for Loons Stadium, Arnold Center, Credit Union Adopt a Street, Remediation of Ash Trees and Exotics, Dioxin, Bike and Walking Trail, Dow Chemical Research, Plant Entrance, Roundabout Sate and Stephanie Project. Saginaw Road comes thru business district, Running Track by Dow for Employees and Community to use – has lots of wildlife, National Headquarters, City Walking paths, New Headquarter Building being built, Dow building philosophy to keep areas wooded unless needed.

Driving Time Factor: Independence Village to Recycle Center – 5 Minutes 

Commentary Notes: Talk about Humane society and????? Need more stuff here.

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Tour Time: Recycle Center – 15 Minutes

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Tour Time: Landfill - 15 Minutes

Driving Time Factor: Leave Landfill and head to Stratford Woods Park and drive around parking lot – 12 Minutes 

Commentary Notes: One of 4 Premier Parks, 4 beach volleyball courts, man made lake, Kiwassee Lake, Swimming, Fishing, BMX Track, High School Cross Country Meets, Basketball Courts, Walk Michigan Program, Plantings done by Kiwanis Group – won awards, Pavilion Rentals – talk about all pavilion rentals at various parks

Driving Time Factor: Leave Stratford and head for Blessed Sacrament – 5 Minutes 

Commentary Notes: JCC, Day treatment Facility, Helps with Adopt a Park (Stratford Park) every 4 weeks, Tree City USA for 20 Years (Details from Karen Murphy), Pocket Parks

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Tour Time: Blessed Sacrament - 15 Minutes

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General Notes: Need to Contact Someone at church – Maureen Donker Member

Driving Time Factor: Driving Tour from Blessed Sacrament to Fun Zone - 7 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Right on Kentwood, Right on Corrine, Left on Sugnet, Right on St. Andrews to Plymouth Park



Commentary Notes: 2 Little League Ball Fields on City Property – City has a partnership with Little League to have the Little League maintain everything inside fence, Plymouth Pool – Evergreen Garden Club Maintains Plantings, City maintains pool facilities, Outdoor pool open to all residents for nominal daily fee or all- season rate, Fun Zone information

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Tour Time: Fun Zone 10-15 Minutes - Talk about Ash trees repurposed for fencing, Park History, Rebuild

Driving Time Factor: Driving Tour from Fun Zone to Country Club – 12 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Wheeler to Washington to Adams School – drive through parking lot, then Adams Street to Jefferson to Sugnet

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Commentary Notes: Talk about Kids school garden, Arbor Tree Plantings – Partnership between Down Gardens and City of Midland, 1940s and 1950s homes, Trinity Lutheran (who designed), 314 Sugnet nominated year after year, Midland known as City of churches, St. John’s Episcopal – Alden B. Dow design, Country Club redone 4 years ago – funded by DOW

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EXTRA TIME IF AVAILABLE: Drive through zone 7. If not we will head directly to Country Club for lunch.

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General Notes: Need driving tour directions for Zone 7

Driving Time Factor: From Country Club to Band Shell/Kings Daughters – 10 Minutes 

Driver Notes: Turn right go down to Helen and go by Barstow Woods from Manor. Take Nelson to Ashman, left on Reardon to Rodd to Collins. Drop at Band Shell.

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Commentary Notes: Midland’s first forest, trees tagged, removal of buck thorn, popular place to bring dogs, several neighborhood parks in the area, story of Memorial Presbyterian Church, Circle Cremations, Happy Diner (daily senior lunch served), Stem School

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Tour Time: Walking Tour of Central Park Band Shell, Pathways, and Kings Daughters 20 – 30 minutes

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Commentary Notes: Information on Band Shell, New park Pathways, Future home of Sun Dial donated by anonymous donor, Kings Daughters grounds maintained by ?? garden club, Tennis Town USA,

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General Note: Do we need to contact Kings Daughters about tour?

Time Factor: From Band Shell Driving Tour to H Hotel – 15 Minutes 

Driving Notes: Collins to Community Center, Drive thru parking lot of Community Center, Jefferson to Dartmouth to Cambridge to Ashman to H Hotel

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Commentary Notes: Community Center, 2 pools, senior center, day care, summer day camps, curling center, food truck in summer offers free lunches daily for children under 18 – you do not have to show need to use this program, Free Mulch location donated by City Forestry, Converted homes to businesses, Salon won Beautification Award, Midland Area Community Foundation Building, Arrive Center City, Repurpose of Catmint plants on Circle traffic Islands that were removed from Eastman traffic island eliminated by MDOT. May need more filler here.

America In Bloom Tour July 21, 2016 Hour Minute Event 7 8 9 10 11

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Location

Pick‐up H Hotel Breakfast Doan Historical Museum

Lunch

Rest

Activity Drive to Breakfast Midland Historical Presentation Tour of Facility

Attendees Gary Skory, Mayor Donker, AIB Committee

Bradley House Northwood University Senior Centers Dow High School MidMichigan Medical Center Midland Cemetery Dahlia Hill

Walking Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Tour

Historical District

Driving Tour

Thrune Park Discovery Square Dow Gardens

Driving Tour Driving Tour Walking Tour Tour

Alden B. Dow Home and Studio

Presentation Tour of Facility

Lower Bridge/West Entrance Downtown District Walking Tour

Tittabawasse River

Driving Tour Centennial Park Santa House Court House City ‐ County Buildings Tridge ‐ Farmer's Market Riverside/East End Founders Garden Dow Diamond Voyager Canoe Ride

H Hotel

Reflection Period

Judges

Momentum Midland

Paul Barbeau Mayor, City Council, BAC, Parks & Rec, City Manager, Bobbie Arnold, Dow Rep

Peggy Kernstock

Library MCFTA ‐ Terri Trotter Elizabeth Lumbert

Meet at Whiting Forest Parking Lot Craig McDonald Stephanie Richardson DDA Rep

Stephanie Richardson, DDA Rep, & Tom Valent

Chippewa Nature Center ‐ Dennis Pilaske Little Forks Conservancy ‐ Andrea Foster

Dow Diamond Tour

Dinner

Dow Diamond

Tunes by the Tridge

Return To Hotel

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America In Bloom Tour July 22, 2016 Hour Minute 7 8 9 10 11

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Location

Pick‐up H Hotel Breakfast Chippewa Nature Center

Lunch

Rest

Dinner

Overlook Park Grand Curves/Dow HDQTRS Independence Village Midland Recyclers Sanitary Landfill Methane Recycling Stratford Woods Park Blessed Sacrament Church Plymouth Park Adams School Trinity Luth/St John's Epis Midland Country Club

Activity Drive to Breakfast Tour Of Nature Center

Attendees Michelle Fourier Dennis Pilaske Andrea Foster ‐ Little Forks

Walking Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Walking Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Roundtable City Development Plans

