To my fellow City to City Participants:

First and foremost, “thank you” to Ron and Richard for not only coordinating this trip and being fabulous “scout leaders,” but for having the faith in all of us to bring our collective visions to the forefront. Thank you to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and Eric Rosengren for your work and interest in improving the City of Springfield. And thanks to each and every one of you who “came along for the ride” – I immensely enjoyed your company, your honesty, your wisdom, and your sincerity. 

I’m sure my initial feelings about this trip were much like yours. Not knowing what to expect gave way to my biggest concern, that of hoping this trip would not become simply a “feel good junket” or a “convention and visitors bureau promotional event” touting the attributes of Winston-Salem and Greensboro. It was not. It proved to have substance and real meaning. Most importantly, in my mind, it has served to generate a surge of renewed creative energy – the kind necessary to move forward. 

The way we were.

As a native of Springfield, I’ve been fortunate to see Springfield at its finest. As a youngster, I recall a vibrant downtown bustling with people in every nook and cranny. I can still see the lines outside the Paramount Theatre with people of all ages lined up waiting to see the latest Hollywood had to offer (waiting in line at the Lowe’s Poli and the Bijou were common occurrences, as well). At 3:00 PM every weekday lower State Street down to Main Street became a “sea” of high school students filtering into the downtown area waiting for city buses to take them home – and doing the things high school kids do. And the images of our department stores, restaurants, and museums all bursting at the seams, are still as vivid as if it were only yesterday. Springfield was indeed a veritable beehive of activity, the “center of our lives,” the energetic hub of the region. 

In later years I recall the pride I felt in knowing our public education system was the envy and model of the nation. And, as a young construction worker, it was heartening to see our skyline take shape. Fact is, back then there was hardly a season where construction cranes didn’t fill the skies. Life was good and the dream of even better tomorrows was alive and well.

Then things began to change. Little by little and year by year the losses took their toll. Industries moved, jobs were lost, businesses closed, opportunities became fewer, the flight to the suburbs was in full swing, and attitudes about the City began to change. Over a relatively short time the cumulative negative effect of this change seemed to take on a life of its own. This all took years; however, in retrospect it seemed as if it all happened in a day -- like a freeze frame in time -- almost as if someone flipped a switch. People began to wonder if anyone was paying attention.

Since then we’ve all often heard the promises and plans and the speeches about our potential to bring this City back. We’ve all seen our share of research studies and development plans, and four-color architectural drawings and models presented, all with good intentions, to at least give us hope. Truth is, very few of these efforts have ever come to fruition for one reason or another. (It is heartening to know, however, that today some of these projects appear to be back on the table.) After decades with little in the way of visible improvements to the overall quality of life, the feeling among many of our citizens seems to have turned to one of apathy along with the underlying attitude that “good things only happen to other cities, in other places, but not necessarily here.” And it’s not because there haven’t been good people doing good things for the City; it’s simply because what has been accomplished over these interim years rarely seemed to have impacted the masses in significant ways or affected the combined psyche of the people and the City as a whole. No one is to blame. Yet at the same time we can all take some responsibility as to our current condition.

So what’s the point?

I believe it was no accident we all came together for this trip. I believe we are at the crossroad, a defining moment in our City’s and in our region’s history. With what we’ve seen and what we’ve learned, combined with the creative energy generated from this trip, we truly have a unique opportunity to take the significant steps toward bringing our City back and achieving positive outcomes. 

As we all know, the difficult part lies before us because now we must demonstrate we have the will and the courage to follow through. Knowing many of you prior to this trip and having the wonderful opportunity to get to know many more of you during our “adventure,” I’m totally confident we will succeed. And I’m sure we will begin to spread a new message, one that assures our fellow citizens that our “City Has No Limits” when it comes to a brighter future for all.

“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long-range risks of comfortable inaction.”

-- John F. Kennedy

 What I’ve learned:

• That a strong Springfield is good for all
• That collaborative leadership is essential
• That communication at all levels is vital
• That we must put a face (or faces) on our mission
• That total inclusion is a must
• That we have to break down the silos
• That the youth leaders, those who will be inheriting our City, be engaged, involved, and listened to (“let the young people build it, they are the benefactors”)
• That our colleges/universities play an integral part in our mission and become engines of progress
• That the“30,000 foot view” – i.e., a County-wide/regional thinking approach, makes sense
• That the arts play a critical role
• That people need to see results, no matter how small
• That our attitude is equally important as our actions -- we must foster a spirit of optimism
• That there is no room for naysayers
• That we need a damn ballpark!

Thank you for everything you do.

Best regards to all for a healthy, safe, and joyous Holiday Season.

Best personal regards,

Rick DeBonis

Reflections from other participants–

“I learned a great deal in my two days with the esteemed group of committed individuals who participated in City2City. I am looking forward to fully supporting and participating in the future discussions and initiatives that will result from our journey.”

“I was struck by the importance that leaders in Winston-Salem and Greensboro placed on their downtowns and the slow but steady progress they had made in rebuilding their city core for entertainment, housing and retail. This is a job for the entire city, not just downtown businesses. A safe and exciting downtown will benefit higher education in the region by providing a location where students can gather and enjoy themselves.”

“I was struck by the commitment to action shown by all the leaders we engaged. They clearly had undergone a strategic planning process and were well into, and enthusiastic about, the implementation of the ideas/activities. I was also struck on the flight home how important it is to have someone convene these conversations. We are all so busy with our work, important work, but we have to take time to stop and sit and talk to each other on a regular basis to understand how our individual work relates to the work of others.”

“I’m sure my initial feelings about this trip were much like yours. Not knowing what to expect gave way to my biggest concern, hoping this trip would not become simply a “feel good junket” or a “convention and visitors bureau promotional event” touting the attributes of Winston-Salem and Greensboro. It was not. It proved to have substance and real meaning. Most importantly, in my mind, it has served to generate a surge of renewed creative energy – the kind necessary to move forward.”