HRSR INFORMATION 08-27-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• III . .. . . .j \ . .... . _ • . ,.....„....At I ` ______ ! Attitudes I me how thoughtlessly deficient na- alized that I was possibly the only I ture is in this regard. person ever to have entertained the notion of negotiating that intersec- CCORDING TO a con- tion on foot. 1 cerned and faintly hor- The fact is,we not only don't walk rifled 1997 editorial in anywhere anymore in this country, the Boston Globe, the we won't walk anywhere, and woe 11 United States spent less to anyone who tries to make us, as II than one percent of its transporta- the city of Laconia, N.H., discov- tion budget on facilities for pedes- ered. In the early 1970s, Laconia trians. Actually,I'm surprised it was spent millions on a comprehensive ' that much. Go to almost any sub- urban renewal project, which in- urb developed in the last 30 years, cluded building a pedestrian mall to and you will not find a sidewalk any- make shopping more pleasant. Es- where. Often you won't find a sin- thetically it was a triumph—urban gle pedestrian crossing. planners came from all over to coo I had this brought home to me one and take photos—but commercially summer when we were driving across it was a disaster.Forced to walk one • . Maine and stopped for coffee in one whole block from a parking garage, I of those endless zones of shopping shoppers abandoned downtown La- ! ' malls, motels, gas stations and fast- coria for suburban malls. food places. I noticed there was a In 1994 Laconia dug up its pretty bookstore across the street, so I de- paving blocks, took away the tubs cided to skip coffee and head over. of geraniums and decorative trees, I Although the bookshop was no and brought back the cars.Now peo- I more than 70 or 80 feet away, I dis- ple can park right in front of the 1 covered that there was no way to stores again, and downtown La- i i cross on foot without dodging over coria thrives anew. six lanes of swiftly moving traffic.In And if that isn't sad,I don't know the end, I had to get in our car and what is. 1 drive across. is To order the book this excerpt is 11 At the time, it seemed ridiculous taken from,call 80o-832-2212 or purchase - and exasperating,but afterward I re- online at booksnow.com/rd. ISI i SWEET THINGS ! ' Actor Mel Gibson on what women want:"After I about twenty years of marriage,I'm finally R starting to scratch the surface of that one.And I N ;I1 / think the answer lies somewhere between conver- '1 sation and chocolate." —Us • 72