250th Birthday of USA: Building a Neighborhood

          As mentioned last month, our country was founded 250 years ago with a strong sense of community that included social connections and engagement in the collective well-being of the neighborhood. Interestingly, that is also what urban planners today encourage for vibrant places to live and work and play.

         This month I ask you to think about our South Park neighborhood. A neighborhood is a “participatory act of community members and an expression of belief about the future of one’s community,” according to Dr. Mindy Thompson Fullilove from her book Main Street: How a City’s Heart Connects Us All.

         As you ponder this you might want to answer the question – Are you planning to stay in the South Park neighborhood? If you answer yes:

1.    What is it about this place that drew you here?

2.    What do you need to keep you in this place?

We know that some of you may be passing through and planning to move on for a variety of reasons. But while you are residing in South Park, we hope to meet your needs and enjoy the time we have with you. But for those of you who plan to stay, what do you need to keep you here? Needs will differ depending on age, jobs, family life, etc. As a neighborhood, we need to consider all people who want to stay.

These questions are the starting point for community planning, community improvements, and community engagement.

If you are planning to stay, contemplate the two questions above. We would love to know your answers. If you want to share, send to spnadtla@gmail.com. See you in the neighborhood!

By Debra Shrout