A Better Tomorrow
From:
Laura Koprowski
Date:
Aug 08 20:53 UTC
Short link
This topic of A Better Tomorrow is very timely right now. We currently have an
amazing amount of challenges and opportunities before our region. Many choices
and decisions are facing us that can have very lasting and real effects down
the road.
I hear all the time about our economy and jobs. We hear so often about jobs -
getting more jobs, lack of jobs, more tech jobs, etc., etc. Important stuff,
but honestly is our community only about being a place to work? What is it that
is our heart and soul of our place?
I personally think that we could put more heart and soul into our thinking
about our future whether it is land use, transportation, education,
environment, etc. We are a place with a personality. While many people keep
trying to say we should be some place else, I believe we are already a unique
place and that our residents know it. We are people who feel a connection to
this place - we're not here just to work. So, what is it? Why is it? Who are
we?
What's really gotten my heart stirring about this topic is the work of the
Orton Foundation (www.orton.org). If you don't know much about them, you
should. And here is some of their thinking about heart and soul:
"Here at the Foundation, we endeavor to help people identify “heart and soul”
elements of their communities, and to work with them to celebrate, maintain,
and build upon these elements in the future of their communities. This means
incorporating those elements into planning policies and practices, and through
institutions and programs within the communities.
Planners are trained to see the big picture –What are the big trends, and how
can communities, regions, states best accommodate those trends? What land use
plans and policies will serve the community well? It can be a particular
challenge to look also at the little things - What are the small ingredients
that make up the unique DNA of any community? Are there particular landmarks?
Views? Gathering places? Special vegetation or water features? Perhaps there
are important elements as small as a community bulletin board, or a work of art
or garden crafted by a distinguished citizen. Even more difficult, are there
practices that are unusual and held dear by the community – some special events
hosted by local institutions that have become important local traditions?"
Anyway, food for thought and I look forward to others' responses.
.