To Grand Rapids today to discover a very beautiful planned urban space. Clean streets, plenty of green in amongst, art galleries, museums, all very shiny, all very…
QUIET!!!
Because America has gone with the out of town Mall there is no shopping in Grand Rapids and therefore on a Saturday no people, or hardly any, more of that in a minute. The museums and art gallery didn’t help by charging quite a bit to visit them, making a visit something you make an effort to do rather than just wandering in. There was a front page headline in the local paper picking up the same topic: “We need Grocers.” The article was expressing concern that there was nowhere to buy food in the city. There were restaurants, there were cafés, but if you needed a pint of milk, and we did, there wasn’t one to be had. So here’s the thing, do you want a pristine beautiful city… then plan it without people.
Talking of people one of those few on the streets was a man with a clipboard trying to get people to register to vote. That would suggest that all is not well. When people stop caring about voting then it usually means only one of two things:
1. Things are so brilliant they don’t think it’s necessary
2. People see the status quo as so powerful there is no point in voting.
I hope for Grand Rapids sake it’s the former.
QUIET!!!
Because America has gone with the out of town Mall there is no shopping in Grand Rapids and therefore on a Saturday no people, or hardly any, more of that in a minute. The museums and art gallery didn’t help by charging quite a bit to visit them, making a visit something you make an effort to do rather than just wandering in. There was a front page headline in the local paper picking up the same topic: “We need Grocers.” The article was expressing concern that there was nowhere to buy food in the city. There were restaurants, there were cafés, but if you needed a pint of milk, and we did, there wasn’t one to be had. So here’s the thing, do you want a pristine beautiful city… then plan it without people.
Talking of people one of those few on the streets was a man with a clipboard trying to get people to register to vote. That would suggest that all is not well. When people stop caring about voting then it usually means only one of two things:
1. Things are so brilliant they don’t think it’s necessary
2. People see the status quo as so powerful there is no point in voting.
I hope for Grand Rapids sake it’s the former.
Whilst in Grand Rapids we were sussing out churches for tomorrow and came across the Episcopalians… in a little church built in 1836. The church declared itself open for prayer but was in fact closed. Presumeably because there was no-one around.
Outside they were flying the rainbow flag which suggests they may be more open in other ways.
I think we’ll go see tomorrow.
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