Day #14: What my hometown could be

I went to the dermatologist this morning (all good, thank God), and this picture was hanging in my exam room.

First the colors caught my eye, and then the lampposts. It reminded me of a cleaner, more cared-for version of our own historical downtown.

Uncanny really.

Since I moved here 14 and a half years ago, I’ve believed this town has the potential to be something more that its gloried history in the 1800s, the home of the Ionia Free Fair, and its three state prisons (there used to be more than that).

Pure Michigan calls Ionia “A classic example of a modest mid-western town, with friendly neighbors, a historic downtown business district, and beautiful old homes.”

Unfortunately, you’d also have to add that too many houses and storefronts are run down and dirty, and the community lacks pride in itself. And the poverty. Well, and the meth.

My friend, Robin, worked so hard with community leaders to lay the groundwork for Project Rising Tide, a state initiative that provided at-risk, mostly rural communities with tools to design and build a successful economic framework. The goal was to foster revitalization and long-term economic success. That was in 2018.

In Ionia, the top priorities were affordable housing, connectivity through high-speed broadband, a vibrant downtown, education and workforce. Under Robin’s guidance, a pretty cohesive volunteer committee structure was built, and I remember there being a lot of excitement and energy about the possibilities.

But when funding stopped in 2020, Robin’s appointment ended. Pretty quickly the project died. That says a lot. It can’t be up to one person to keep something going.

All that work. What a waste, and what a disappointment.

Personally I’d like to see the arts and culture — painting, photography, writing, music, theater and more — used to stimulate economic growth. Not to mention as a way to begin to heal the multi-generational trauma so prevalent in this community.

According to the organization Americans for the Arts, “Arts and culture-related industries, also known as “creative industries,” provide direct economic benefits to states and communities: They create jobs, attract investments, generate tax revenues, and stimulate local economies through tourism and consumer purchases.”

Because we are located right between two metropolitan areas, each a 45-minute drive away, I think it’s doable.

So many possibilities. Just no wider vision or comprehensive plan.