From One Century to the Next
We are all influenced by how we perceive our built environment. We are attracted to places we find beautiful, inviting, and safe. What allure do Central Park in New York and the monuments in Washington, DC hold in our minds? Locally, why are University Circle and the Cleveland Art Museum considered special places? The perceived quality of the built environment gives us signals indicating the importance of places within our city, reflecting what we value as a community.
How amazing is it to live in Lakewood right now, deciding as a community what we value and expressing it within our built environment. We are building new schools to replace old and outdated ones. Clearly, Lakewood values not just education, but education aimed at the next century. We are adding to our library. Lakewood values ideas and learning. In several places we are turning empty parking lots into housing and retail. Lakewood values quality places to live and to shop locally. We recently completed an addition to our hospital and are building a brand new YMCA. Lakewood values a healthy lifestyle. These new projects in Lakewood serve as an outward expression of our shared community values.
However, a majority of our community was originally conceived and built based on values over a century old. We have so many elementary schools in Lakewood because at one time, every child walked to school. We only have one high school because, not so many students continued with their education after elementary school 100 years ago. Clifton Boulevard is so wide because I-90 did not exist and it was the only way to get downtown. Detroit and Madison Avenues are lined with small, local shops because Lakewood had no large grocery stores or big box retailers. Plus, everyone walked to local shopping daily. Lakewood Park did not have a parking lot. Our residential streets did not have any parking. Our homes mostly did not have garages or even driveways. We have so many doubles in Lakewood because we needed to quickly house a growing workforce and because many families rented out the upstairs of their homes to make ends meet.
Lakewood residents live very differently today and we can see how a century old built environment is clashing with our new values. Almost everyone has a car and most families have two. Half of our residential yards are taken up with a garage and the other half is driveway. Today, every member of the family bathes every day and we sometimes change our clothes two to three times a day. Most of our homes have only one bathroom and few closets. Where do we put the TV in our living rooms? Why are the kitchens so small? We like to drive to where we are going and shop conveniently and quickly. The stores with parking are busy. The local retail without parking is struggling.
With our joined community voice, how are we expressing our new 21st century values within the existing built environment? Two years ago we proclaimed that our neighborhoods and homes are one of our highest values. A combined voice in resistance was heard loud and clear. But how should we continue to express that value? How do we, as a community, continue to show that the homes and neighborhoods in Lakewood are important? How do we express that a vital local retail district is still a community value? How should we shape our civic buildings and parks to reflect our community ideals? Can we maintain the places and buildings that still serve us and allow those places that do not to change? Can we continue to make Lakewood a place that reflects who we are as a community?
Our city is changing both in its values and in the places we maintain and build that outwardly express those values. As you look at the streets, homes, buildings, and parks in Lakewood, do you see yourself and your neighbors? What should be done to make sure that you do?
How amazing is it to live in Lakewood right now, deciding as a community what we value and expressing it within our built environment. We are building new schools to replace old and outdated ones. Clearly, Lakewood values not just education, but education aimed at the next century. We are adding to our library. Lakewood values ideas and learning. In several places we are turning empty parking lots into housing and retail. Lakewood values quality places to live and to shop locally. We recently completed an addition to our hospital and are building a brand new YMCA. Lakewood values a healthy lifestyle. These new projects in Lakewood serve as an outward expression of our shared community values.
However, a majority of our community was originally conceived and built based on values over a century old. We have so many elementary schools in Lakewood because at one time, every child walked to school. We only have one high school because, not so many students continued with their education after elementary school 100 years ago. Clifton Boulevard is so wide because I-90 did not exist and it was the only way to get downtown. Detroit and Madison Avenues are lined with small, local shops because Lakewood had no large grocery stores or big box retailers. Plus, everyone walked to local shopping daily. Lakewood Park did not have a parking lot. Our residential streets did not have any parking. Our homes mostly did not have garages or even driveways. We have so many doubles in Lakewood because we needed to quickly house a growing workforce and because many families rented out the upstairs of their homes to make ends meet.
Lakewood residents live very differently today and we can see how a century old built environment is clashing with our new values. Almost everyone has a car and most families have two. Half of our residential yards are taken up with a garage and the other half is driveway. Today, every member of the family bathes every day and we sometimes change our clothes two to three times a day. Most of our homes have only one bathroom and few closets. Where do we put the TV in our living rooms? Why are the kitchens so small? We like to drive to where we are going and shop conveniently and quickly. The stores with parking are busy. The local retail without parking is struggling.
With our joined community voice, how are we expressing our new 21st century values within the existing built environment? Two years ago we proclaimed that our neighborhoods and homes are one of our highest values. A combined voice in resistance was heard loud and clear. But how should we continue to express that value? How do we, as a community, continue to show that the homes and neighborhoods in Lakewood are important? How do we express that a vital local retail district is still a community value? How should we shape our civic buildings and parks to reflect our community ideals? Can we maintain the places and buildings that still serve us and allow those places that do not to change? Can we continue to make Lakewood a place that reflects who we are as a community?
Our city is changing both in its values and in the places we maintain and build that outwardly express those values. As you look at the streets, homes, buildings, and parks in Lakewood, do you see yourself and your neighbors? What should be done to make sure that you do?
Volume 1, Issue 5, Posted 11.09 AM / 23rd August 2005.
