Monday, May 18, 2015

From AFNS: "Decaying City Just Wants To Skip To Part Where It Gets Revitalized Restaurant Scene"

Somehow missed this story about revitalization. This is from the 'News in Brief ' section of America's Finest News Service (AFNS) about one city's proposal to skip a few steps in the process of improving their community: 
CAMDEN, NJ—Saying they were fed up with the numerous challenges stemming from their city’s extensive urban decay, Camden, NJ residents confirmed Wednesday that they would love to just skip to the part where they get a hip, revitalized restaurant scene. “I realize that these boarded-up storefronts and abandoned factories might be turned into trendy cafés and bistros someday down the line, but I think most of us would be pretty thrilled if we just went ahead and got to that stage right now,” said resident George Pierson, noting that he is fully willing to bypass Camden’s endemic crime, rampant drug abuse, and high unemployment rate in order to jump right to the point when he and the city’s other occupants can enjoy dozens of farm-to-table gastropubs. “Sure, we’ll eventually see lobster roll stands and high-end noodle bars popping up on every corner, but that could take years or even decades."
Of course, if you haven't picked up on this yet, this is satire but some will fall for it no doubt. However, there's a good point to be made here from this spoof in The Onion; it's that the process of revitalization is a very long one. And we're all happy to know that our own Commissioner McVoy is on board with this process in the little City of Lake Worth. As you'll see below in this short video (from the 7:10 mark to the 9:20 mark), McVoy wants to pivot and focus on our "at risk" neighborhoods in the City, focusing less (it would appear) on climate change and rising sea levels.

We all welcome McVoy to this very important debate in our City; hear what he says starting at the 7:10 mark on this video: