$9.5 million revitalization project on table for Cherry Hill Village
Canton’s Cherry Hill Village could be in line for an injection of vibrancy.
Canton Township’s Cherry Hill Village is on the verge of receiving a landscape-changing injection of vibrancy.
If plans evolve as expected, a $9.5 million investment — half coming from Wayne County American Rescue Plan Act funds, the remaining $4,750,000 coming from a combination of township ARPA funds, insurance proceeds, Wayne County millage funds, and an existing fund balance — will be injected into a Canton Town Square project, a conceptual development.
The Canton Town Square project would feature the addition of a Village Square Park, Village Arts Factory Campus (including the creation of a park on the undeveloped 14 acres behind the existing Village Arts Factory and improvements to Preservation Park, which is located on Ridge Road, just north of Cherry Hill Village.
The ambitious vision would also boost Leisure Service programming in the impacted district, sparking an increase in Partnership for the Arts & Humanities events and, ideally, lead to more open-air dining, restaurants, breweries, and improved connectivity in the area, while improving parking availability…
What it will take
In the works for close to a year, the plan hinges on the township’s Board of Trustees approving a resolution at Tuesday night’s meeting to submit an application to Wayne County for the ARPA funds. The Wayne County Commission must approve the project before the county’s portion of the funds can be received by Canton Township.
The commission is expected to consider the project sometime in 2023, according to a request for a board action statement included in the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.
“These investments into Canton will revitalize Cherry Hill Village, improve the quality of life for residents, increase property values, grow the tax base and spur small- and medium-sized business development in Canton,” the request for board action presented by Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak reads.
The board of trustees has already authorized $4 million of fund balance in the Community Improvement Fund for the project, the request adds.
The lack of robust business development near the intersection of Ridge and Cherry Hill roads has been a disappointment for many residents and decision-makers.
The Canton Town Square project — if it comes to fruition — would be a huge step toward potentially reaching the expectations for the district.