Barstow Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church Central Park/Band shell King's Daughters Community Center Curling Center Community Garden Center City H Hotel

Driving Tour Driving Tour Walking Tour Walking Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Driving Tour Reflection Period

Jerome Park Mall Area/Fairgrounds City Forest

Driving Tour Driving Tour Wind‐up

Esther Williams Noel Bush

Chamber of Commerce ‐ Rep Downtown ‐ Rep Center City ‐ Rep City Planner

Loraine Reece

Judges

Beautification Advisory Committee Garden Club Presidents City Horticulturist

Presentation By Judges

Soccer Fields Tennis Center Return To Hotel

Driving Tour Driving Tour


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America in Bloom Driver Notes Day 1 Driver Notes: H Hotel to Doan Historic Museum for Breakfast and Tour (Jan and Marcie to move vehicles to Bradley House after breakfast) Pick up group at Bradley House drive through Northwood University Take new Sugnet Road to Dublin – Tour Senior Services Admin Buillding first and then Alzheimer Unit. Turn Right on Dublin to Warblers Way Turn Right To Pine Meadow Drive Turn Left to Moorland Drive Turn Right To Perrine Road Turn Right – Drive Into Dow High Exit Dow High on Saginaw Road turn right to Wellness Drive turn right – Go By Reicker Surgery Center and up close to the hospital by the flower beds Turn Right on McCandles and then Left on Campus Ridge and go By Gerstacker Surgery Center Turn Left on Wellness and go to the back of the hospital and turn Left on Sugnet To Valley Drive turn right to Orchard Drive Turn Left to Cemetery Main Entrance Turn Right Tour 10:00 AM

Exit Cemetery Left on Orchard Drive to Dahlia Hill – 10 Minute Tour at Dahlia Hill Leave Dahlia Hill – Turn Left on Main Street to Revere St. Turn Left To W Park Turn Leaf to McGregor Turn Right To E. Park turn Right to Sayre Turn Left to Eastman Turn Left

Tour 11:15 AM

Turn Left into Dow Gardens and drop guests at MCFTA Tour Pick up Guests from MCFTA Tour and Take Eastman Road Left to Whiting Forest 1 | P a g e

America in Bloom Driver Notes Tour 11:30 AM

Drop Guests at Whiting Forest for tour ending at Alden B. Dow Home and Studio. (Jan and Marcie go pickup lunch from Menu Manager and deliver lunch to Alden B. Dow)

Leave at Take Main Street Left to M20 Turn Right 1:30 pm To Currie Parkway turn Right. Turn Left into Currie Golf Course Parking lot and drive by gardens Turn Left out of Golf Course Down to Main Street Turn Right To Ripley Turn Left – Drop Guests at Arbury Park (Jan and Marcie to move Cars to Dow Diamond) 3:50 pm

Pick up guests at Dow Diamond and Take to Golf Side Boat Launch for Voyager Canoe Ride

5:00 pm

Pick up Guests for Golf Side Boat Launch and drop at H Hotel

5:30 pm

Pick up Guests from Dow Diamond and Take to Loons Stadium for Dinner and Tour

7:15 pm

Pick up guests at Dow Diamond and Take to Tunes by Tridge

8:30 pm

Guests return to H. Hotel – No transportation needed

2 | P a g e

America in Bloom Driver Notes

Day 2 Driver Notes: 7:15 AM

Pickup Guests at H Hotel and Drive to Chippewa Nature Center (Jan and Marcie Run Ahead to Park to Make Sure it is Clean)

9:00 AM

Leave CNC – Take Badour to Ashby Turn Left To Poseyville Road – Turn Right to Overlook Park Turn Left – 20 Minute Tour Leave Overlook Park – Turn Right on Poseyville Road To Buttles Turn Right to Lyon Follow Curve to Left To Lincoln Turn Right to Wexford Turn Left– Go by Arnold Center To Bayliss Turn Left to E. Lyon Turn Right go through roundabout to E. Patrick To Waldo Turn Left to Eastlawn Turn Left To Swede Turn Right to E. Ashman Turn Right to Recycle Center

10:00 AM Tour 10:15 AM 10:45 AM

Recycle Center Tour Sanitary Landfill Tour Leave Midland Sanitary Landfill and Drive Through Stratford Woods Park Leave Park Take E. Ashman Right to Blessed Sacrament – Does time allow for a tour? Leave Blessed Sacrament. Turn Right on Kentwood To Corrnie Turn Right to Sugnet Turn Left To St. Andrews Turn Right to Plymouth Park (Tour Plymouth Park 15 Minutes)

11:15 AM

Leave Plymouth Park – Turn Right On E. Wheeler

3 | P a g e

America in Bloom Driver Notes To Claremont Turn Left to Whispering Oak Turn Left To Washington To Adams School – Tour Parking Lot Leave Adams School Turn Left on Adams To Woodview Pass Turn Left To Scenic Turn Left To Wild Flower Turn Left to Chapel Turn Right To Jefferson Turn Left to St. Andrews Turn Right to Country Club 12:00 Pm Lunch at Country Club Leave Country Club Right on St. Andrews to Helen Street Turn Left To Manor Drive Turn Left Past Barstow Woods Turn Right on Mertz to Ashman turn Right To Reardon Turn Left to Rodd to Collins Turn Right 1:30 PM

Walking Tour of Bandshell/Central Park/Kings Daughter’s (Jan and Marcie move cars to King’s Daughters)

2:00 PM

Leave Kings Daughter’s – Take Rodd to E. Nelson Turn Right To Jefferson Turn Right – To Community Center Parking Lot Turn Left – Tour Parking Lot Exit Community Center on Jefferson Turn Left To Dartmouth Turn Right to Cambridge Turn Left Drive By Community Garden Take Cambridge to St. Andrews Left to Jefferson Right To Sugnet Left to Eastman Left to W Indian Left To Jerome Right to Main Street Left – End at H Hotel

6:00 PM

Pick up Guests the H Hotel 4 | P a g e

America in Bloom Driver Notes Take Main Street to Jerome Street Turn Left To W. Indian Turn Left (Jerome Street Garden) To Eastman Avenue to Wackerly Turn Right Turn Right at Tennis Center Tour Parking lot and Turn Left out of parking lot onto Wackerly Turn Right on Jefferson Joe Mann Turn Left To Eastman Turn Right to Monroe Turn Left To City Forest Turn Left 8:30 pm

Return guests to H Hotel

5 | P a g e

AIB 2016 observations and recommendations General Observations and Recommendations:

