Here are some more questions that came from the Sat., 1/28, wkshop that wd be productive to consider. They are all related to the theme of outsiders in Riverside?
The people are out there - IF we want them. We live in one of the most dense areas in America. We are steps from a world class zoo that attracts 2-3 million people a year, where a simple diverting of a fraction of them might carry a businness or two in town. Unlike the harlem gateway (HAH! I am speaking like camiros!), the Forest entrance, right between our twin towers, is really close to the cbd.
"Over the river and through the woods, to Riverside we go...". "to the land that time forgot" etc.
You don't need a tif, you need an imaginative PR campaign.
I recall the significant churn I witnessed in town when a simple extension of the bemis bike path was considered to come into town several yrs ago. I remember thinking then that it might raise the exposure of the cbd and bring new people new faces new customers into town. I recall at that time my discussions with people in town who were against it revealed a pretty big disliking of 'outsiders'. The people I am referring to, btw, were not 'militant tree hugging preservationists' either (hey, some of my best friends are preservationists :) ).
Personally, I generally like to share things that are good. But I can see others' view of keeping Riverside a secret to keep its goodness and charm. Maybe we can have a happy middle between clear cutting/condo-izing and SOME extra strangers in town.
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1. Can we confirm that we want/can get ONLY neighborhood goods and services to survive in Riverside?
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2. Do we want people to come to Riverside -visitors, tourists, etc?
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3.How can we capitalize on the 'historic' aspect of Riverside?
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4. Is there an obligation of people of Riverside to share Olmsted's great achievement? Do we have a 'right' to keep it to ourselves?
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Assuming we as a village want outsiders coming in...
...then I can imagine...
..horses and buggies going about the cbd
..bed and breakfast places (maybe those aging, retiring baby boomers we have been hearing about can stay in those big grand houses and do some adaptive re-use and share their hospitality w/ others; of course the guests should have the horse and buggy ride around town.) - btw, the village wd make some zoning allowances for the b and b's in R1 land.
accent our brand distinction.
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miket