I want you to help me reinvent Concord. Yes, you. YOU. I spend a lot of time envisioning a Concord in my head that’s a little different from the Concord we live in now. I have big ideas about what that means to me, but it may mean something completely different to you and I want you engaged, too. Communities thrive on connection.
That doesn’t mean I don’t love Concord now – let’s shoot that notion right through the heart. I wouldn’t live here dreaming about the future if I weren’t already happy here in many ways. But there’s something hypnotic and inspiring about a sense of possibilities, and I feel one here. I walk down Main Street and look up to the second and third floor windows thinking what great spots they would be for a late-night coffee shop, or clustered artist studios, or indie rock shows I don’t have to drive an hour for, or maybe a small performance space incubating new theater work. But that’s just my vision.
A community is made richer through infusions of perse interests. What do you see when you notice an empty space around town? I’m talking yoga studios, delis and hair salons out of the discussion – with all due respect, we’ve got many fine representatives in those categories already.
So what does Concord need? What can you do today to make something happen that’s never existed here before? E-mail ideas to muchachaK@yahoo.com. I want to know what you’re thinking and would love to work those ideas into public discussion. Every city needs an army to move it forward.
In my next column, I’ll start writing about some of the great stuff that’s already happening to bring us into the future. But for this week, just meditate on the places in your soul that need feeding. Those dreams are what is going to make this city awesome.