Congratulations on receiving a five bloom ranking on your first entry in America in Bloom and winning your population category. This is a rare occurrence but is a reflection of the two years of preparatory effort you put into compiling and editing your community profile and organizing the jampacked judging tour. You timed the judge’s visit to coincide with an annual private home garden tour fundraiser that also included a stop at the lovely Dow Gardens. Nothing is done halfway in Midland!  Attention to detail was evident in everything from the itinerary to the stack of handwritten thank you notes to AIB for visiting your community from local businesses. In a show of unity everyone had their “Get Your Bloom On- Midland” shirt on the day our tour kicked off. Signs and marquees welcomed us everywhere. We learned that there was even an America in Bloom sign in a recent parade. What a way to recruit volunteers!  While all AIB communities have higher than normal levels of community involvement, in Midland, the collaboration between five different garden clubs, Master Gardeners, churches, city employees and officials, unaffiliated individuals, as well as various economic development and civic groups is extraordinary. Even working with your sister city in Japan presented an opportunity that led to the establishment of a business and new jobs for the area. While many organizations contribute to Midland’s success, and funding for programs coming from more than six major foundations in the area, it is the ability to recruit large numbers of volunteers for projects that really sparks the action.  Midland’s spirit began with its founder who saw an opportunity in an otherwise untouched backroads area—its lumber—and moved this resource to market before roads were in existence. Midland has had to reinvent itself several times due to various disasters. Through them all, its spirit has persevered. Being a company town, recruiting and retaining qualified employees is extremely important. Midland residents clearly understand the importance of overall visual impression and continuing economic development.  Beautification efforts are strongly rooted in the past. Midland and Dow Chemical founder, Herbert Dow, started a beautification contest for the community in 1891 due to his great interest in horticulture. It continues to this day. Among many other community contributions, he offered up the services of a garden designer to help 25 families build better gardens in town. Today Master Gardeners and garden club members establish and maintain vibrant community gardens. We applaud this continuing strong sense of vision and ongoing good work!  We encourage you to work with the town of Holland, Michigan to identify another AIB participant between your two communities, so you could have a three-stop Michigan In Bloom tourist tour circuit.

1

AIB 2016 observations and recommendations 

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An understanding of what your community is all about came from the many dedicated and knowledgeable people we met along the way and the volume of organized reference material you provided during our stay. A host of unique efforts and common AIB participant practices contribute to making Midland an exemplary city. There are many programs and projects that can serve as examples for other AIB communities to emulate. It was a lovely experience to share in the palpable joy of everyone’s deep commitment to your community and Making Midland Better. Thank you again.

2

AIB 2016 observations and recommendations Floral Display Observations and Recommendations:

Midland’s slogan “Get Your Bloom On—Midland” is entirely fitting. We got to see an incredible burst of color using both annuals and perennials, including heavy use of tropical plants and complementary colorful foliage. From private residences to public gardens, the entire city pops with color. All the locations in Discovery Square, including the parking lot, were full of vibrant floral displays. Midland stands out by having plantings and landscapes throughout the city.  Many organizations contribute to Midland’s floral success, including five garden clubs, the Center City Authority (CCA), Downtown Development Authority (DDA), City of Midland Public Services, Dow Gardens, and a tireless group of enthusiastic, energetic, and dedicated volunteers. Seamless coordination between various groups who have lead responsibility over a particular area make Midland look as if one person selected all the floral and plant material. City of Midland Horticulturalist Stephanie Richardson advises and includes the CCA, Midland Blooms and others in defining the city’s theme each year.  Very unique is a street planting project that started in 1989. Eastman Avenue in Midland displays 2.5 miles of continuously blooming flowers on both sides throughout the summer. Planted in a morning in May, this highly coordinated drill on one Saturday involves 500 volunteers and 50,000 plants. Without video of the drive along this route it is hard to grasp the true impact of this straight, seemingly endless ribbon of color. The Midland Area Chamber of Commerce organizes this event each year. It is attention to detail that makes the display extraordinary. The process includes asking the grower to set aside and maintain a few flats each year into order to provide fill in for accidents. This did in fact happen this year, when a truck jumped the curb and took out a section. Thoughtful planning allows the miles to go unbroken for the entire season. In another effort to encourage robust blooming, Midland rotates petunias with marigolds to avoid soil depletion and diseases. Because of last year’s street reconstruction they took out 100 yards of soil and replaced it. The staff still wasn’t sure how well the plants would do so they went with hardier marigolds, again to create an optimal environment.  This summer we were treated to the delightful “whimsy” and Dr. Seussthemed floral displays that meant there were the two coordinated themes throughout town this year. The same plants were used in municipal planters and in beds and gardens, including bird of paradise, bananas, and Cyperus papyrus ‘King Tut.’ These plants were combined with annuals, perennials, and grasses in pinks, reds, and purples. The display at the library was particularly engaging and colorful, using purple as the theme. Handsome containers planted with abandon and downtown beds were alive with texture and color.

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We were told that right now there is only one season of display due to budget cuts. Perhaps if you partnered with Holland, MI in purchasing, since they purchase such a large volume, you could get bulbs at greater discount and be able to put them back into the budget. Otherwise organizing a buy “A Daffodil for Downtown” fundraiser might help. While the city does an extraordinary job in the beds and containers downtown, encourage more business owners downtown to add flowers in front of their doors by helping them with “thriller, filler, and spiller container recipes” posted online. We expected to see more marigolds in other places beyond Eastman Avenue based on the logoed seed packets that were distributed through local businesses. We can’t imagine that this did not happen, considering Midland’s extensive gardening-related course offerings, but perhaps a seed starting class is in order, so that people would know how to follow through when receiving seeds. Hanging baskets might benefit from addition of a third component, unless the intent was they look like a hat on the head of Dr. Seuss character, which they do. Even though we did not get to see Dahlia Hill in bloom, it was quite impressive. Dahlia Hill is a destination site built and maintained by volunteers. In 1992 Charles Breed and Bill Fisher started collaborating to build Dahlia Hill. Bill donated the land adjacent to Charles’ studio. Charles donated 1700 tubers. The Hill received the Keep Michigan Beautiful award in 2009. In 1998 they had 24 volunteers and by 2016 the volunteer pool grew to 80. The society sells tubers as a fundraiser. Plant markers are ingeniously crafted from plumbing components. Additional plant markers sprayed a bold color or existing signage with a different colored background could help homeowners identify especially well-performing varieties. Having volunteers vote on favorites and label them would further help to disseminate knowledge to the community. Dow Garden has an extensive trial garden that seven staff and 30 volunteers maintain. The garden serves as a testing ground for the selection of plant materials and anything with less than a vigor of four does not make the cut. The city then benefits from this trial work in making its plant selections. The garden harvests its own seed and propagates it in its greenhouse. A nearby children’s garden received an award from the American Horticultural Society and its colorful display is extraordinary. A series of raised beds are tended by parents and children together. Fanciful scarecrows mark each family’s section. In another expression of attention to detail, a garden club regularly provides a fresh floral arrangement for the Arts and Science Center. Perhaps the garden club could photograph the arrangements each month and create a calendar to sell as a fundraiser.

