Back to life, back to reality, True Believers. As glorious a three-day weekend as it has been, back we go to work, school-- maybe a few of you lucky ducks are on vacation, but most of us aren't, so there!
And kicking off the week with the Inner Arbor project. As you know, and read from here last week, the Inner Arbor will be a discussion topic of Thursday night's CA Board meeting at 7:30pm at Columbia Association headquarters. And you can see the agenda for that meeting here.
And also as discussed previously, it would seem like some CA Board members want to claim that the current design of the park represents a material change from the original design concept plan. And still others in this town (not sure of any CA Board members are among them) want to complain that the Inner Arbor Trust and it's board, who were created by an act of that same CA Board, is doing its work in the shadows, all surreptitious-like, see? And so nothing that goes on without full "openness and transparency" can be good for the residents, can it?
And so the battle is joined. On many fronts. It represents basic, fundamental differences between visions for the future of this place called Columbia, and it is a battle worth fighting. Because at stake is nothing less than our power of self-determination.
There is nothing wrong with trees, pathways, some nice views, and perhaps even a couple places for people to gather. What occurs to me though, is that those places exist all through Columbia and Howard County. And in considering downtown Columbia, a different message should be conveyed. One of energy, vibrancy, fun, forward-thinking, attractiveness. A park in downtown Columbia should be a destination, not a pastime.
And that's why the Inner Arbor plan, in its current form, is exciting. Because it IS that! It is a design that has been built to draw people to downtown Columbia. To improve and maybe even change perceptions of downtown Columbia. A work that can stand as its own or blend into the rest of downtown Columbia's fabric.
So some want to claim that this plan is a material change from the concept plan that the CA Board approved. That's simply not true. the current plan represents a later stage of the plan, but the current plan clearly keeps the concept of the original plan. If it didn't, there would be different uses now planned for the park. But I see no plans here for an amusement park, sports stadium, or parking lot.
And so when logic and reality happen to inconveniently spoil the plans of those who would make lemons out of lemonade, those people do what they invariably do. They attack the process in which decisions get made and the reputations of those involved. And this is a sad development, albeit one well known from the Columbia playbook. Suddenly, the Inner Arbor Trust becomes a "secret corporation" making decisions without resident input. As if, of course, the Columbia Association itself is not? In fact, CA begat the Inner Arbor Trust! Yet none of those CA Board members who want to complain about the Inner Arbor Trust care to admit that.
And let's also not forget that those same CA Board members are also the ones who wanted to discuss the Inner Arbor without any resident input. Yes, seems like "openness and transparency" only count on the books when it benefits them. Otherwise, openness and transparency be damned.
What it all comes to is this. For far too long, Columbia has been a place where a vocal minority can prevent progress. Regardless of the impact upon the majority of Columbia's residents. Because the same 50-60 people show up at meeting after meeting after meeting and go on about how life is unfair and "Jim Rouse's dream" and all that. Because 99% of the people who live in Columbia don't have time for CA Board games. They're too busy working, commuting, caring for their families, volunteering, and otherwise being of service to their community.
And so we owe it to these residents to advocate for progress. To advocate a Columbia which moves forward, ever forward. Not one which thinks and dreams small.
Finally, I must urge you all, again, to attend the CA Board meeting Thursday. Be an advocate for moving Columbia forward. If you don't want to be part of speakout, that's OK. But show up and have your presence felt.
Monday is National Strawberry Sundae Day.
Let's be careful out there.
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