THE REVIVAL OF A POST-INDUSTRIAL TOWN

While driving through the city of Reading, PA, I can't help but fall into a melancholy mood.  To say that this city has seen better days is an understatement.  The ruins of once thriving textile mills and factories of various industrial products now cast a shadow of gloom over the remaining cityscape.  I try to avoid making that drive because lets face it, who likes to feel sad.  On the rare occasion when I do find myself navigating through this desolate place, I notice trash on the street, dilapidated row homes due to years of neglect and empty lots overrun by weeds and discarded furniture.  I can recall stopping at a traffic light and seeing an old woman sweeping trash out into the gutter and I remember thinking "why not just put it in a trash bag."  That bothered me for a few minutes, but I shrugged it off as city life.  Like many struggling cities, Reading is suffering from high unemployment, poverty and crime.  And this once beautiful town riddled with some of the finest and diverse architecture is left to decay and fade from our memories due in part from a generation or two of devaluation.

   Through the past few decades there has been a steady stream of people from New York City and Philadelphia flowing into town in search of cheap housing.  And there is no shortage of landlords who want to rent to anyone just as long as they are getting their monthly payments. There are two major problems that come from this, especially in a post-industrial town.  The first problem is that "there is barely any homeowners pride in these areas." It's not the property of the inhabitant so why should they worry if the place is in disarray. Problem number two being "what do all these renters do in a town with no industry."  Sit on their front porches and stare at each other I suppose.  If you ask me, there was a lack of strategy on the part of many of these families when making the choice to come here.  Sure, there are cheap places to live in this area, but how are you going to pay for it.  Where are you going to find employment? Are you planning on living off the tax payer's dime? I'll leave that topic for another time.

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  The town of Reading, as well as many like it, is teetering on the brink of failure and is poised for a new identity.  But pointing out the problems is extremely easy.  After you read this, ask the first person you know "what's the solution for your failing town?"  I'm sure you'll get a wide range of answers from volunteer programs to employment opportunity, from crime to respect for the community, from social change to an unoriginal racial joke.  Everyone usually has an answer to contribute but few think their conclusions thoroughly, let alone act on them.  For the romantics out there, there is hope.  And that hope is only materialized through action.

  Stereotypes often litter the general public opinion, which consequentially helps form a blanket impression about all city inhabitants.  Fortunately, there are those, who are willing to act and not just posture in a discussion so the person next to him regards him as insightful.  The forming of ideas and discussing them among colleagues, neighbors, and peers are valuable portions to resolving any challenge, but they are only portions.  Action then becomes required to make these ideas existent.  Through various forms of activism, communities can become revitalized and welcoming.  There are recycling programs, charities and other nonprofit organizations that have progressed past the idea phase and now they are working to make a positive change in these neighborhoods.   Many provide education and social awareness while others provide the means for achieving the revival process.  Take a group called RENUE for example.  RENUE is collaboration of Reading residents working toward the beautification and rejuvenation of their neighborhoods.  Their program focuses on educating communities about damaging and unproductive waste and harmful pollutants.  Despite being a small group, RENUE is making a big impact in the inner city.  Their actions are a testimony of positive values plus cooperation between city residents to achieve a common beneficial goal.  With initiative, there is always success.

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  Secondly, the key to bringing urban areas back to life is revitalizing commercial districts. There are several dilemmas with bringing in businesses.   Many federal guidelines favor a suburban investment.  Also local zoning and tax policies in the city make it less desirable then the suburbs.  One idea would be uniting the public with those in the urban community willing to make a change and create effective partnership between themselves and the city government.  Networks of communication need to be put in place in order to keep the issues on the surface.   Some key issues are commercial district revitalization, adjacent neighborhoods re-beautification and ample security to assure the average suburbanite that all is well.  There will be a need for outreach and education for the existing commercial district and adjacent neighborhoods in order emphasize the importance of improving the area's image.  This will be crucial in attracting new businesses and customers. When this is achieved only then can a technical assistance be provided to help make it happen.  Also, there will be an essential need for federal grants, low-interest loans or both to encourage businesses owners to make the improvements.

  These are just ideas and there are many strategies to overcome demographic and economic stale-mates.  Commercial revitalization initiatives should be combined with education and work force development programs, housing improvement and development, sustained crime reduction efforts and career opportunities as part of a wide range effort to create inner-city revitalization that significantly benefits low and moderate income residents.  The Post-Industrial Town can become that haven for hipsters, the preferred lunch location for the business man, the evening attraction for families, the focal point of culture, music, art and ideas.  Ideas so delicate, saying them too loud will cause them to vanish.  I envision a place of celebrated diversity and mutual respect and prosperity.  This is just an idea but I suppose actions have to start somewhere.