The concept of a "sense of place" is still relatively new to me. The idea was first proposed to me two years ago in a Geography class at Northern Arizona University (Thanks Dr. Kennedy!). At the time I did not fully understand what it meant, as I had never felt a overwhelming attachment to Tucson, where I was born and raised. I missed Tucson when I left it, but I missed it solely because of my friends and family. Upon moving to Spokane I now more fully understand the importance of "place". I miss Flagstaff and I miss it for a number of reasons. I miss my friends there but I also miss the place. I miss the small town feel. I miss Late for the Train, AZ bikes and other local businesses. I miss buffalo park and other hiking trails. For the past couple nights my dreams have been about hiking along Wet Beaver Creek with Tamie and Russel, Cathedral Rock with Rebbecca and Eli and S.P. Crater with Nick. The images of the trail more vivid than I can believe.
The attachment to the landscape and culture I have for Flagstaff is another reason cities must strive to stay small and avoid a phoenix-like structure. I did not feel a strong attachment to Tucson because it is, for the most part, generic. Chains, that you can find across the United States and the world, dominate business. Hiking trails and wilderness are miles away and are only accessible by driving a minimum of thirty or so minutes. Spokane seems to have this same syndrome, although I have only been around here for two weeks.
The point is, as many of you already know, it is important to support local business and preserve nature and wildlife. It is important to limit big business and the expansion of cities. If we refuse to do these things not only will the planet become unsustainable but it wont be worth sustaining. A true sense of place is important to find and live.
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Cheers. Flagstaff pretty much wins.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you, too -- local businesses with some character and access to woods, open spaces, and lakes or rivers go a very long way to make a place liveable.
At the same, though, I think it's pretty amazing how stubbornly places resist being Phoenixified. Even Phoenix, for all of its sprawl and concrete, has some good trails and farmer's markets and local coffeeshops. Tucson's got Fourth Ave and the Catalinas. Spokane's gotta have something, with all of those trees and rivers and apple orchards and everything.