Attitudes Changing for the Better
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
During the first public meeting of the Bradford Master Plan team about two years ago, members of the team said one of the toughest obstacles to overcome would be attitude.
Wednesday night, during a presentation of the plan to the planning boards of the local municipalities, Albert Filoni of MacLachlan, Cornelius and Filoni Architects Inc. of Pittsburgh said attitudes are starting to change.
"The first year of our interviews were a little depressing," Filoni said. "We heard nothing but what a mess it was; how dead Main Street was; how all the young people were leaving. Negative. Negative. Negative."
"We kept looking around and looking at things and we couldn't find all that negativity in what we were seeing," he said.
"I think as we've been working together for two years, we've seen that attitude start to change," he said.
He said one thing area residents have to remember is that people already know about Bradford. Now, the city and surrounding communities have to capitalize on that.
"Bradford has an identity," he said, "and that's a big plus when you're trying to make things turn around and grow and get better because that's something that's already there to work with."
Another thing that's already here to work with is the recreational opportunities, which Filoni said could make the area really stand out.
"Recreation and tourism certainly is a big, big advantage to your whole community here. You can play a major role in Pennsylvania with that," he said.
Filoni stressed that implementation of the plan is vital. Without that, the plan is just a book on a shelf, he said.
He also said, "Like everything that gets some funding from the government – they review all of this. So far, the feedback has been very, very good. They think it's a bold plan with innovative ideas … that has more of that kind of thinking than other plans they've seen."
To download a copy of the plan, go to http://bradfordplan.protocol80.com.
You can listen to Wednesday's presentation by clicking HERE.
WESB/WBRR News Director
During the first public meeting of the Bradford Master Plan team about two years ago, members of the team said one of the toughest obstacles to overcome would be attitude.
Wednesday night, during a presentation of the plan to the planning boards of the local municipalities, Albert Filoni of MacLachlan, Cornelius and Filoni Architects Inc. of Pittsburgh said attitudes are starting to change.
"The first year of our interviews were a little depressing," Filoni said. "We heard nothing but what a mess it was; how dead Main Street was; how all the young people were leaving. Negative. Negative. Negative."
"We kept looking around and looking at things and we couldn't find all that negativity in what we were seeing," he said.
"I think as we've been working together for two years, we've seen that attitude start to change," he said.
He said one thing area residents have to remember is that people already know about Bradford. Now, the city and surrounding communities have to capitalize on that.
"Bradford has an identity," he said, "and that's a big plus when you're trying to make things turn around and grow and get better because that's something that's already there to work with."
Another thing that's already here to work with is the recreational opportunities, which Filoni said could make the area really stand out."Recreation and tourism certainly is a big, big advantage to your whole community here. You can play a major role in Pennsylvania with that," he said.
Filoni stressed that implementation of the plan is vital. Without that, the plan is just a book on a shelf, he said.
He also said, "Like everything that gets some funding from the government – they review all of this. So far, the feedback has been very, very good. They think it's a bold plan with innovative ideas … that has more of that kind of thinking than other plans they've seen."
To download a copy of the plan, go to http://bradfordplan.protocol80.com.
You can listen to Wednesday's presentation by clicking HERE.
.jpg)
Comments