What are the things that connect you to a city? Some of those 'things' may be so upfront and obvious that we may not readily identify them, even if they turn out to be daily habits and occurrences. How far does a community garden go towards endearing you to Buffalo? How has a public work of art impacted your life - I know that this one has mine. Some people may think that the low hanging fruit is not worth the effort to pick - there are so many lost opportunities to better a community by shrugging off the smaller, obtainable goals while waiting for the bigger deals to come through. There are others who claim that the bigger scores are partially caused by the number of people picking the low hanging fruit as well as what types of fruits are being reaped. Ever heard of a company looking for a good quality of life for its employees? This from B. Duda:
"[Here's an] Interesting study released by Knight and Gallop with implications for Buffalo's future - thought you'd be interested in this:
Great schools, affordable health care and safe streets all help create strong communities. But is there something deeper that draws people to a city - that makes them want to put down roots and build a life?
This study explores a less tangible, yet more profound ingredient: a community's soul. Conducted by Gallup in 26 cities and funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the three-year effort measures the emotional factors that make people passionate about - and loyal to - their communities.
Interestingly, the usual suspects - jobs, economy and safety - are not among the top drivers. Rather, people consistently gave higher ratings for things that relate directly to their daily quality of life: an area's physical beauty, opportunities for socializing and a city's openness to all people.
Image: I met this women when I was shopping at April Flowers on Grant Street. She was sweeping the front doorstep of the business and I asked the proprietor who she was. It turns out that she lives across the street, and after sweeping the residential sidewalks (on her own side) she walks across the street to sweep up in front of the commercial businesses. We gave her a flower (in her hand) and thanked her - she smiled back and posed for the photo. To me, this woman embodies many of the qualities identified in the Knight and Gallop study. - Queenseyes
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"[Here's an] Interesting study released by Knight and Gallop with implications for Buffalo's future - thought you'd be interested in this:
Great schools, affordable health care and safe streets all help create strong communities. But is there something deeper that draws people to a city - that makes them want to put down roots and build a life?
This study explores a less tangible, yet more profound ingredient: a community's soul. Conducted by Gallup in 26 cities and funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the three-year effort measures the emotional factors that make people passionate about - and loyal to - their communities.
Interestingly, the usual suspects - jobs, economy and safety - are not among the top drivers. Rather, people consistently gave higher ratings for things that relate directly to their daily quality of life: an area's physical beauty, opportunities for socializing and a city's openness to all people.
Image: I met this women when I was shopping at April Flowers on Grant Street. She was sweeping the front doorstep of the business and I asked the proprietor who she was. It turns out that she lives across the street, and after sweeping the residential sidewalks (on her own side) she walks across the street to sweep up in front of the commercial businesses. We gave her a flower (in her hand) and thanked her - she smiled back and posed for the photo. To me, this woman embodies many of the qualities identified in the Knight and Gallop study. - Queenseyes
When I went away to grad school in Virginia Beach, the thing I noticed about that place is that it didn't have that "genuine soul" like Buffalo. In Va Beach things are polished, new, clean, and "too perfect" for my taste. I said it once and I will say it again: I missed the gritty imperfection of Buffalo. When I visited Charlotte, NC, there was a soul-less place. Many of these emerald cities in the South where thousands of Buffalonians re-located to for jobs and to escape the cold, snowy winters are...lacking soul. A lot of days I absolutely abhor Buffalo, and a lot of days I find it the most endearing and wonderful place to be. If a place can drive me to both extremes then it has soul and I can accept the gloomy winter days...and Buffalo Soul inspired my music, so that's important to me!
I am sure that nothing like this happens in Virginia Beach or Charlotte. Of course there is never vandalism or violent crime in Buffalo either.
If you think Charlotte is a "soul-less" place, then you need to get out and do more exploring the next time you visit. Sure, they have plenty of brand new shiny skyscrapers, a huge entertainment and shopping complex called The EpiCentre, and a beautiful downtown stadium. But there are plenty of pocket neighborhoods that have just as much character, or sould, as any neighborhood in Buffalo. One that comes to mind is NODA (North of Davidson Ave) Arts District. There are some cool shops, restaurants, and small music venues there, not unlike Allentown. The point is that every city has lots of good and lots of bad. We don't need to tear down other citites to make us feel better about Buffalo.