Where Is That Music Coming From In Downtown Ferndale?

Suddenly, Sting is singing in your ear as you're walking in downtown Ferndale.

Where is that music coming from and who is the deejay?

Ferndale Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Cristina Sheppard-Decius said the DDA manages the city's outdoor speaker system, which was installed in 2000 or 2001 for approximately $10,000.

The DDA uses a satellite system and chooses which channels to play, in part, based on what's happening around town. For example, the DDA may play oldies tunes to correspond with the Woodward Dream Cruise on Aug. 17, Sheppard-Decius said.

The satellite system, which is programmed to play from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, can cause trouble from time to time, she said.

Sheppard-Decius recalled the end of one holiday season when the temporary holiday station the DDA had selected unexpectedly switched over to playing hard-core rap laden with expletives.

"I got the phone call from the Police Department: 'How can we turn this off?' " she said with a chuckle.

The system was originally installed to drive foot traffic and add energy along West Nine Mile following a street scape project in 1998-1999, Sheppard-Decius said; it will be extended farther west as part of the current How the West Was One project.

The DDA funds the satellite service, which costs a bit more than $100 per quarter, she said.

Sheppard-Decius said the DDA receives mixed feedback on the music.

"You'll hear people singing in the streets - it's funny," but there also are people who don't appreciate the ambient music, so the DDA tries to keep the volume at a moderate level and choose music with general appeal, she said.

"Not elevatory though, because Ferndale is not an elevator music kind of town," Sheppard-Decius said. "We want it to be upbeat and have fun because that's what Ferndale's about. We'll take suggestions!"