What's the value of IRL? For those of you who are not internet addicted that stands for "in real life".
At the heart of it that is the question before two of our local Roaring Fork Valley Governments. Both Aspen and Basalt have citizens who are asking for a Community Center. There is a coalition in Aspen proposing an Armory Building renaissance back to it's Community Hall roots and there is a groundswell bubbling up in Basalt calling for a Community Center Clearshot to the river.
The economics for the Aspen proposal are irrefutable. The Armory Community Center is the clear winner but Aspen being Aspen there will surely be roadblocks to common sense. The economics for Basalt are less clear. The tantalizing prospect of a cash in hand condo sales tax can easily blind even the most far sighted civil servant. I never thought I'd hear the words "dog park" used in a derogatory manner in the progressive halls of the Basalt City Hall but hey, as mom used to say, "All you have to do is live long enough…."
But let's think about this a bit longer and look at what these two proposals have in common and what each of these groups is trying to tell their representatives.
"Socialization" is such a soulless word for such a soulful activity; but that's what is at the heart of both these proposals. The community is asking for a place to commune. The neighborhood wants a place to be neighborly. We want to heal our hearts with shared laughter. That in itself is priceless but this it not all "touchy feely" there is also a huge potential for economic benefit (the boring explanation).
One of my favorite TV shows was "Connections" which showed that serendipity has driven more innovation and success than just about anything else.
A similar theme can be found in Walter Isaacson's "Innovators" which diagrams connections between teams of scientists. Yo Yo Ma gave the clarion cry for "STEAM" not "STEM" at Aspen Ideas.
Collaboration, interconnectedness, diversity these are the touchstones of a healthy community and a vibrant economy. You want to revitalize a community? Let the artists frolic and see who comes to watch….Feynman played the bongos after all...
Sometimes we think that Aspen is only a ski town or Basalt is only for fly fishermen but look at our locals and you will find artists, scientists, engineers, farmers, cowgirl poets and philosopher kings. Six degrees of separation? Ha! Not here. Not in the Roaring Fork Valley. We just don't connect with each other much.
We just don't get the opportunity to flow gently into conversation and let the extraordinary juxtaposition of thought and possibility merge into something concrete, into something you can touch, into reality.
In both cases- the Armory and the River Park- these citizen driven initiatives are asking for a place where we- the people who live here- can meet and socialize in real life. The time for compartmentalization and cubicles is over.
People don't move here for the condos.
At the heart of it that is the question before two of our local Roaring Fork Valley Governments. Both Aspen and Basalt have citizens who are asking for a Community Center. There is a coalition in Aspen proposing an Armory Building renaissance back to it's Community Hall roots and there is a groundswell bubbling up in Basalt calling for a Community Center Clearshot to the river.
The economics for the Aspen proposal are irrefutable. The Armory Community Center is the clear winner but Aspen being Aspen there will surely be roadblocks to common sense. The economics for Basalt are less clear. The tantalizing prospect of a cash in hand condo sales tax can easily blind even the most far sighted civil servant. I never thought I'd hear the words "dog park" used in a derogatory manner in the progressive halls of the Basalt City Hall but hey, as mom used to say, "All you have to do is live long enough…."
But let's think about this a bit longer and look at what these two proposals have in common and what each of these groups is trying to tell their representatives.
"Socialization" is such a soulless word for such a soulful activity; but that's what is at the heart of both these proposals. The community is asking for a place to commune. The neighborhood wants a place to be neighborly. We want to heal our hearts with shared laughter. That in itself is priceless but this it not all "touchy feely" there is also a huge potential for economic benefit (the boring explanation).
One of my favorite TV shows was "Connections" which showed that serendipity has driven more innovation and success than just about anything else.
A similar theme can be found in Walter Isaacson's "Innovators" which diagrams connections between teams of scientists. Yo Yo Ma gave the clarion cry for "STEAM" not "STEM" at Aspen Ideas.
Collaboration, interconnectedness, diversity these are the touchstones of a healthy community and a vibrant economy. You want to revitalize a community? Let the artists frolic and see who comes to watch….Feynman played the bongos after all...
Sometimes we think that Aspen is only a ski town or Basalt is only for fly fishermen but look at our locals and you will find artists, scientists, engineers, farmers, cowgirl poets and philosopher kings. Six degrees of separation? Ha! Not here. Not in the Roaring Fork Valley. We just don't connect with each other much.
We just don't get the opportunity to flow gently into conversation and let the extraordinary juxtaposition of thought and possibility merge into something concrete, into something you can touch, into reality.
In both cases- the Armory and the River Park- these citizen driven initiatives are asking for a place where we- the people who live here- can meet and socialize in real life. The time for compartmentalization and cubicles is over.
People don't move here for the condos.
1 comment:
This is really wonderful, I would like everyone to read it. On the Friends of Basalt River page, can you change the photo associated with it to the Yampah park photo? Otherwise many will think it's an article about Facebook and skip reading it. And this is too important to skip!
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