This is a response to the My Turn headlined “Stop Protecting Our Downtown.” Probably everyone who reads this will understand the meaning of ‘me’ as in the Me Generation. That’s the meaning of ‘me’ that I’m using when I say that this My Turn was very me-oriented.
As such, it was blind to the possibility that the Greenfield that the author wants is not the Greenfield that most of us want. We don’t want to be surrounded by large chain stores that can sell at reduced cost only because they buy from manufacturers in China and other countries where workers are exploited, large chain stores that sell cheaply because they underpay their own workforce. We don’t want to be surrounded by all the ugliness that surrounds Keene.
We want a vibrant downtown but not at that cost. And, we believe there are other ways.
We want a vibrant downtown because of what our downtown has to offer. We support continuing to develop the local art scene and the local music scene. We support exploiting our high speed internet to bring in high-tech workers. We support the development of endeavors like The Hive and the expansion of Green Fields Market.
We’d like to see Greenfield become a town of the future, becoming as green as possible. We believe in the plastic bag ban. Not every town has to have a Walmart.
Shelburne Falls, for example, is a prosperous center and a destination for people from far and wide for what it offers: good restaurants, idyllic setting, arts and crafts, Bridge of Flowers, etc. Greenfield’s downtown already has a lot to offer: some good restaurants like Hope and Olive, The Pint, Thai Blue Ginger, Magpie, a movie theater that’s trying to serve many different tastes (let’s support it!), a number of interesting antique and second hand shops, a food market downtown which is something few towns can boast of, a terrific bakery, two great coffee shops, a couple of excellent places to have breakfast, two bookstores, a children’s store, some unique gift shops, and we are about to build a new modern library.
Greenfield is also relatively inexpensive, if you think otherwise try living in Amherst or Northampton. As far as I’m concerned the fact that Greenfield is not Northampton, Amherst, Keene, or Brattleboro but is surrounded by them while also near to five colleges that offer lots of culture is one of Greenfields great virtues.
We also have one of the best community colleges in the nation, another asset that can be leveraged to attract smaller but innovative companies to move here. Let’s aim for that and not for chain store sprawl.
As for our town leaders, you question if they believe that what they are doing represents what is best for Greenfield, the answer is yes. And they are doing what they were elected to do. They are (we hope) trying to create a progressive, green, attractive, welcoming, inclusive, town with good schools and good jobs that will work in the future we are moving into. And they were elected by the people.
This vision may not appeal to you, but you should realize that it appeals to many of us and, at least for this election cycle, to the largest group of us.
John Guenther is a resident of Greenfield.