A Downtown Walk in the Park

[brainstormer]

We often spend a great deal of time complaining about what our city should be, or the misguided decisions of our city leaders.  Tonight, however a light at the end of the tunnel.
 
It is a beautiful Friday evening, the perfect temperature for October; perhaps why many of us live here.  My decision to take the dog for a walk became a release from the stress of the past week.  As I walked up Adams, the street parking was full, a good number of folks enjoying dinner at Chew.  I turned and walked towards the Federal Courthouse, noticing a great number of people out and about.  The courthouse is a beautiful building at night, well lit, with a pretty plaza.  Our walk continued through Hemming Plaza.  The bums were gone and the park empty except for an embraced couple by the fountain and two city Ambassadors picking up the trash.  The Skyway train overhead added a subtle sound of activity, yet only managed to unload one lonely passenger.  The park was beautiful with the trees and fountains aglow.  As we walked past MOCA, there was a private party inside and the sounds of the jazz quartet playing at Cafe Nola spilled out onto the street.  Laura street was quite busy with pedestrians, three families with kids and two strollers.  La Cena had dinner customers and we noticed another family with accompanying stroller.  We turned and headed down Forsyth, the sparkling lights of the Florida Theatre ahead of us.  Limos, buses and a great deal of activity.  Even someone spending the night moving into 11 East.  Burrito Gallery seemed full and again the sounds of music drifted onto the street.  As we headed for home, I realized the potential this city has.  If we took the good I saw tonight and created a vision for a vibrant downtown and put forth some effort to make it happen, our city could be something special.  Our downtown has the potential to avoid the ensuing halt of development.  Perhaps the Laura Street makeover, or a Skyway extension, or even a well designed courthouse district could be just what we need to fire this city up.  The city must act now before we loose ground.  As a downtown resident, I feel the clock ticking.

[jaxtrader]

Good thing you didn't attempt this the night before, or you would have been shot by two thugs for $15 and a blackberry.

[Keith-N-Jax]

We are well aware of the incident,,he was trying to be positive.

[jaxtrader]

Another positive step would be to learn the spelling of 'lose'.

[ProjectMaximus]

Another positive step would be to learn the spelling of 'lose'.

Ouch, that's kind of a douche move, trader. I thought it but didn't say it.

So how about using punctuation properly? Like putting your period inside the quotation mark...

[Keith-N-Jax]

Ahh what goes around comes around. Anyway I plan to stroll along the River Walk this weekend since the Jags are on their bye and we have great fall weather.. I'll leave the blackberry at home.

[brainstormer]

Trader, you totally missed my point.   A Friday evening at 7:30pm is quite different from a Thursday evening after 11pm.  If we were to build upon and increase the number of small businesses, residential buildings and restaurants in the downtown core, we would see an increase in pedestrian traffic.  More people out and about decreases the opportunity for crime and for unsolved crimes.  It would be in the city's best interest to create a vision and come up with a plan to increase development.

And for your information, most days I feel safer walking around downtown than I do driving to work.  Just last Friday a lady ran a red light on Roosevelt and just missed hitting myself and two other cars.  I'll continue my walks downtown and take my chances. 

[downtownjag]

Your right brainstormer.  I have lived here for two years and never had a problem with crime, including walking back from bars at two in the morning.