I think this is right. We need to provide what we need, but we also need to retain what is uniquely ours. The solution is in balance.
Wow, CN. I am happy that we finally can agree. Balance it is!!!
I'm not saying we want Oak Ridge to be like Kingston Pike. But we don't want an empty mall and empty strip center's all over town. Oak Ridge needs to clean up a bit, fill some empty space, and create a nice, quaint shopping/dining experience. One of the great things about Oak Ridge is that it is only a few mile to Knoxville if you want to experience some of the diversity of a larger community. However, if you want to attract people to live here, they need to leave Oak Ridge with the feeling of "what a great little community". Oak Ridge has many great qualities and is a wonderful place to live, but if your a realtor that is trying to sell Oak Ridge, where do you take them to to get a "feel" for what a great community it is.
See, that's just it. Oak Ridge really is a great little town. We just need to present ourselves better.
I think we should clean up what we have. I'm not sure developing new areas is a good idea. Wouldn't it reduce the possibility of utilizing the existing developments we already have but that are standing empty? It seems to me that we keep leaving a trail of abandoned retail space. If you were a developer or small business owner, you'd be wary of sinking your hopes into a town that appears to cause businesses to go belly-up. I think more retail and dining establishments can do well here, but it sure appears that all we can support is WalMart and fast-food.
We can sell Oak Ridge on the idea that it is not Knoxville. I love the fact that I can get anywhere in town in under 20 minutes. We have a hospital, lots of churches, retail, and groceries. I like our Civic Center, our parks, and our library. We can be a bit self-obsessed at times, but we're a nice bunch -- well ok, we're not Mayberry, but we're friendlier and less shady than Knoxville.
I think our rolling hills are a selling point as well. This is why my primary objection to Bald Ridge is the way it looks. I have seen the mountain-topping done in the Charleston, WV area, and scraping the trees off, flattening the top of a ridge, and sticking modern blocky retail on top is just about as attractive as a strip-mine.
See, that's just it. Oak Ridge really is a great little town. We just need to present ourselves better.
How about the OR Chamber or the OR Realtors' Association buying ad time on the (fairly) new electronic billboard in Solway? On the side facing the Knoxville-bound traffic, they could have the message "If You Lived In Oak Ridge, You'd Be Home By Now". And on the side facing the Oak Ridge-bound traffic, they could have either "If You Lived In Oak Ridge, You'd Be At Work By Now" or "If You Lived In Oak Ridge, You'd Be Getting 30 Minutes More Sleep Every Morning." Hey, it might just work! 