Leaves are starting to turn. Time to set aside summer’s follies and get back to work. Thinking about what it is we are working on here.
Communities, like the people who build and live in them, are born, live and die. Some have long histories of vitality, creativity and excellence. Others appear out of nowhere, then fade into memory. As Jane Jacobs wrote, “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” Most of us are just busy doing our best.
Why does your community—your neighborhood, city, state, or nation—exist? Why was it born? Why might it die? What can you and yours do better than anybody else in the world?
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As I posted on the front page last spring, this site is bascially built around three general categories of interest in this exploration of places that thrive:
- Economy: Life, economic development, technology, geography and urban design
- Policy: Liberty, long range planning, community development, hazard mitigation
- Pursuit of Happiness: Everything else. Architecture, arts & culture. Roots music mostly. You know, the important stuff.
Some of these topics may seem extraneous. In fact, some items may appear that simply catch my eye. However, thriving communities need a strong sense of place, with dynamic economies, thoughtful public policy and a vibrant culture.
Places that thrive take all this and make it fit their particular situation. They are true to their roots. They are most of us, just trying to take what we have and do our best.
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