In the State of the City Address that he delivered on May 4, East Palo Alto Mayor Ruben Abrica presented a vision of East Palo Alto that could rival, on a much smaller scale, the image of San Francisco. He shared his belief that East Palo Alto could one day have a new reputation and a new image as the little City by the Bay. He asked his listeners to think of East Palo Alto as a City by the Bay with a strong spirit, next to a beautiful creek, the San Francisquito Creek.
Certainly for many that description brings to mind a lovely little city with parks, a protected and preserved Cooley Landing with walking trails, shops, recreation areas, a lively waterfront and scenic bay views. It's a futuristic vision for East Palo Alto and it would be a real reversal of the image that many have of East Palo Alto as a problematic place with inner city problems.
The vision Mayor Abrica put forth is certainly one toward which the city could strive. Being known as the little City by the Bay would certainly be a lovely appealing image and a positive description for East Palo Alto. It's certainly a vision worth thinking about. So, do you think Abrica's vision of East Palo Alto, as a lovely little City by the Bay, could ever become a reality? Is it a vision that the city could and should strive to achieve? Would it be a reality that you would want to pass on to the next generation?
See Mayor Abrica's State of the City Address here. What do you think?
