Friday, April 10, 2009

'Sketchum' and its future


What difference would it really make to people who live in the north valley if the cities of Sun Valley and Ketchum were to merge? How would the citizens of Ketchum benefit from Sun Valley's LOT? Would we improve quality of lifestyle by creating tax-funded environmental initiatives such as provided recycling and composting stations throughout the town or by purchasing vacant lots like the one on First Avenue and Seventh Street to create a community garden? If we are not investing in the quality of our lifestyle as a community and initiating programs in a sustainable vein, what would be the point?

Travel magazines and Web sites are promoting affordable indulgences like a gallon of gas to get to destinations and itineraries for national parks. If merging means more travel magazine advertisements, then this is a moot discussion.

There needs to be a clear distinction if the merging discussion is about visiting or about living here. If we cannot figure out how to subsidize how to live here, then visiting will have no purpose—there will be no one to serve a bloody Mary at River Run or to take your order for breakfast. Merging, though, could mean creating programs that will improve living here or, perhaps better, enable more people to live here.

"Sketchum" could create possibilities for immersion programs of all ages and infrastructure for community gardens and like programs, as well as instigate real action for sustainability, which in turn does not just mean efficacy for one's home but curiosity for the out-of-towner to visit and to one day reside. If the merger will enable more people to move here and stay, how can we say no?

Tibby Plasse

Ketchum




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