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The baseball stadium could benefit from more large planters in front of it. A series of ball-shaped blossoms like alliums, Armeria maritima (thrift), craspedia, Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush), dahlias like ‘Dorothy R’, and globe thistle all bloom at different times and could create an appropriate theme for the area. Discovery Square is the name given to the area that includes the library, the Art and Science Center, and Dow Gardens. All are large venues. It is noteworthy that Discovery Square’s joint parking lot offers the best example of what can be done with a parking area to add color. Mounds of liatris, rudbeckia and other plantings brightly break up the masses of asphalt. Who would ever imagine that a parking lot could be this lovely! We encourage you to take on a “parking lot reform” initiative and spread this look to other areas in Midland.

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations Landscaped areas

Midland has multiple standouts in this category and it’s difficult to comment on ALL the good landscapes we were shown. The city horticulturist, CCA (Center City Authority), DDA (Downtown Development Authority) work together to create landscapes with a good mix of sustainable hardscape, and nicelyplaced public art coordinated to a theme. The gateways and medians are planted; the circle traffic island, US 10 bridge, and entrance are well marked and planted, highlighted with the Midland medallion markers. The Dow Chemical Company maintains walking paths and landscaped areas around their extensive grounds. The Dow Founders Garden outside Dow Diamond is a unique landscaped area with sculpture, honoring Herbert H. Dow. Landscapes range from the formal to the informal. A wildflower garden winds along a walkway at the river which can also be experienced from above while standing on the Tridge, while traditional plantings flank its entrance. Like others, the area “works” in a seamless fashion.  The city horticulturalist takes the lead in changing out the floral and landscape theme every year. This year it was “whimsy” and coordinated with a sculpture fundraiser and with Dr. Seuss displays at the Center for the Arts, Dow homes, and Dow Gardens. During the winter, various locations and their representatives get together to determine the following season’s theme.  At Dow Gardens, a children’s garden received an award from the American Horticultural Society for its demonstration area that contains all manner of colorful ornamental and edible plants, while a series of nearby raised beds are tended by parents and children together. Colorful scarecrows mark each family’s section. The garden also includes play structures, rain chains, and barrels and a water feature. It serves as a valuable hands-on teaching tool. The trial garden is one of several spots that advocate the use of Dairy Doo, an organic product of Morgan Composting that is sadly only available in Michigan. In other areas there are a pollinator garden, colorful annual beds, and a trial garden.  Dow Gardens just recently converted their mapping system to Arc GIS. This winter, staff will begin the process of adding the map to their website. This interactive map will allow visitors to search for a specific plant, or to zoom in on a specific area of the garden and see what is around them. The search function on the website will allow visitors to create their own bespoke tours. The garden has an incredible database of information on how different plants have fared in zone 6 gardens. They are excited to finally get that information into the hands of potential visitors and gardeners.  Parks are managed with professionalism and pride, and with the help of a host of volunteers ranging from church parishioners to Boy Scouts. Volunteer’s hours are reimbursed with a payment to their respective organization. The community donated $350,000 to renovate Trune Park,

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations

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a neighborhood park popular with small children. Colorful animal cutouts, a red tunnel, blue sail shade, and a splash area are all wellmaintained and inviting. Hats off the Midland garden clubs: Chemical City, Midland, Evergreen, Great Lakes and the Little Garden Club. These bands of amazing volunteers maintain many gardens throughout Midland. Some of the outstanding gardens we saw were: a post office planting, veterans gravesites at Midland City Cemetery, Jerome Street Traffic Island, and the King's Daughters gardens. Among many “Done in a Day” projects, Master Gardeners help maintain the vista outside the library window and its entrance containers. Another “vista” for them to consider would be creating a demonstration green roof on one of the buildings downtown. Master Gardeners also maintain the high school sign planting. We visited several churches where parishioners devoted time to establishing and maintaining church landscapes. Every year the city has about twelve seasonal college helpers working on landscapes. We provided sample “Landscapes for Life” training manuals to assist in raising the skill level of these hires. Since education is a Master Gardener mission maybe they could take on offering a pre-hire course targeted to high school and college students to teach the basics each spring using the manuals as a guide. Master Gardeners already have an involvement with the high school by maintaining plants around its entrance sign. They might also consider 8 Midland, MI 2016 All rights reserved. © America in Bloom 2016 organizing a fundraiser to establish a greenhouse at the high school where hands-on experience and plant knowledge could be expanded into a year-long biology curriculum. There were indications of some struggles with the municipal golf course. Consider connecting with AIB participants Morro Bay, CA , Holliston, MA and St. Charles, IL about their successful efforts with their municipal golf courses, including using it to communicate messages about butterfly conservation (Morro Bay) and tree education (Holliston and St. Charles). Though we did not visit, following on their model of it being about more than golf, add small gardens that are designed to attract specific types of birds. The book “Bird-by-Bird Gardening” by Sally Roth offers specific plant lists and garden layouts to attract particular types of birds. Residential neighborhoods show real pride of place. The Reece Endeavor Garden Walk raises funds to provide housing for the Midland special-needs population. The diversity of private gardens was impressive. The residential walk is so successful we suggest expanding the garden walk with a “business” category. Mid-Michigan Medical Center has a public wellness trail and beautiful built landscape displays that can be enjoyed from inside or outside the

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building. They publish a map of the trails and welcome the public to enjoy them. Consider a healing garden similar to AIB participant Newtown Square, PA See http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healingpractices/healing-environment/what-are-healing-gardens for other information about healing gardens. A labyrinth garden might be a good use for the currently underused area that used to be a ball park until the structure was taken down. The raised aspect of the roadway would provide a great elevated view of the finished garden. (For garden examples, see https://www.labyrinthcompany.com/collections/glt) Adding a tree swing or a tunnel made of twigs near the Tunes by the Tridge area, would give children attending concerts something to do rather than get in landscaped beds (photo). Adding more natives along Pere Marquette would be beneficial. See this link for a nursery that http://www.prairienursery.com/store/seed-mixes/low-growing-meadowmixes#.VcDdD6PbLmI provides region and site condition-specific seed mixes. Consider expanding beds along secondary streets downtown particularly along Ashman and Rodd. This effort could start with store owners adding containers or window boxes at their locations. At the Community Center there is an area where people short cut around a corner, a small bed could be planted to compliment the other one at the entranceway by dividing some of its existing plant material. The King’s Daughter center courtyard planting could benefit from additions of plant material to fill out the landscape on the right in the photo below. Perhaps Dow Garden could donate leftover plants. It would be great if “Get Your Bloom ON--Midland” established a mailing list to inform volunteers of developments. This may increase volunteer involvement. AIB Participant Morro Bay’s coordinator Walter Heath has a well done email program. We discussed the need for a few picnic tables at the historic park. Work with Parks Department, which has experience working with reclaimed, heat-treated ash wood; and the Boy Scouts who make rustic, period appropriate tables. Consider disguising the large cement bases of the light poles with covers or plantings.

