The Face of Our TownThis is a featured page


How can we put a better face on our town? What combination of community volunteer activism, political savvy, and successful grant-getting might turn our throughways (Routes 1, 410 and 201) into attractive gateways? anyone???

Awhile back on the RP Coffeehouse blog (here and here) I shared a few photos, and groused about how Riverdale Park puts its worst face on for the public-at-large that only knows our town through what it sees while cruising through on East-West Highway, Kenilworth Ave., or Route 1. We had some discussion on TownTalk about what could be done to beautify the facade of our town. Many people made some really good suggestions at the time.I know there is a wealth of talent and ideas and specific knowledge here (because of all the interesting work that people here do in their day jobs, as well as their other interests and avocations). I think it would be a great service to our community if we could pool those ideas here in a place much less ephemeral than emails that pass in and out of our inboxes, a place that can be referred to again and again. Let's see if we can't build and grow some good ideas...
From one end of East-West Highway...
...to another.
Let me start off with a question (or two)... (aware of the pitfalls of making any such generalizations!)






Why do you think it is that higher-income communities have streetscapes that look nicer and are more inviting those in than less well-off communities?



  • Is it simply because the residents there are willing to, able to, and do spend more on maintaining their homes and businesses?
  • Is it simply because their higher property values lead to greater tax revenues from which more can be spent on maintainting and beautifying streets, curbs, sidewalks, etc?













And most importantly, whatever the cause, what can we do to bring about a positive change in this regard?
--Dwight Holmes



  • Is it because our governments, state and local, treat wealthier communities differently than poorer ones? (i.e., is it "social capital" rather than just "capital" ?)
  • Is there an element of self-fulfilling prophecy involved, such that we in a community like Riverdale Park expect less from the state, our county, and even from our own town, and so we ask less and get less, while a community such as, say, Bethesda expects more and is given more?



I know there is a wealth of talent and ideas and specific knowledge here (because of all the interesting work that people here do in their day jobs, as well as their other interests and avocations). I think it would be a great service to our community if we could pool those ideas here in a place much less ephemeral than emails that pass in and out of our inboxes, a place that can be referred to again and again. Let's see if we can't build and grow some good ideas...




More at: How Do We Look?



dwightrholmes
dwightrholmes 		Latest page update: made by dwightrholmes , Sep 20 2007, 9:34 PM EDT (about this update About This Update dwightrholmes Edited by dwightrholmes

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