Likes downtown look now

My husband and I purchased a home very close to downtown Whitefish about three years ago.

One of the reasons we purchased there was because of the ability to walk to Central Avenue from our home, whether to pick up something at Nelson’s or Haines or to grab a cup of coffee and a newspaper (all right, so we can also walk home from the Great Northern after having one too many beers).

One of the things we have been so impressed with was how well Central Avenue works. The wide street is very inviting, and the width of the sidewalks allows an intimacy so that one can interact with passersby.

If we happen to be driving, we rarely have trouble finding a parking spot, but if we do, the place we park is never that far away.

Part of the psychology of a successful downtown is activity — lots of cars on the road and people on the street is the sign of a thriving community.

The heartbeat of a downtown is its vibrancy and Central Avenue is certainly vibrant. The scale of it is just right.

I agree with Clayton Emmert — spend money on infrastructure, but leave the existing feeling in place. Sometimes it’s the intangible, almost ephemeral “something” that makes a downtown work, and I think Central Avenue has got it just right.

Carole Smith

Whitefish