THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509080210
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
Portsmouth has two ways it can go: up or down.
It can do nothing and quickly lapse into a downward spiral beyond foreseeable recovery.
Or it can pump money and energy into positive programs and begin to turn around this deteriorating city, which has no place to grow.
Over several decades the city has exhibited spurts of creative efforts that have been good but not enough. Most of them stopped too soon, leaving half-done projects that are depressing to its citizens.
Recently Vision 2005, a plan for community and economic development, has captured the imagination of many citizens. With enough support, this plan just might be the push the city needs to make to turn itself around.
Many parts of the plan will cost some money. But the public activity should spur more than equal parts of private activity. Already we are seeing some private development, most of it seemingly small but enough to add up over the next several years. No doubt, many of them are fostered by the energy radiating from the plan.
The plan is important to Portsmouth because it involves the oldest parts of the city from Downtown to Midtown, the only place Portsmouth has to grow. There is little room for urban sprawl in this city, so new growth must come in the form of revitalization.
Every square mile of tiny Portsmouth must be put to its highest and best use and Vision 2005 is a start in that direction. It is the only way for Portsmouth to go if it expects to survive in the 21st century. by CNB