After more than a decade you expect things to change ... some for the better and some for the worse. The hope is that overall it will be better. And more than 25 years after my high school graduation, there should be huge changes. Lakewood, NJ in 2013 should not be Lakewood, NJ in 1987. I assure you, it is not.
Over the years the big change has been in the population's composition, which is neither good nor bad. It is what it is. People move in and people move out. Communities change over time. This includes the businesses that are in and around town. Ottmer's Iron Den, a place I spent a lot of time at in my teenage years, hasn't been there for more years than I can remember. In a way, this is a good thing, in another, it is quite the shame its no longer around. We passed the lake where I learned how to swim; we swung by the old firehouse; we saw the downtown.
I'm thinking the drive around town was not a great idea. To me, things have changed for the worse. In general, the area appears more run down ... like there is less pride in what Lakewood was/is. I felt very little connection to the area as what was there didn't represent what I grew up with. Change happens, I get it. But this was not the change that makes you smile and say, "yeah, they got this right." No, this was the shake your head, what the heck has happened kind of change.
Just as important, the town didn't have a feel of a place that was progressing. It didn't feel like it was moving forward. Heck, it didn't even appear that the roads had been repaved since I last lived in town. Maybe stagnant is the word I'm looking for. Given a choice, I'm not sure I would want to live there. I find this sad.
Out on my run yesterday morning I was thinking this trough and making the comparison to where I live now. Bethlehem and the surrounding area is nice, growing area (I actually live in the Township, not the City). When I moved here more than 20 years ago the city was in transition, suffering from the demise of Bethlehem Steel. Since then I have witnessed incredible change in where I live. Not all good IMHO, most of it positive, just about all of it expected. There are three factors I believe differentiate the two cities.Looking back, the "powers that be" in Bethlehem had some forethought and vision. Back in the 1970s - at the peak of "The Steel's" domination over the area's economy - the leadership realized that there might be a time when The Steel might not be as mighty as it was at that time. A series of industrial parks were developed in the coming decades that have led to a more diversified employment picture, taking over as the local growth engine as The Steel was having problems. Certainly not a smooth ride, especially in the 1990s when the real transition was happening. In the end, the transition was made and the area is thriving.
There is also a sense of community. Like Lakewood, Bethlehem has a deep-seated history as well as many people who have spent their whole life here. This is both a positive and a negative in my opinion. But, outsiders like myself, while not embraced (at least at first) have been able to move into the area and become a part of the social fabric of the area. As you would expect, it has not been a happy, happy, joy, joy lovefest all the time, but over time those of us from NY and NJ have been able to fit into and make a positive contribution to the local culture. We became a part of Bethlehem. Things have changed, yet are still very recognizable as being Bethlehem. What you have now feels more like a continuation of what has always been, not a break from the past.
{Funny little side story. When I opened Body Dynamics in 1993 I was viewed as an outsider by many. By 2000 people forgot that I was a Jersey Boy. I know this because many would come in and complain about the influx of people moving across the border. When I gently would explain that I did the same thing myself, the response would be "you're different. You're one of us." I wasn't, other than I came a few years earlier.}
There is an investment in the community as well. Bethlehem is more than just the city, but in many ways connected to the smaller communities that surround the city. One of the best examples of investment beyond just the roads and businesses is in the trail system. Like other areas we have a park system and ball fields for the kids. But we also have the D&L Trail that runs through Bethlehem is 165 miles of connected trails around the Delaware and Lehigh Canals. Over the past few years there has been a trend of greater care and maintenance of what is there, as well as more areas connect onto the system. Eventually, the system will connect from the Scranton area all the way down to Philadelphia. What we have here is truly amazing.
My point is not to talk down my hometown. I am really glad that I am from Lakewood, and couldn't think of a better place to grow up at the time that I did. There is a lot of history associated with Lakewood, and a wonderful, diverse population. Honestly, there are other factors that have affected my hometown that are beyond the scope of this little post.And not really relevant at this point.
My point is, wherever it is that you live, make sure that you are a part of something that is growing and moving forward. Get involved, be it at your local school or helping your local food co-op get the doors open. At the local level politics is more about getting things done - roads paved, garbage collected, zoning issues - than politics. Pay attention to elections and make sure you understand the issues; Make sure your local officials are doing what's right for the community. Whatever you do, make sure that the changes in your community are for the better, not the worst.
Resources:
The Lakewood, NJ Historical Society
The History of Lakewood (Video)
Historic Bethlehem Society
Bethlehem, PA History
Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon
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