Saline - Tree City USA

Did you know that Saline is a participant in Tree City USA? Do you know what Tree City USA is? (Original article by Vance Shutes). Let’s take a look at that today.

Tree City USA is a designation given by the national Arbor Day foundation. Saline has been a part of Tree City USA for six years (since 2004). It’s even noted on the street signs as you approach Saline!

In order to qualify for Tree City USA status, a city must meet four standards established by The Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. These standards were established to ensure that every qualifying community would have a viable tree management plan and program. It is important to note that they were also designed so that no community would be excluded because of size.

1. A Tree Board or Department
2. A Tree Care Ordinance
3. A Community Forestry Program With an Annual Budget of at Least $2 Per Capita
4. An Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation

Arbor Day in Michigan is the last Friday of April.

Our state tree, the Eastern White Pine, is more prevalent in northern Michigan, but that doesn’t mean that Saline is without the State tree. I recall my daughter receiving a White Pine seedling on one Arbor Day during her elementary school days. That tree is now approaching 10’ tall in my back yard. So the Arbor Day Foundation efforts have definitely had an effect on the Saline community.

Take a look along the sides of the roads approaching Saline and see if you spot the Tree City USA signs. Saline – Tree City USA.


If you’re looking to do anything with Saline real estate and become a part of Tree City USA, you owe it to yourself to take advantage of my experience in the Saline market. I’d be happy to meet with you! Just give me a call at (734) 476-2063, or send an e-mail, “Vance (at) SalineMichiganRealEstate (dot) com”.

Beanstalks Play Cafe of Saline

I’m not much of a coffee drinker (Pepsi is my choice for COLD caffeine). That said, many of my friends and clients (especially those with younger children) have lately spoken of a new spot for coffee (and more) in Saline.

Beanstalks Play Café is located in the old Calico Cat building (which is a former church built in 1899) at 117 S. Ann Arbor St. The building is located within the central business district in downtown Saline. Beanstalks Play Café joins the growing trend of businesses geared toward family-oriented play and recreation.

The space has a giant play structure, toddler area, small gift shop, coffee bar and snack area on the main floor. The lower floor has a video game room and space for birthday parties, and the top floor has an office.

Admission to the play cafe for a day is $6 for children ages 1 to 15. A three-month pass is available for $55 for one child, $90 for two children and $125 for a family of three or more children. Adults and children under 1 are free.

The proprietor, April Scarlett, considered a franchise (like Jungle Java), but wanted the freedom to bring her own expertise to the center without corporate interference. She previously owned a children's party-planning business for five years.

So when you’re considering Saline Real Estate, (especially for the schools!), you’ll know that there is a local place for your kids to work out some of their energy. This is especially important in the era of $4 per gallon gas!

For more information on Beanstalks, call (734) 944-7979 or visit www.beanstalksofsaline.com.

Mill Pond Park in Saline

Every city and town has one park that tends to define the best features of the community. In Saline, that would be the Mill Pond Park. When you’re looking for Real Estate in Saline, Michigan, having a great park in town is an important consideration.

To those families with young children, most of us know the park more simply as the ROMP, which is an acronym for Re-create Our Mill Pond park. A number of years ago, civic leaders in Saline organized an effort to build a “super structure” playground for young children at Mill Pond. The ROMP structure has been a hit with my kids over the years! Here’s what it looks like from the sledding hill:

And speaking of a sledding hills, one of the better ones in Saline is located at the northeast corner of the park. From the bottom, here’s what the sledding hill looks like in the spring:

Many of us have our family pets, and the Mill Pond Park accommodates the dog owners in Saline with a “leash free” zone. Here’s what that looks like:

It’s a really large area, and borders the Saline river, so your dog can go for a swim if it’s really warm out. Just watch out for the swans and geese – they bite!

The entire length of Mill Pond park borders the “Mill Pond” area. Back in the 1800s, when Saline was being built, the Saline River was dammed up to create the mill pond. The pond water was used to drive a water wheel at the lumber mill, where area trees were converted to lumber for home building.

One of the other enjoyable activities at ROMP (as I call it) is to take the kids fishing. There are mostly panfish in the pond these days, but occasionally you’ll hook a large carp – and then, hang on!

While you’re at the play structure area, you can shade yourself under the pavilion, which is available for lease for large groups through the city of Saline.

Or, you can simply enjoy a walk around the park, which extends upstream from the mill pond into the Saline river, where you can enjoy the babbling brook.

Each summer, Saline is host to the Celtic festival. Much of the Celtic festival takes place at the Mill Pond park.

The park is also used by the Saline High School Cross Country teams. When you walk around the park and see some of the hills the XC runners have to go up (!!!), it takes your breath away. Thank goodness they’re young when they do those runs!