Editorial: Don’t waste chance to be involved
The population of Phenix City is over 29,000. And yet, when I attended the riverfront development meeting Thursday, I was one of less than 50 people there. Presenters from the Boulevard Group spent an hour sharing their vision for what the Phenix City downtown and riverfront areas could be, but it seemed to me that most of the people who really needed to hear it weren’t there.
Some members of the community did attend, and a few spoke up to raise concerns or ask questions about the proposed project. Issues like traffic, the local economy, and what the project would mean for Riverview apartment residents were raised. These are important issues—ones that the groups working on redevelopment need to hear about. But what other issues were missed, because the people who are concerned about them didn’t come to the meeting?
The people from Boulevard Group don’t live in Phenix City. They don’t drive your streets, they don’t own businesses here, they don’t have children in your schools. They are dependent on input from those who do live here. If they’re going to make educated recommendations, and if East Alabama Riverfront Development Group (EARD) is going to make good decisions based on those recommendations, they need to hear from you, the residents of this area, what needs to be done to improve this place that you call home.
Check out the riverfront development Web site at www.phenixcityriverfront.org -- if you haven’t seen the plans yet, you just might be surprised. Do you like what you see? If so, then come to the upcoming meetings and support it. Disagree with the plans? Then come to the meetings to voice your concerns.
As the EARD moves towards making these plans a reality, there may be a lot of changes in Phenix City. From a completely revamped downtown area, to the Riverview apartments being torn down and replaced, these are big changes we’re talking about.
As residents, your chance to have a say in these changes is now. Whether you’re a business or property owner, or simply a resident of Phenix City, this project will affect you. You’ve been given a fabulous opportunity—the chance to make your voice heard, to affect the future of your city. Don’t waste it!
The next planning meeting will be held July 8, at 7 p.m., at Chattahoochee Valley Community College. It’s just a couple of hours of your time--come down and give your input.
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Contact Rebekah Nicodemus at Rebekah@phenixcitizen.com