I love Homer. There is always some dialogue going on worthy of getting fired up about, and one of the hot topics right now is the Town Square Project. To be honest, I've held back judgment to see how the process was handled. So far, I'd say the project planners have done well.
I like that they chose to bring the contractors on board with the architects; it saves time, money and makes for a better final product. This format speeds things up tremendously, so I like that they have had meetings and presentations open for public input monthly. I like the awareness that the sooner we get this built, the less money we will spend on the rising costs of building materials. I like that energy efficiency and long-term maintenance has been a focus of the city hall design.
But that's just tunnel vision.
I also am realizing that town center isn't just about a new city hall. The fact that the state gave our campus here money to buy the present city hall is rare and unlikely to happen again. If the college has to give the money back because city hall can't move, it would be devastating to our campus.
What kind of development is Homer looking for? We had knock-down-drag-out arguments in favor of cheap underwear as an economic engine, but the best long-term, sustainable growth that Homer could ask for is a vibrant college. It's about being able to educate our youth here, to get our citizens certified here for the jobs they need and to show our children that education is valuable.
There is another aspect of this process that has dawned on me. When Freddy's was planning on coming in, they drew up the roads that best suited them; they made the layout that best suited them. With the city in the lead this time, we are drawing up the roads with the long-term development in mind; we are making the infrastructure choices that are best for pedestrians, for the natural waterways, for future small businesses and for community use.
Seeing the difference in how it is developing now, with tons of public input versus plans drawn up in a board room, I am relieved that the city is taking this on.
And then there's the bond. The city won't have to raise taxes, but that means it could be tight on the budget in the future.
If you look at just the city hall building, there can be a debate as to whether or not we should put our efforts in that direction.
But this project is more than just a city hall. It's about the college. It's about planned infrastructure. It's about new businesses in the heart of town.
Of all the things the city has on its plate right now, I'm seeing how far reaching this one project is for Homer and I can't think of any single project that has so many stars lined up for it.
Kyra Wagner has lived in Homer eight years and is on the Town Square/City Hall Review Committee. She also works on the Homer Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee and Sustainable Homer.