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations Urban Forestry

Congratulations to Midland on qualifying for “Tree City USA” for 20 years. That accomplishment, coupled with an Urban Tree Canopy Assessment (http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/urban/utc/) will provide proper guidance to tree planting efforts into the distant future. Once home to great forests of virgin white pine, trees have been economically important to Midland since its beginnings as a lumber town. Early logging clear-cut the area so extensively that old trees are now rare and prized.  The road out of town was re-routed around two historic trees that are 150 years old. At the Historic Center a parking area was reconfigured to protect a large oak. Chippewa Nature Center has a 200 year old oak that offers shade to students. At Chippewa Nature Center there are efforts to re-establish native chestnuts. Midland also contains a few disease resistant elms. Facebook pages for the oldest trees would be a

way to let more people know about their significance and value.

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Most of the river area upstream of the chemical facilities and nature center is tree lined. Many residential streets have impressive tree canopies. Consider a community-wide Big Tree Contest asking residents to identify candidates. This might be another facet of your beautification award program. Volunteer are also active in tree planting efforts. The Bicentennial Forest was the site of tree plantings that involved multiple volunteer groups. Volunteers are given instruction in proper tree planting. Midland is about to embark on a very unique tree-related “enhancement” in the 57 acres of the Whiting Forest connected to Dow Gardens. The new “Forest Canopy Walk” will give visitors an opportunity to experience the natural beauty of forest, sky, and water from within the treetops. The “walk” will be a 1,100-foot-long fully accessible experience that will take visitors to heights as high as 40 feet above the forest floor. It will include a giant cargo net hammock for resting, a forest class room, and an apple orchard “over-walk,” the latter commemorating Herbert Dow’s interest in apple trees and their breeding. The plans for the tree canopy walk are amazing. Being able to see an orchard from above will be a tourist draw and add another fun activity for residents. You are truly working to design plans that bring the most out of the forest. Verify that a study of the environmental impact of these changes is part of the planning. While this project has funding from the Herbert Dow Foundation, we suggest you contact the US Apple Association who might be able to tap additional resources and information for the orchard. See http://usapple.org/who-we-are/. As you build the orchard area up, another unusual addition would be to create a living apple tree gazebo in the center of the orchard. See “A Living Gazebo Playhouse” on page 84 of “Sunflower Houses: Inspiration from the Garden by Sharon Lovejoy” for instructions on establishing one.

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(https://www.amazon.com/Sunflower-Houses-Inspiration-Garden--Grown-Ups/dp/0761123865/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471985345&sr=81&keywords=sunflower+houses+by+sharon+lovejoy) While the plan is pretty established, the following link to the features of the Forest Stewardship and Education Centre is Canada is a useful benchmark to measure new building construction in the Whiting Forest, See http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows/green-architecture/foreststewardship-and-education-centre-lesson-green-building/ As part of the project 1,000 dead ash trees will be removed and there will be flood plain remediation and erosion control work, as well as other enhancements to the forest. As you are aware, a significant number of dead ash trees are visible from the roads all around Midland. There has been good luck with treatment with using Tree-age http://arborjet.com/products/view/tree-age in cases where a tree could be saved. Because you have not had good luck with commercial applicators you are doing the treatment yourself. This does not solve problems on residential property with dead or dying trees. There is a need for better private tree care businesses in the community. Improving residential tree care requires a multipronged effort that may include a tree management ordinance; regular educational mailings in utility bills, community publications, and newspapers; distribution of certified arborist lists; contractor training; and/or a grant to residents for tree replacement attached to certain conditions. Consider funding a program like www.mcleantreesfoundation.org for those residents that have an emerald ash borer infected tree on their property. New residents should be encouraged to understand the importance and value of trees. A multilingual series of information brochures could be given to real estate agents for distribution. In some places there was evidence of “volcano mulching” that could be addressed in mailing or with door hanger distribution. It is noteworthy that wood of diseased ash trees is being reclaimed in Midland and turned into commemorative fundraising posts around a city park’s playground. The city discovered that investing in an engraving tool to do the commemoration has many other uses when put into the skilled hands of park employees, including creating 3D signage and components of play equipment. What creativity! Revere Park is the site of an Arbor Day program tree-climbing championship. There is even a tree climbing event for youths multiple times a year at Dow Garden. An event centered around the biggest tree in Dow Garden could be a nice addition to the broad variety of existing programs. You could integrate the use of iTree tools to calculate its value including carbon reduction, stormwater reduction, and electric energy savings. See: iTree Design http://www.itreetools.org/resources/videos.php and

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http://www.itreetools.org/resources/itreelessons.php for an in-school program. o Partner with schools to engage a grade level in surveying the trees in a particular area, measuring and counting trees to chart additions or loss over several years. This will give them a background in data collection in a real life environment and a greater appreciation for what is around them. Another educational opportunity for children is the chance to participate in maple syrup collection at Chippewa Nature Center. Memorial trees are planted at the cemetery but there are no plaques. This cemetery is treated like a park. While trees were labeled in some other locations, there are more opportunities for memorial tree dedications and labeling.

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations Environmental Efforts

Always active on issues that influence the environment and quality of life, residents worked to defeat the introduction of a nuclear power plant. Instead, Midland gets some of its power from methane captured from their landfill. On the habitat front, Dow Gardens hosts its annual "Butterflies in Bloom" exhibit in April, bringing many varieties of the gentle, colorful creatures from around the globe to its conservatory. There is also a children’s Pollinator Day in June with a chance to wear a beekeeper outfit and hold a bumble bee. Midland has a high rate of recycling. Midland Recyclers is a non-profit recycling center where individuals can drop off their recycling and materials are sorted across a wide spectrum. Items are sorted by volunteers and a small staff. Egg cartons are sold back to people who raise chickens. Box Tops for Education are collected and donated back to schools. Blue glass is sorted out and resold at nominal cost to collectors. Artists who use unusual components express a need and items are sorted out of trash for them to buy back later. Bales of paper, plastics and other material are shipped off to handlers.  As far back as the 1930s, components of the Alden B. Dow home were made from recycled and/or waste by-products. Extend the effort by providing recycling bins at the Farmers Market.  Make Midland Beautiful is a local organization that focuses on the environment of Midland. It sponsors a contest each spring among the 800 children in the 2nd and 6th grade to create a poster on what makes Midland beautiful. A single representative is selected to represent each school and is honored during a Midland City Council meeting in May.  There are certified pest applicators in the Parks Dept., though the historic rose garden uses no pesticides. Dahlia Hill has been an organic garden for ten years.  Water is a critical resource even when it seems abundant because of rivers close by. In several areas, (private residence, the hospital grounds, and the sculpture area of Founder’s Park (photo) irrigation was not adjusted properly and was watering the sidewalks or signage, in addition to grass or beds. Perhaps this is something the Beautification Committee can keep their eyes open for when they are also looking for winning candidates in neighborhoods. They could drop off informational hangtags or you could include a notice in utility bills.  A number of areas in Midland have bioswales in their parking lots to slow and collect rainwater runoff. The one at the tennis center could benefit from some plant material rather than just rocks.  There was mention of occasional instances of e-coli bacteria problems in the rivers. The following is a link to the National Institutes of Health effort to establish a single repository of information on the subject. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4077002/  Many AIB communities are near rivers and have issues with flooding. Regarding flood control, we suggest that city officials contact Mike Sutfin, the Building and Zoning Official for the City of Ottawa, IL, one of

