Recently, on one of our blog posts, a rather harsh comment was left by Times reader "Chevy Van."He/she wrote: "Give Dorchester's Main Street 25 years. At that point it will be beautiful as a new corner system pivot waters corn, where the streets used to be. Main Street will be greener than ever. Pavement should have been installed years ago. Dorchester's fate was sealed back then. Drive through the muddy streets today. Show me a rougher town in Saline county. My opinion will meet great criticism, but until people are willing to invest in and clean up their properties, this town is doomed to a future of low income housing and the problems that come with it."
We disagree with the negative sentiment of our reader. Truth is, there are communities in worse shape than Dorchester in Saline County. Dorchester has a natural advantage due to its geographical location, grain elevator and co-op subsidiaries, new school, and close-knit community.
We do, however, agree that the next two decades will be a telling time for Dorchester and many small towns across the state. It will be a time of do or die.
We also agree with the point that "until people are willing to invest in and clean their properties," no town has a promising future.
Here are the facts: Many small towns are in disrepair and decline across America. Dorchester is blessed by a rich history and a strong fabric of good families, alumni and boosters who volunteer their time and resources. But we need more input and more involvement from the community at large. And as we've said before, Dorchester needs a game plan.
To drive the point home, we leave you with an article e-mailed to the Times by an economic development expert with Dorchester ties. It reads:
"Can you save a small town? If your town can’t get its act together enough to accept help or seek opportunities, should outside groups spend any of their limited time and resources on you? Or should they focus instead on the places with the best prospects of success? ... In this era of extremely limited resources, the agencies and funders will have to draw some lines.
"You want your town to be saved? Start saving it yourself, as best you can. Your tiny steps will lead to small successes. You’ll fail, too, along the way. Other people will squash your best ideas, and the opposition will drive you bananas. That’s part of what it takes to succeed. But it will all lead to bigger successes. And successful communities attract more resources. Towns that are just begging won’t get much positive attention.
"Fair warning: The towns that keep sucking the life out of their residents are going to be the ones that head downhill the fastest. People can be extraordinarily mobile today, and they can choose to invest themselves in any one of the many amazing and cool small towns out there. It matters that you take even a tiny step to make your town a little better place to live."
People need to start taking part in town organizations, from church to the community foundation to other volunteer groups. We also need to start speaking up when neighbors neglect property.
ReplyDeleteThe main street need to be cleaned up with all the old cars sitting there that are good for nothing, the old building by the park needs to be taken down as well. There is a lot of things that can be done but as a town you have to be willing to do it and same with the people that own the buildings. Dorchester is a great little town just needs a little TLC.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this commenter above, Dorchester is a great little town bustling with potential. What discourages me sometimes is that there's not that much lifting that needs to be done to get the gears in motion, but it seems many people say "it can't be done" or are too mentally lazy to get on board. I hope the board and town foundation have a joint meeting soon, seems like there's a disconnect.
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