I moved here from Cincinnati, Ohio, about 9 months ago. I lived in a small village in the suburbs of Cincinnati, and I rarely went downtown. It always seemed like too much effort to get there, and then parking was always a stressful task once I got there. In fact, as a couple, we rarely ventured into some of the more interesting areas around the city. For most of the 11 years we lived there, we stuck with chain restaurants in our area, and the only time I went to new places was during lunch with friends that were more adventurous. It helped that I worked near a lot of those more interesting places, much closer than we lived.
Even in our own neighborhood, which had one shopping center, we rarely patronized the struggling local businesses. We never invested ourselves in our community at all really. I often thought about joining the various organizations in our community, but I never did it. And by the time I was really ready to do it, we decided to move to Oregon. Only now that I have moved, have I connected with a robust group of community-minded people in Cincinnati that I wish I had known while I lived there. In them, I can see people that are invested in the place where they live, into making it a better place to be.
Well, I have to tell you, I have seen more people interested in making their community a place worth living since I moved to Salem than I ever would have guessed. Maybe it's because Salem, Oregon, is a much smaller city. In Cincinnati, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle and feel like whatever you do doesn't matter, but Salem feels like a small town to me. One person really can make a difference, and I have seen those examples many times over since I moved here.
I have heard people that have lived here for awhile complain about Salem being boring, but I don't feel that way about it at all. There is a lot happening, and this town has a lot to offer. For crying out loud, people, there are wineries within a few miles of town, access to amazing local produce, lots of cultural events going on all the time if you pay attention, and lots of great restaurants and shops right downtown, with free parking to boot! I almost never find a reason to shop or eat beyond downtown Salem, and I love that I live within a 5 minute drive. I also love that I feel like I can have a real impact on what happens here if I am just willing to make an effort to participate. And I have to tell you, I plan to do just that!
The draft walking and biking plan for Salem is out!
