We went to Millcreek Park today, to enjoy the sun and the flowers and the people who had come out to enjoy it with each other. Even the Amish came into the city today to go to the park. We snapped a shot of them taking pictures also. There was a young guy around my age with his mom staring out at the lake beside me at one point. His mother said, “This city ain’t much, baby, but we got this. Best kept secret in the world, smack dab in the middle of this mess.” Youngstown may be hovering around the mark of second poorest city in America (New Orleans gets number one, of course, and we battle with Detroit for second place, it seems) but we also have another second place in our city: second largest municipal park in the States, after Central Park itself. And it’s a beautiful oasis. I disagree with the young guy’s mom though. I understand her feelings, but the city has never looked better since I can remember, and it seems each month there’s something new and wonderful happening to make it better. Lots of work to do, of course, but never a better feeling of realistic hope for the future. I do agree with her sentiment that we have this gorgeous piece of land that most cities would die to have. Best kept secret. Maybe right now, but we made the New York Times earlier this year and the cover of the Wall Street Journal this week. Maybe not so much a secret in the future.
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