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last year’s AIB population category winners. Mike has been appointed to the National Board of Flood Management due to his work in implementing successful water management measures in his town. Following is his contact information: Mike Sutfin, Building and Zoning Official, City of Ottawa, IL 815-433-0161 ext. 219, [email protected]. You briefly mentioned the area in the flood plain where a building was demolished resulting in the discovery of vast amounts of construction fill making re-use of the site challenging and costly. Consider the possibility of having it identified as a brownfield site to become eligible for federal grant money. https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/typesbrownfields-grant-funding. Even if you are not eligible, this could lead to information about ways to clean this area up and to potential uses for the site. A number of bodies of water have issues with duck weed and algae. Consider the following floating island tool for water cleanup, where there is space. Here is a video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiHfbJEzU_E that describes in detail how these islands are successfully deployed based on experiences in New Jersey. The Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) offers energy optimization programs in Midland. The library added LEED lighting during extensive interior renovations two years ago. The Tridge will probably be adding LEED lighting. We encourage the continued use of low-energy lighting throughout the city. In terms of alternative transportation, residents can call in advance to schedule government-sponsored rides within the county. "Dial-A-Ride" offers transport within the city only. The walkability index of Midland is 30; most errands require a car. See https://www.walkscore.com/cities-and-neighborhoods/. Here is a link to a Smart Growth report on the subject http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/foot-traffic-ahead-2016/, as well as another at http://www.arup.com/walking. Consider exploring ways to make Midland more walkable. There is a bike trail from the Tridge to the Chippewa Nature Center. There is also a popular Pere Marquette trail that is a rail trail. We did not stop to visit to be sure the Train Station Brewery along a trail has adequate bike racks. Consider other amenities along trails, like places for food trucks to park. Bike racks could be added at thee farmer’s market. The Chippewa Nature Center is the site of both historical and naturerelated programs, including a nature focused pre-school. The building is LEED certified and when the center was redone in 2008 all the wood used was harvested on site. There are solar tubes for greater light.

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Additional comfortable seating could be added in front of the windows to watch the wildlife. Many migrating birds pass through, particularly in the ponds, below Whiting Overlook Park. There are efforts to monitor bluebirds. If allowed, a fixed set of binoculars would be a fun addition. Invasive plant control is on Midland’s mind. It has received a grant to remove invasive species, and groups have been actively removing invasives from the Rail Trail. There still is a problem of vines growing along the river. Master Gardeners rent a special tool to make the removal of buckthorn and other woody plants easier. Consider purchasing one...or more...as it is likely to be of continuous use. http://www.theuprooter.com/tool-features/weed-wrench-alternative/ Little Fork Conservancy is another organization that actively engages in environmental efforts in the community. Besides establishing a pollinator garden, it sponsors weekly invasive removals. It was not clear whether a coordinated control program has been established as outlined in the following document -https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/invasivespecies/CommonBuckthornBCP.pdf. With all this buckthorn perhaps a retired chemist could conduct experiments for uses of buckthorn berries other than pigment. The senior center has a number of programs and could consider programs to connect grandparents and grandchildren over gardening and the environment. Here is a resource to help stimulate ideas for programs. See http://www.treehugger.com/culture/big-book-natureactivities-fabulous-resource-teaching-kids-love-outdoors-bookreview.html.

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations Heritage Preservation

Midland owes its existence to the foresight and generosity of the Dow family and their investment in the community and its people. The original gardens of the Herbert H. Dow homestead and his home are open for tours. In addition, the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio offers tours of this landmark American architect's unique and influential style. Among more than other 100 buildings in the community, Alden Dow designed the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, Midland's public library named in his mother's honor. Rich in architectural treasure, this “City of Modern Explorers” sits on the confluence of the Chippewa and Tittabawassee Rivers. Its location proved a great one for lumbering. From 1852 through 1880, John Larkin took advantage of the heavily-forested area and the rivers to develop a logging culture. By 1892 the logging was over and Larkin had lost the mill. The same year Herbert H. Dow returned Midland to start the Dow Chemical Company using the process to extract bromine from the brine in the area. Dow was communityminded and in 1896 built a library, with a free reading room. In 1910 he built the first high school, 1920 the airfield, and in 1926 donated a portion of the cost to build a county courthouse.  The Midland County Courthouse was built with local stone and by local artists. Of special interest are the murals on the outside of the building, not painted by a Dow stucco product was applied. These murals, covering the entire façade, were recently restored with a special material that mimics the original stucco. In 1944 Dow built the first hospital and between 1953-1960 the Center for the Arts was built. The riverfront was rehabbed from a dump to the Tridge, a unique 3-way bridge.  As early as 1891 the elder Dow started a beautification contest that continues today. Today the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) focus is on activities to bring residents downtown. It created a master plan and zoning ordinance. It promotes “Be a Tourist in your own Town.” The DDA buys old, dilapidated buildings and turns them into pocket parks. It has plans to re-purpose an abandoned industrial site. DDA supports many heritage events that include RiverDays, Midnight on Main, Tunes by the Tridge, and the farmer’s market. Incubator programs subsidize rent to encourage small business to locate in their areas. The grants and loans are up to $16,000, with matching funds from business owners.  While there is much cooperation between different organizations, the Herbert D. Doan Midland County History Center is a focal point of historic efforts. Its grounds include a reproduction of the first Dow brine well and other structures, including the restored Victorian Bradley home. A heritage rose garden is planted on the site. The reenactment of a Victorian funeral procession from the Bradley home to the Midland

