As much as I love the new and amazing development of the Grand Park Sports complex in Westfield I really look forward to it being complete. Not just because it will be a terrific community asset that will generate a much needed tax revenue when open, or that it will draw in people which brings in all the cool national retailers. The real reason I can’t wait until the day Grand Park is open is so that we can get back to designing and growing a city and continuing to expand on the Soul of a vibrant downtown. All the attention is on the flashy new designs and its fun to talk about the huge numbers that will evolve from the Grand Parks success. But what really makes a city is its community and that still exists in its local business district. Big sports complex’s can bring in huge tournaments and weekend traffic, but the real sustainability lies in the 4 other days of the week that makes people want to spend them in their community. When you cruise around, the cool cities of tomorrow enjoy a community driven local commerce and they spend their time and money near home. I know many of the people around Westfield Indiana and the culture that can come from our expected growth will far exceed the excitement and money produced from the Grand Park Sports complex. It will someday develop into the Grand Junction park that will be a place of gathering and connecting. It will be a driver of people wanting to move into a unique community and will provide the much needed entertainment that residents want.
As our leadership continues to pull us out of the last couple of years, I look forward to seeing them turn the attention back to the community and its character. The real difference between every other city. And see what great downtown can evolve in Westfield Indiana.
-curt
