If I were a first timer to Creston, what would be the first thing I’d notice? If I came in from the east. I’d notice just another typical town with what looked like a busy industrial base. Lots of vehicles park around what looked like a foundry. Next, a well known candy manufacturing company with no cars surrounding it, problem there! On a positive thought, an empty building ready for new owner to come along. Further in and other manufacturing company, this time parking lot filled, a good sign there. Back to the highway’s, lots of retail and service businesses.
It all sounds pretty typical of a small town in the middle of the world.
Coming in from the northeast corner, Creston shines. A golf course. hospital, schools, the top of the line residential area, lakes to enjoy. But where, oh where, is the town that built this town? Every town has one or had one. It’s the old downtown, progressively called uptown. The place where it all started.
Using basic common sense, the logical was to find the area from which the building blocks began? Follow the tracks, thru the residential, over the bumpy roads, and somewhere in the middle, lies the nearly forgotten. But where are the people? Of course, they’re following the highways, where the new businesses are. It’s typical, it happens everywhere. No one is to blame. But, the challenge is also with us, to come together and re-build the old downtown. It can be done! I’ve seen other towns do it.
The residential streets? They’re coming along too. Be patient! We have approximately 55 miles of roads to maintain in town. The roads are maintained by only six full time workers with very little extra money to get it done.
Remember that old saying, “understanding only comes after you walked in another man’s shoes,” or something like that. As a compost employee, I’ve seen some of that. I work at the bottom of the heap and the view is a little different from there.