There are some nice trails in and around town that are great for bike rides and walking the dogs. Some of them appear in the strangest places, and this makes them hidden treasures when you do find them. There are a couple that meander for quite a ways across town, and some that encompass some good bird and critter viewing, especially considering the proximity to major roads.
The new Firstenburg Center and the revamped Marshall Center offer a good variety of activities, classes, and athletics for kids and adults alike. We've done things ranging from dance and swim lessons to volleyball to computer classes to beading class there. I am looking forward to the opening of the new library this month; if it's as nice as it's been advertised, I can see myself spending hours upon hours there with my daughter.
I have been going to the Mountain View Ice Arena every week for 2 years now, and that seems to be a good place if you're looking for relatively inexpensive fun. The open skate events are usually well attended and I know it's a favorite in my house.
Marji Ruzicka
Educator and Resident of Vancouver
Marji, you mention downtown revitalization, which I think is a problem in many communities. I know in my own community of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, the downtown was once a vibrant place of commerce, but not so much anymore. There is a downtown library, water park, ice rink, art gallery, two theatres (a community-based one and a professional one as part of the college campus that was moved there about eight years ago), even a Caesar's casino. We have a beautiful riverfront park with lots of play parks, biking and walking paths, outdoor sculpture garden, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe move of one of the campuses of St. Clair College downtown did help, as it brought with it a resident, youthful population that had money to spend. There are currently plans to put some of the University of Windsor, along with more of St. Clair College downtown in this major redevelopment plan. This is seen as the potential saviour our downtown core. Again, the addition of a youthful resident population that enjoys eating out, enjoys the nightlife, enjoys cultural things. This is believed to create a vibrant downtown core that families would want to come into (even if it is only for a portion of the day) to enjoy the services offered by the library, galleries, sports facilities, and even the eating out and nightlife too.
But it is a constant struggle, and many of the fixes simply don't work - as I've witnessed with successive attempts to revitialize the downtown core in Detroit.