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Cemetery is an annual event. Volunteers are important to the center's maintenance. Established in 1873, the Midland cemetery has Civil War graves in a veteran’s area. A garden club lovingly maintains this section by hand watering the area and planting it uniformly. Volunteers conduct popular, living history tours in the cemetery annually, organized by the Midland County Historical Society. There is a Civil War re-enactment, and 2nd and 4th grade educational programs. o Here are potential sources for additional funding. http://www.achp.gov/heritagetourism-assist.html. This is a comprehensive source of museum grants. http://www.imls.gov/applicants/search.aspx. At Alden B. Dow’s actual home and studio tours are offered but the site is also actively used for educational offerings and “hands on” day camps. The city has Alden B. Dow-designed homes and structures throughout, many on the National Register of Historic Places. o We encourage you to expand the designated historical residential area near Trune Park in a more formal way so that important neighborhood character is not lost. Homes from the 30s, 40s, and 50s are being renovated, but this is happening only through the efforts of caring residents. Downtown, one Main Street building, Odd Fellows, is still standing from before the great fire of 1876. Another historic building, the 3-story Larkin building has been restored. The Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell, designed by Alton Dow, was recently rebuilt to its original specifications and is used for concerts given by local musicians. o A recommendation is to enhance the landscaping around it to highlight this city treasure and create an “outdoor room” effect but still in keeping with Mr. Dow’s style. After its relatively recent internal renovation, the library—an original Alden B Dow building—will have its outside panels restored. The plan is to return them from their current painted state to their original construction of recycled coke bottles (though the effect will likely be recreated by some material that is more resilient to weathering). There are also ongoing historic reconstruction efforts at Chippewa Nature Center reflecting the early farm settlements built after lumbering died off. Next up are plans to build a corncrib on the farmstead. Since the railway was important to post-depression era Midland, consider bringing in a restored railcar as an exhibit. The train could be added to the grounds of the Train Station Brewery along the rail trail. The well-maintained farmer’s market area is a permanently covered structure and is also a historic Alden Dow design with well-done landscaping and signage.

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What a delight to turn the corner of the children’s floor in the Grace Dow Library and see the full-length, lighted showcases that feature an extensive display of stuffed animals corresponding to books in the library collection. The display continues on to include a large antique doll collection. As a museum within a library, this is another example of Midland’s out of box thinking, following a theme and providing links between the contemporary and historic. o It would be nice to have a brochure to go with the Bessie Chichester historic doll collection in the library in addition to the signage. Some of the organizations listed in the attached link could provide assistance with this and may help date dolls that currently lack that information. See http://www.si.edu/mci/english/learn_more/taking_care/dolls.html. o The doll collection could also benefit from a small matching book rack to hold historic, country-focused, craft, and other children’s books that correspond to the dolls in the collection, as is the case with the stuffed animal displays. Books about Japanese gardening and gardening in general could be displayed by the window in the magazine reading room that looks out onto the library’s Japanese-style garden. This would provide a link to the beautiful restful vista and the work of the Master Gardeners who maintain it. Christmas in Midland must be a particularly wonderful time. The Dow garden has a Christmas walk with candles. There is a parade with Santa and real reindeer, and of course there is the Santa House where it snows inside. Santa’s house was constructed by volunteers and sits on county property. Also staffed by volunteers, Midland’s Santa school is the world’s oldest and was started by the original Macy’s Santa. Today about 200 Santas attend each year in a quest to be a better Santa. Festivals are an important means to attract people to local businesses or to local artisans. We learned that good food was very important to early loggers in Midland. o Consider a festival commemorating the food of the nationalities that came to log Midland, along with craft demonstrations related to logging, like how logs were “branded” for identification, and vendors selling wooden artisanal products. Apples and orchards are a part of the heritage of Midland since Herbert Dow had a strong interest in apple breeding and was on the hunt for a perfect apple. o An apple festival might be another festival option. A “pop-up” brewery housed in a portable, rehabbed shipping container in an empty parking lot in downtown Midland offered summer refreshment to passersby during certain days of the week over the summer.

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations Consider bringing in a hard cider brewery in another pop-up, with historical messages about apples in Midland. Fellow AIB population category participant Henderson Co, NC also has a strong economic interest in growing apples, as well as cider making, and could be a contact on this subject. Consider adding another Sister City, perhaps one that connects to Midland’s early inhabitants from England and Scotland. Or for something more business driven, contact the US Department of Commerce’s Export Assistance Center or the Michigan District Export Council to have them help identify the best country prospects for Midland manufactured products or services and look to those countries to find a town-level match. See http://2016.export.gov/michigan/contactus/index.asp for contact information. o

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations Overall Impression

There are so many things that Midland is doing well. This is evidenced by a recent history of diverse award selections including in 2010, being named the no. 4 Best Small City to raise a family in by Forbes magazine. Additional designations are:  Top Ten Metropolitan Areas for Economic Growth with a population under 200,000: Third Place. Business Facilities magazine  Top Ten Alternative Energy Leaders: Third Place, Business Facilities  Best Communities for Cultivating Entrepreneurs: Five-Star Honoree (2010), Top Honoree (2009) (University of MichiganDearborn eCities initiative)  Midland named America's most architecturally unique small town by Dwell magazine (2011)  Best Tennis Town in America (U.S. Tennis Association, 2009)  100 Best Communities for Young People: Honoree (America's Promise Foundation, 2009 and 2008)  Michigan Companies to Watch Competition: 15 small business winners from 2006–2009 (Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center and the Edward Lowe Foundation) One of Midland’s nicknames is the “City of Beautiful Churches” because there are 100 places of worship county-wide with a variety of denominations and architectural styles.  Visitors experience not only history and culture, lovely landscapes, and floral displays but the benefits of community involvement and great public/private partnerships. Residents are lucky to live in a community that excels at providing a high quality of life through its many organizations, library, museum, arts center, historic homes, parks, and recreational opportunities. It is definitely about “Small City Charm with Big City Choices.”  Colorful banners are in use downtown with an emphasis on the historical color palette of Arlen B. Dow.  To carry through the Eastman Avenue marigold planting effect to other areas of town as a theme, consider attaching long yellow and gold ribbons to town banners. If the color of the plantings changes, different color ribbons could be attached. This will add movement and draw attention on windy days.  Since Alden Dow was about color, a color symposium or would be a nice addition to the events listing.  The wayfinding signage in Midland is reminiscent of the style and color palette of Alden B. Dow. We realize that you were able to implement it despite the fact that it does not meet MDOT specifications. It helps reinforce the mid-century modern visual theme of Midland.

