Optimistic about "The Good In Ogden"
I just finished reading an essay written by fellow blogger "UTmorMAN". This Ogdenite keeps a blog known as "The Good In Ogden" (there is a link to that blog in the links section to the right). In his essay, the author takes the reader on a "tour" of downtown Ogden. The post immediately following the essay is a photographic tour of the same thing he had just written about. Let me share just a few paragraphs from his essay:
Yes, friends it IS Ogden. The plan IS working. Many can argue that the Mayor and others are not doing their jobs. I submit that they are doing their jobs as good as they can. The Mayor is obviously doing just horrible enough of a job to be elected to a second term. Is there risk in what they are doing? Of course there is risk. But is this Ogden better than the Ogden of not too many years ago?
Personally, I tire of people leaving Ogden because there is nothing to do, or the fact that they can’t find a good paying job here, or the schools are not good enough, or simply because they do not feel safe. I can assure you that pretty much all of the thousands of people in downtown Ogden on Saturday evening felt safe. Nobody seemed forced to be there. Looking at the paper this morning, I did not read about any robberies or murders downtown last night.The few blocks of downtown that I walked were alive again. Buildings had been redeveloped and new buildings built. New business had moved in around them and will continue to move in. Looking at the pictures I will provide of successful redevelopment projects, it seems hard to argue the recent success of Ogden. Again, the question comes up: Is there risk? Yes there is, but it sure is nice to have a vibrant downtown with a future again. When people challenge me as to the validity of downtown redevelopment, questions enter my mind too. I think of questions like: “What is your plan?” and “Why aren’t you doing something to help the situation instead of simply questioning the city’s every move?”
My stroll downtown made me happy to be an Ogdenite. I invite anyone to take a stroll through downtown just as I have and tell me that it is not in a better situation than it was not too long ago. Ogden is beautiful and there is good in her.
If you would like to read the entire essay, click here. Enjoy Ogden. It's a great place to live!!
Yes, friends it IS Ogden. The plan IS working. Many can argue that the Mayor and others are not doing their jobs. I submit that they are doing their jobs as good as they can. The Mayor is obviously doing just horrible enough of a job to be elected to a second term. Is there risk in what they are doing? Of course there is risk. But is this Ogden better than the Ogden of not too many years ago?
Personally, I tire of people leaving Ogden because there is nothing to do, or the fact that they can’t find a good paying job here, or the schools are not good enough, or simply because they do not feel safe. I can assure you that pretty much all of the thousands of people in downtown Ogden on Saturday evening felt safe. Nobody seemed forced to be there. Looking at the paper this morning, I did not read about any robberies or murders downtown last night.The few blocks of downtown that I walked were alive again. Buildings had been redeveloped and new buildings built. New business had moved in around them and will continue to move in. Looking at the pictures I will provide of successful redevelopment projects, it seems hard to argue the recent success of Ogden. Again, the question comes up: Is there risk? Yes there is, but it sure is nice to have a vibrant downtown with a future again. When people challenge me as to the validity of downtown redevelopment, questions enter my mind too. I think of questions like: “What is your plan?” and “Why aren’t you doing something to help the situation instead of simply questioning the city’s every move?”
My stroll downtown made me happy to be an Ogdenite. I invite anyone to take a stroll through downtown just as I have and tell me that it is not in a better situation than it was not too long ago. Ogden is beautiful and there is good in her.
If you would like to read the entire essay, click here. Enjoy Ogden. It's a great place to live!!
posted by Lancer at 8:50 AM
1 Comments:
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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