11 responses so far ↓

• 1 Zackery Moore // Apr 7, 2008 at 7:49 pm

  More funding for arts and arts related (costuming, marketing, work space) expenses. Just check out the impact that events like Sidewalk has had on the community to see proof that we the arts impact Birmingham.

• 2 Charles // Apr 7, 2008 at 8:17 pm

  I have several big dreams, but the biggest does center on the park projects. We should do the entire Railroad Reservation Park, from I-65 to Sloss, fulfill the Ruffner and Red Mountain plans, and, perhaps most important, finish all the greenway projects throughout Jefferson County. Those greenways are important because they can encourage neighborhood development and physical activity and literally help link together all parts of the county.

• 3 Dystopos // Apr 7, 2008 at 9:28 pm

  My dream? How wild do you want to get? I’ve got two:
  1. Regional government with a unified long-range plan for urban development and resource protection along with a subsidiarity framework for local initiatives.
  2. Fair statewide revenue measures with secure and fairly-distributed funding for education and infrastructure.

• 4 Looking Up « Pop Goes the City // Apr 9, 2008 at 2:30 am

  [...] 3. The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has launched an interesting new initiative: the Community Catalyst Fund. You can read more about it in this editorial over on the Terminal and on the Community Foundation’s site, but it’s a fantastic idea. Essentially, it’s a fund that will make big things happen–transformative things that can get projects moving and spruce up the city. These types of capital projects are what I like to support. They allow people to physically see progress, which I think encourages them to believe in it and contribute to it–all of which will get things done faster. (It’s the rolling snowball theory, or perhaps I should call it the Second Avenue theory, to give a more concrete example.) I also like that the fund actively seeks donations of all sizes, meaning even $10 or $20 will help make a difference. So–what big projects would you like to see happen in Birmingham? Add your answers to the list over on the Magic City Question. [...]

• 5 Charles // Apr 9, 2008 at 2:39 am

  More ideas:
  –Fund the restoration of the Lyric Theatre, which would help recreate a theater district and provide another draw for people downtown.
  –Expand the B’ham Museum of Art. It’s truly a shame that we can see only 25 percent of their collection!
  –Sink I-20/59 through downtown and reconnect the streets–and perhaps build some green space *over* the sunken highway. I think this would make more of an impact on B’ham than people realize.
  –Create civil rights “trails” through the city to connect historic sites. I like the symbolic, artistic way that Kelly Ingram Park helps tell the story; let’s expand that to other locations.
  –Transit, transit, transit

• 6 EJR // Apr 10, 2008 at 7:11 pm

  Projects that foster cooperation and trust. I know that sounds mushy, but my vision definitely includes municipalities that cooperate in regular and well-defined ways on issues that affect the whole region — everything from crime to transit.

  Building trust will be hard, and won’t happen until more things like the parks are successful. If we can show that we can do things together that benefit the city of Birmingham — and from that cooperation comes even GREATER things for a truly GREATER Birmingham, people will begin to trust each other on more and more projects.

  Connecting trails, walkways and easy access to public transportation are also high on my list. If we made it easier for people to get to other parts of the community or more desirable to go places they don’t usually go, that would do a lot to break down barriers. EJR

• 7 mossgard // Apr 11, 2008 at 4:07 am

  I have a dream for Birmingham. I’d like to see us get our own beach and ocean. Panama City is great and everything but it’s too far away.

  Why can’t Birmingham be more original and maybe dig like a long ditch thing from Mobile Bay to probably about 2nd or 3rd Avenue and pump seawater in so we could feel the cool ocean breezes all the time? Whenever cold weather gets here we could just turn off the pumps so nobody would freeze to death.

  Sure, we’d have to get some sand from somewhere to make a big beach but I’m sure Lowe’s or Home Depot or some of those places could order it for us.

  Or maybe just get everybody coming back from Florida this summer to bring back a trunk load. We could have a beach in just a few years, I bet.

  And you know it would be just as pretty as Panama City’s beach because it would BE their beach. Win win.

  It was just a crazy idea, I’m sure somebody will come along and shoot holes in my plan but that’s what this town needs less of is negative thinking.

  Who’s with me on this?

  Where are you going on Spring Break this year? Me? Oh, I’m going to Birmingham Beach…

  I like the sound of that.

  moss

• 8 william crawford // Apr 12, 2008 at 5:19 am

  birmingham needs a REAL transportation system … but what it really needs is a system of bike paths and walking paths that helps connect the city

• 9 patrick // Apr 14, 2008 at 6:51 am

  i would like to see traffic reduced in birmingham metro. more, useable, mass transit; improved routes from outside the city. more businesses that allow their employees to telecommute…anything to cut back on our bad rep as being a terrible city for the environment. shift some focus on real green practices for the city, not just using hollow plans to greenwash birmingham to potential residents and businesses. let’s implement some changes that really matter for the earth…

• 10 Jeane Goforth // Apr 14, 2008 at 12:44 pm

  My dream is to bring the community together with a program similar to El Sistema (http://tinyurl.com/6a7u56).
  Not only have I donated literally every penny I have ($37,500) and am working 7 days a week to make it happen, we’re actually having some success with free music lessons at Cave9 and the Jazz Hall of Fame, and after school at Hill Elementary (70+ children!).
  We’re waiting on our 501(c)3 determination–and struggling to get more instruments and funds to pay our teachers a little something for gas. But the results have been so extraordinary that we’ll do whatever it takes to make it work.
  See photos here:
  http://metroyo.blogspot.com/
  or come visit us at Cave9–and take a lesson! (3 to 6 on Fridays, 12-6 on Saturdays).

• 11 Dani DeLuna // Apr 15, 2008 at 11:26 pm

  I’m a Northern California native and so my big dream for Birmingham is Modernization. Specifically in these categories: Technology, Environmental Policies and an Attitude of Change in the citizens of the BHM Metro Area.

  I think this city can be really great and it is like a hidden secret. However it seems that Birmingham doesn’t want to move forward and embrace the 21st century.

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