I received an e-mailed survey this week that asked me for some comments about my adopted hometown. The survey is being conducted by a coalition including the Wilson Visitors Bureau, Wilson County Economic Development, the Wilson Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development. Although I often turn down survey requests (especially those on the telephone, which, I'm promised, will "only take a few minutes"), I agreed to respond to this one.
The survey sets up a scenario: You're on an elevator, and someone asks you to describe Wilson. In elevator-ride brevity, what do you say? Or you're asked, on that same brief elevator ride, why you'd want to live in Wilson, to open a business here, to retire here or to visit. Let me preface my comments by saying that I came to Wilson in 1980 having never visited the place and having never lived in eastern North Carolina. This region is quite different from the Piedmont or the mountains, and the difference goes beyond topography. It took some time to adjust to this different culture. But we've adjusted, raised our children here and have no intention of leaving.
How would I describe Wilson?
Wilson combines the best elements of a small town with those of a small city. It’s a place where you stop and chat in the supermarket or table-hop at a restaurant, and where you know the neighbors’ children. It’s also a place with a vigorous arts community, a private, liberal arts college that is active in the larger community, several excellent, local restaurants, strong, biracial nonprofit groups, a solid manufacturing base, and a rich agricultural heritage.
Why should a business come here?
Wilson’s city government prides itself on being business-friendly. City staff willingly works with businesses to accommodate their needs wherever possible. Wilson’s median income is sufficient to support retail and service businesses. Long-range thinking has provided Wilson with adequate water, sewer, natural gas and electrical capacity.
Why would someone want to live here?
Wilson is a pleasant place to live with many comfortable, walkable neighborhoods and a wide variety of housing types and styles. Public schools are good, and there are also a private school, a charter school and Christian schools. Long-time residents agree that it’s a good place to raise children, and it has a sense of civic purpose and pride with hundreds of volunteers supporting a variety of civic groups and nonprofits.
Why would someone want to retire here?
Housing costs and taxes are low compared to larger cities. The police force is excellent and helpful. Local arts and theater groups and an excellent public library provide entertainment and enrichment, and Raleigh is less than an hour away with even more entertainment and nightlife. Beaches are only about two hours away, and four golf courses are available year-round. The city’s reservoirs allow boating and fishing.
Why would someone want to visit?
Wilson has a grand collection of late-Victorian and early-20th century houses that can be viewed on a walking tour. The Wilson Arts Center exhibits area artists, and Studio One is a working studio and gallery for local artists. The annual Whirligig Festival celebrates whimsical windmill sculptures with live music, entertainment and food. The North Carolina Baseball Museum is adjacent to Fleming Stadium, one of the few remaining 1930s minor-league baseball stadiums, where the Wilson Tobs play each summer. Imagination Station expands children’s imagination, and the Round House Museum celebrates African-American history. The Edna Boykin Cultural Center, a 1919 vaudeville theater, stages comedies, dramas or musical shows most weekends. Also in the area are a Tobacco Farm Life Museum and a Country Doctor Museum.
At least that's the way I see it. I offer these opinions fully cognizant of the anonymous person or persons who like to comment on this blog and other sites deriding Wilson as a cesspool too horrid to be endured (so why doesn't he just leave?). But most people I know, across racial and economic strata, like living here and take pride in their community. In nearly 30 years of writing newspaper editorials from here, I found plenty to criticize about Wilson and Wilson County. No place is perfect, but this place has a lot going for it and some untapped potential waiting to be discovered.
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7 comments:
'the police force is helpful..."
absolutely they are. Snce Harry tyson has become the Chief the members of wpd go out of their way to be courteous. Great job Harry!
Sure there is a lot good.
But, how did it get good? What is pathetic are those that are so quick to say "get out if you don't like it" when they are faced with people (plural) who are trying to make it better, by pointing out that which is wrong.
Perhaps it might be a good idea to remove the rose-colored glasses a bit, (that is if you're not brown-nosing for a job) and realize that many POSITIVE changes are made from people complaining about things. Why no sidewalks? Why no bicycle lanes, why the mixed up non-profit funding, why the long stagnation in the restoration of Downtown? etc. These strides don't occur by themselves.
Btw; the Police do a great job.
To anonymous #2... It's not the complaining that's the problem. Constructive criticism is quite valuable. But, there are quite a few folks in Wilson (and every town) who ONLY complain. They complain, but they don't volunteer, they don't direct their comments to the appropriate parties, and they walk around with chips on their shoulders. I read this blog regularly, and I suspect one of the anonymous commentors (at least one) belongs to this group.
Nice comments about Wilson, by the way.
To Anonymous #2 (why do you guys all have the same name?), the issues you mention are things I have criticized in editorials for many years. However, incessant griping on Web sites doesn't bring about change. As an editorial writer, I learned that criticisms should include solutions. Offer recommendations to the city transportation study (which covers bicycle routes), attend the city comprehensive plan meetings, volunteer with Preservation of Wilson to preserve older neighborhoods; invest in (or shop at) downtown properties. No, you can't ignore problems and expect them to go away, but fixing problems requires more than criticism. Criticism without involvement and a willingness to work for a solution doesn't help. Solving problems requires real work, not just words.
To assume those criticizing do not, or have not been personally involved in changing things is presumptuous. It also lends credibility to Anon2's post.
In case you haven't noticed, (other than your verbatim tourism brochure, and a few others) most of your blog's entries are some sort of criticism of one thing or another (including your ex- employer's newspaper). Do you personally provide solutions other than on some blog?
Although the housing costs might be lower compared to "large cities", most retirees don't choose to live in large cities. That being said, the costs associated with utilities in Wilson are much higher. Some of the highest in the entire state of North Carolina. Not only is that prohibitive to business without excessive incentives, it's also a deterrent to attracting retirees. And in relative terms, taxes aren't as low as you might think.
Public transportation is inadequate, and the city clearly lacks adequate sidewalks. There are none in the vicinity of Wilmed, or in 99% of the city.
And unless they don't mind schlepping to Greenville or Raleigh/Durham all the time, the lack of adequate healthcare geared towards seniors' (or anyone's) needs would make Wilson a less than stellar choice for retirees.
To newsy... I can attest that Hal works towards solutions to the problems. If you live in Wilson, you've probably seen & heard about him working with various organizations for years.
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