This is a letter to the mayor and to all those who make Northampton such a great place to spend the rest of my life.
Six days in Las Vegas last week have deepened my already robust appreciation of what we have here. Coming home, I saw with new eyes and felt with a new heart the preciousness of a town and a community which supports our ease, comfort, interconnection, and best selves.
Coming home from the airport, I got to ride on a road which last year was very bumpy and is now smoothly paved. I saw new sidewalks for the many dog walkers. A nearby grocery store offered affordable steaming chicken soup from a pot. I could park on a side street for 25 cents, in contrast to the $50 fee for parking in Las Vegas. I saw the nursing home under reconstruction to create affordable housing, signaling the efforts of so many to develop the plan and secure the funding. The only loud noise was an ambulance going to the conveniently close hospital, always ready to look after us in an emergency. Street lighting was low but sufficient to allow nighttime walkers.
We care here about energy conservation, protecting birds, safety, affordability, balancing the needs of people and the environment. We will be there for each other in this haven no matter what happens “out there.” I’m staying.
Judith Hyde
Northampton