Even though I love the town where I grew up, it isn’t perfect. A few targeted improvements could make it even better. Specifically, I would create more opportunities for people to gather together, with the goal of enhancing the sense of community in the town.
Unfortunately, my childhood home, Merriltown, does not offer enough opportunities for people to meet and socialize. The reason is that Merriltown is about 20 kilometres from a major city. When people from Merriltown seek entertainment like concerts, sporting events, and festivals, they usually go elsewhere. I think two changes could improve this situation. First, Merriltown should actively plan unique community events downtown. Currently, city leaders assume that people would rather leave for entertainment, so they don’t put much effort into organizing a robust community calendar. This should change. If the city would plan special events that are not offered elsewhere in the region, there is no reason Merriltown could not become an entertainment destination. Secondly, Merriltown should make its downtown more pedestrian friendly. Currently, the town’s streets are dominated by car traffic. It is not a very welcoming place for people to walk and congregate. If the city would consider restricting traffic, widening the sidewalks, and enhancing park space near the downtown area, people might want to spend more leisure time in Merriltown.
Both of these changes share a single objective: to bring the residents of Merriltown together as a community. Organizing fun and meaningful events would create opportunities for residents to meet and socialize with one another outside normal daily activities. These changes could also instil a sense of community pride among residents who could boast, “my town has so many fun things to do! ”
If Merriltown would make these two changes, it would be an even more special place to call home.
Even though
I
love
the town where I grew up, it isn’t perfect. A few targeted improvements could
make
it even better.
Specifically
, I would create more opportunities for
people
to gather together, with the goal of enhancing the sense of
community
in the town.
Unfortunately, my childhood home,
Merriltown
, does not offer
enough
opportunities for
people
to
meet
and socialize. The reason is that
Merriltown
is about 20
kilometres
from a major city. When
people
from
Merriltown
seek entertainment like concerts, sporting
events
, and festivals, they
usually
go elsewhere. I
think
two
changes
could
improve
this situation.
First
,
Merriltown
should
actively
plan unique
community
events
downtown.
Currently
, city leaders assume that
people
would
rather
leave
for entertainment,
so
they don’t put much effort into organizing a robust
community
calendar. This should
change
. If the city would plan special
events
that are not offered elsewhere in the region, there is no reason
Merriltown
could not become an entertainment destination.
Secondly
,
Merriltown
should
make
its downtown more pedestrian friendly.
Currently
, the town’s streets
are dominated
by car traffic. It is not a
very
welcoming place for
people
to walk and congregate. If the city would consider restricting traffic, widening the sidewalks, and enhancing park space near the downtown area,
people
might want to spend more leisure time in
Merriltown
.
Both of these
changes
share a single objective: to bring the residents of
Merriltown
together as a
community
. Organizing fun and meaningful
events
would create opportunities for residents to
meet
and socialize with one another outside normal daily activities. These
changes
could
also
instil
a sense of
community
pride among residents who could boast, “my town has
so
many
fun things to do! ”
If
Merriltown
would
make
these two
changes
, it would be an even more special place to call home.