While I’ve certainly appreciated the rain and watching our lakes and reservoirs fill up, it’s hard not to catch the excitement of spring. It’s hard to argue with green hillsides, blue skies, and March Madness.
As an adult, now raising my own family, running a local business and sitting on the Redding City Council, I can’t help but feel optimistic for Redding. Imagine with me what Redding might look like over the next several years.
First, there’s the new four-star Sheraton hotel being built at Turtle Bay. Imagine all of the synergetic partnerships the hotel can engage in, from bike rentals to fly fishing trips to farmers markets to holding regional seminars. The opportunities are endless.
The Dignity Health Wellness Center breaks ground at Henderson open space, bringing livable wage jobs and people (in droves) to one of Redding’s premier open spaces along the river. If you haven’t experienced Henderson open space first hand, you need to go visit. It’s breathtaking.
Costco. Imagine a location within Redding city limits with Costco anchoring a new retail center. Who doesn’t like a hot dog and soda for $1.50 (lunch is on me). Seriously though, it is imperative that Redding maintains its place as the retail hub of the North State. Our city manager, staff and elected leaders know this and have been negotiating well on your behalf.
The day I wrote this, I read on Twitter that Jake Mangas (newly hired CEO of the Redding Chamber of Commerce) said, “Our quality of life is our biggest asset”. I couldn’t agree more. Attracting people to our community will be quickened if we play to our natural strengths, not pretending to be something we are not. (I think I just figured out dating advice for my kids.)
While at times a fiercely emotional conversation, I am grateful our community is engaging in the homeless discussion. We will agree, disagree, embrace, even fight over tactics, but ultimately we must not lose sight of what got us to this point in the community.
Finally, I believe the community spoke loudly during the last City Council election that they want us to do something about our broken criminal justice system. I’m excited for our upcoming meeting this spring when the Blueprint Implementation Team unveils what is, in my opinion, a bold and decisive plan. This plan has the ability to transform our community into the premier place in the North State to raise families, invest in business, enjoy a high quality of life, and ultimately retire in.
Forgive me if I have just a little extra bounce in my step. I’ve enjoyed the rain, but I see blue skies ahead for Redding.