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations However, when viewed from the opposite direction it looks oddly blank. Consider adding the Midland Logo or other graphic identifier on the back. The library has a lovely Hopfensperger floral stained glass window in a side stairwell that can be seen from the road. It was donated to the library by the Monday Club, a civic organization. o It did not look like this was back-lit, which would be a nice addition for people passing at night. It would be good if a photo of it was added to its entry and the numerous other Midland locations listed in the Michigan Stained Glass Census website http://www.michiganstainedglass.org/collections/buildings.php?di splay=M. There were several examples of interesting sculpture at Dahlia Hill and the Art and Science Center outdoor dining area. The sculptural tribute to Herbert Dow in Founder’s Park with his quotes is unique and inspiring. o Since the garden sculpture event in tribute to Dr. Seuss was popular, as well as your fundraising event downtown, consider other locations around town for permanent sculpture installations. One of Santa would be a nice photo opportunity for the off-season. Taking a nature tack, consider one of the vermillion fly-catcher. Or you could install a super-sized “picture frame” for people to stand behind that outlines a particularly nice backdrop or garden.  Other photographs of possible sculpture artists who have work reminiscent of aspects of Midland include the following:  by Doyle Svenby – “Hole Lot of Love”  This could be a sculpture to commemorate volunteerism in Midland – colors around outside are reminiscent of Midland’s palette  by Dan Haynie – “Angular Diamonds”  This is reminiscent of Midland squares  by Doyle Svenby – “Rebar Tree with River Rock” The new, recently planted traffic circle at one of the entrances to Midland could use identifying signage that you are entering the city and/or a sculpture or graphic element. A long low sign that looks like the roof of Alden Dow’s home with a geodesic, impressionist depiction of a bromine molecule could unite these two historical aspects of Midland and still meet MDOT requirements. o See http://www.shidoni.com/html/Detail.asp?WorkInvNum=54627&arti stname=Miguel Edwards&whatpage=artist since red and lime green are popular colors. Or this following example is reminiscent of the cube that is so common with Alden Dow o

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https://pippincontemporary.com/artist/kevin-robb#!mg_ld=4071. Or see http://www.shidoni.com/html/artists.asp for other artists who work in metal and bronze. Midland boasts a lot of different athletic facilities and events including a softball championship, basketball, baseball, and swimming. o While the downtown bridge mural honors this sports emphasis and historic murals are in the courtroom inside city hall and outside city hall, consider adding one in the other Midland redevelopment area perhaps depicting logging or reflecting the modern design elements of Alden Dow. Downtown was weed free, as were other plantings we saw. Beds were well mulched everywhere. The baseball stadium was surprisingly clean and the surrounding area litter free. There were some minor instances of litter and debris in the senior center memory care unit parking lot. o Though trash was minimal, we did also notice an area with excessive cigarette butts around the corner from the popup beer garden. It is not clear if there is a connection here but consider requiring the beer vendor to place some temporary smoker’s poles if there is a relationship. See http://www.globalindustrial.com/c/outdoor-groundsmaintenance/outdoor-ashtrays/freestanding?infoParam.campaignId=T9A&gclid=CNCJ6L6z2s4CFVdb hgodXy0AhA for examples. We did not see dog waste bag bins but observed no dog waste. Midland does have a dog park beyond the Tridge. The Tridge was very slippery when wet. As you plan to repaint it, investigate paint that incorporates sand or grit particles for traction. There are plans to redo the streets downtown and add space to gather on the street. o AIB participant Hendersonville, NC (Henderson County) has redone their main street in the fashion you are proposing. Contact them for information on the process and pitfalls they experienced in their redo. Since music is big in town, adding an outdoor piano to downtown for impromptu concerts can liven up these spaces once created. While you are focusing on downtown improvements, a few of the downtown building facades could benefit from some face-lifting. o The Oddfellow building in particular could use a refresh. Funds appear to be available for this. The Ace Hardware gutter system was also leaking and dripping on the center of the street. As previously mentioned, consider a location for a green roof as part of upcoming redos. Consider “decorating" empty store fronts with large posters of other local businesses’ products and/or with window boxes or planters maintained by Master Gardeners or other residents.

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The bike rack near the downtown Main Street Bridge is too close to the young tree. Consider moving it to a new home as part of your redo efforts). The senior center was the site of a free pancake breakfast for all who participated in the effort to complete the Eastman Avenue plantings in May. Consider some sort of recognition for your other volunteers as well. Midland has a century old beautification award program where selections are made in residential and non-residential categories. A special award, the Betty R. Toller award, is given for lifelong contributions to beautification. Its recipient is submitted to the state award system. The city is split into zones and garden club members nominate an outstanding yard from each zone; the winner is chosen by a vote. A new component to the program is the “Secret Garden” contest. The winner of the contest will be honored at the annual ABA Awards in November. The results are broadly publicized in the community. This program can serve as a model for what other communities should implement for volunteer efforts and recognition. This an opportunity to raise awareness for the America in Bloom National Awards Program in the City of Midland by allowing residents to nominate their favorite backyard garden in the City of Midland.

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations Comments:

We asked about pollinator gardens after seeing the one at the Chippewa Nature Center and were told that there was another done by the Little Forks Conservancy. There was no time on the agenda to see it. Little Forks and Dow Gardens are registered with the Million Pollinator Challenge. Dahlia Hill does sell a “Pollinator” Dahlia Package but does not have a special area devoted to that type instead they are spread throughout the garden.

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AIB 2016 observations and recommendations  Recognized Criterion: Community Involvement In Midland people love to talk about their community. Maybe this is why, according to Wikipedia, Midland's Volunteer Center recruits upwards of 2,000 volunteers each year. Volunteers help with every aspect of Midland, from planting miles of marigolds in the spring to running Santa school for 200 Santas-in-training from around the world in the fall using a two story volunteer-constructed Santa house to test their newfound skills. Parks Department staff gets a hand from businesses, residents and energetic volunteers who “Adopt a Site” and “Adopt a Park.” Sites like Dow Gardens and Dahlia Hill rely on the help of volunteers and donations in order to maintain their acres of picturesque plantings. Dahlia Hill alone has 80 volunteers who plant, label, tend, dig up, and sort 3,000 dahlia tubers representing 250 varieties each year. When the museum lost staff, volunteers stepped in. The senior center is supported by volunteers. Everyone wants to do their part to “Make Midland Better.” Noteworthy Project or Initiative: “Marigold Miles” Flowers are a real strength of Midland and would not be possible to the extent they exist without high levels of community involvement. The key project here is the 2.5 mile long solid curbside planting of yellow and orange marigolds on Eastman Avenue. Marigolds were chosen due to concerns about soil quality following last year’s road reconstruction project. Five hundred volunteers meet on a spring morning and with highly coordinated precision the entire length is planted before noon. As an example of further attention to detail, custom made packets of marigold seeds were also distributed with the “Get Your Bloom On” Midland logo, as well as AIB’s. Spare flats of flowers remain in the grower’s nursery in the event of a roadside accident, so they can be replaced with the correct size and color of plantings to maintain the effect all season long.

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