Van Buren Township, Michigan

VAN BUREN TOWNSHI P , MI CHIGAN housing. And our standards for single-family and multi-unit development are getting us a better product. We have a great location, low tax rate, low water rates, and we’ve attracted businesses. So the jobs are here.” BVM: Does Van Buren Twp. have good recreational amenities? Best: “The Township has made a significant commitment toward creating recreational opportunities. The park behind our Township Hall used to be a soccer field – now we have active and passive recreation there: baseball, soccer fields, pavilions, and the largest splash pad in Wayne County.” McNamara: “We built that large-scale, $1.2 million splash pad addition last summer to make a bold statement to our community and the communities around us that we value our children. So we built the pad one foot taller and one foot bigger than any other in the area. community. It has significantly changed things for the better. Residents have noticed that the community is brighter and well-maintained and blight is no longer showing up as a big problem.” BVM: What progress has been made with business attraction? Best: “On the development side, we were looking for companies that wanted to be part of our community, long-term. Over the last four years, we’ve attracted Subaru’s North American world headquarters for R & D; businesses related to the American Center for Mobility; one of the smart car research centers in the U.S.; tier-one automotive suppliers including Maser Polymer – their North American Headquarters is here. All these companies have become part of Van Buren Township and provide for the continued development. “People want to live here now and as a result we’re seeing strong growth in single-family