(To those of you who have continually checked for new posts or updates, I appreciate your diligence. My three month absence has been a product of laziness as much as anything, but I'll divert some blame to a new job and an understandable winter lull in the news cycle in order to save at least a touch of face.)
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| The former "Bridge to Nowhere" finally has a purpose once again. |
The calendar page-turn indicating a new year has not slowed down the momentum that Louisville has created over the last 24 months. In fact, a brief hiatus from anything out of the ordinary only helped drum up some excitement and anticipation for what should be considered a very successful first six weeks of 2013 in the Ville. With the triumphant opening of the new Big Four Walking Bridge spanning the Ohio River (although the Hoosiers to the north are preventing a full circumvent of the waterway), the successful execution of the World's CycloCross Championships, and the buds of spring slowly making their way out of winter's dreary slumber, Louisvillian's are once again showing that hometown pride is still one of the city's best assets.
The Waiting Game
The Big Four Bridge Project had been in the works for nearly two decades, but had only really come to fruition since 2009. The former "Bridge to Nowhere" (currently a fitting moniker considering the lack of an exit to the Indiana side) has been recommissioned as a pedestrian walking bridge, and really represents the forward thinking, progressive attitude that many in Louisville have taken on. The unveiling of the bridge naturally fits in with the attitudes that led to the development of NuLu, the creation of the Yum! Center, and the renaissance of Main Street - the continual asking and answering of the the question "How can we take the city, as it currently stands, and make it better?". The result? A line of nearly 500 people, waiting on a brisk February day to enjoy the city's newest attraction.
A New Plan for Economic Success in Sports
With grass-roots groups such as Bring NBA2Lou and the newly formed Bring NHL2Lou, there is obvious interest in trying to lure a professional sports team to town. However, since the departure of the Kentucky Colonels basketball franchise in 1976 and the Louisville Colonials baseball franchise in 1962 Louisville has been little more than a AAA sports town. One thing the city has never lacked, though, is a thirst for competition, and a reason to show off our town in anyway possible. With that knowledge the Louisville Sports Commission, an organization formed in 1999 to be the sports-themed arm of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, has effectively aggressively pursued many of the traveling championship events this country offers. Without their leadership and guidance Louisville would not have hosted the Ironman, the recent CycloCross Championships, the Ryder Cup in 2008 at Valhalla, the National BMX Championships, and many of the other events that you've seen and heard about over the past several years. What the city previously lacked in facilities it has made up for ten-fold, and our best asset is versatility. With long stretches of both flat, and hilly spaces, along with both parkland and waterways in ample supply, we can handle nearly any event that doesn't require a domed stadium or a 70,000 seat attendance minimum . These events draw local interest both far and wide, and also bring in tons of visitors through fan patronage and family involvement. While they might not all have the panache or economic impact of the Derby or a Ryder Cup, they do all serve to enhance the intrinsic value of the city from an outsiders perspective, and thus, raise Louisville's brand value nationwide. All positives for a city that is still trying to climb the ladder in terms of sporting prestige and professional athletic credibility.
Home is Where the Heart Is
Native Louisvillians, for the most part, are a very loyal bunch who want nothing more than to see their city thrive. Even inside its borders, residents of the various neighborhoods are constantly hoping for growth and progress nearby their own homes, not just county wide. That's why it is no surprise that long-time stalwarts of our town continue to grow, change, and thrive, despite the continual sprawl, and redistribution of development around it. The article in today's (Feb. 18) Courier about the overall growth of Middletown speaks to this very point. Neighborhoods like Middletown, Northfields, Prospect, Shively, Okolona, Jeffersontown, and even Fern Creek have all experienced their own spurts of re-generation and creativity, as those folks who reside outside the Watterson find the desire to get in on the act that is 21st Century Louisville, and keep up with the Joneses in the way of providing something new and/or exciting. The fact is that when someone in Mt. Washington sees a new restaurant downtown, they not only say "Wow that's a great dining room", they inevitably also reply "I wish it was a lot closer though", and thus progress begins - even if in only an infantile way. Folks around town love all of the new creations that have come their way over the past few years, but will always continue to support the new fish place that opened on the corner, or the deli that changed owners and added a patio out back. No one wants to see doors boarded up or "For Lease" signs out front, and most will do their very best to keep that from happening.
Community First
Louisville will always be the biggest small town this country has to offer. It's just a different feel here. Recently I spent a month living in Cincinnati, and I was struck at how disconnected the city was from itself. People on the east side didn't want to go to the west, even for a new restaurant or attraction, and frankly didn't care about it. People to the north didn't want to go downtown, even for a Super Bowl celebration, or a concert on the river. That's not how it is here. People care. Those of us in the East End hate to hear about violence and disarray in the West End, and want to help do something about it. People in Buechel get excited about the prospect of a new restaurant or jazz club opening in the Highlands, if it provides something different or exciting amongst the options currently present. Just as the people of New Orleans go all out for events like Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, Louisvillian's will always be unapologetically proud of the Kentucky Derby, the Ironman, a Ryder Cup, and the Bourbon Trail. For us these events aren't just a reason to get out of the house, or another nuisance that adds to our ever expanding traffic patterns, these are reasons to get excited and to celebrate our city. For good or bad, no matter your age, Louisville is our home, and we should all have pride in it. When we all come together and support its upward improvement we will see growth that we never thought possible, and we will truly make Louisville Major League.
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