Dicken

I went with my cousin to check out the Dicken neighborhood in Ann Arbor as a possible place for her to move, and was quite impressed. There are plenty of very nice wood and brick homes, many with added decks, and almost all with flowers and shade trees. In addition to older homes, there are also a number of striking modern homes to choose from.

We both really liked the shade trees and the natural beauty offered by Dicken Woods, behind the elementary school. She is an environmental enthusiast like me, so the fact that the community saved it from development was impressive to us. This says a lot about what potential neighbors would be like.

There are many nature programs and small parks sprinkled about the area, which includes the lovely Greenview Park, west of Seventh St.; a nice place for picnics and dog walks. The Ravines and Meadowinds developments have playgrounds and tennis courts too, which is just southwest of I-94 and north of Scio Church.

The Dicken neighborhood is right around the corner from an abundance of shopping centers, restaurants, gas stations, and specialty boutiques that flood the sidewalks along Stadium and Maple.

The schools we visited looked lively and productive; we checked out Slauson Middle School and Pioneer High School. Children come to these schools from Surrey Park, Park Place, Summit Pointe and the Walden Hills condo complexes. Although she didn’t end up moving to this neighborhood, it was definitely in the running. If you commute to work, I-94 is in your backyard, and you literally minutes away from the University of Michigan.