Bend is Awesome, lets keep it that way
Bend is Awesome, lets keep it that way
I'm sure as you're driving around our little gem of a city you've noticed the bumper sticker, "Bend sucks, don't move here". I know this is intended as a joke, but with a serious tone. This reminds me of growing up in Santa Cruz, California. It was the norm to see "Valleys go home" graffiti all over town. The surf spots were guarded by the locals who had become very territorial of their coveted waves. I can understand you have your special spot where you can get together with your friends, like an extension of your living room. It feels like your home. You don't want others coming in and disrespecting your turf or even using your turf. What folks are feeling is a strong sense of pride and ownership. Which can be turned in a positive direction. Listening to clients and friends most complaints about the growth of Central Oregon are based on the nonacceptance of change. Instead of accepting that Bend is growing, most are stuck wishing it was the way is used to be.
There has been incredible change since I moved here almost two decades ago. Bend is not the sleepy little mountain town that I initially fell in love with. Friends were in abundance wherever you went. Kinda like an episode of "Cheers", wherever you went they always knew your name. There wasn't traffic. Gas, rent and beer was cheap. Since then I've grown and so has my loved town. Bend has turned into a more culturally diverse, updated version of it's former self. There is way more diversity and acceptance than 20 years ago. We have most of the benefits of living in a larger city, but we are surrounded by nature. You can literally grab a coffee from your favorite spot, hit up some fresh morning powder turns at Mt Bachelor, peddle miles of world renowned mountain biking trails, put in a few hours of work, then finish it off with some delicious food and beer from an award winning brewery. All in the same day. Those choose-your-own adventure scenarios are endless here. I mean there is world class golfing, white water sports, shopping, dining, fishing, hotels, hiking, etc. You can feel safe all over town and not be afraid to walk after dark. We have great schools for the future generation. The list goes on and on. Things are pretty darn good.
I've come to the conclusion, hesitantly, to accept the change that's occurring. Bend is going to continue to grow. The word is out and people are flocking here. From all over the country. They're drawn to Central Oregon for the same reasons most of us were. I mean we live in a place that folks dream about being able to live. They stare at that postcard of the Sisters on their desk all year, waiting to come here for a week on vacation. Instead of fighting the growth, we should be more supportive in responsible growth. We do have the power to help keep the integrity of what we love about Bend. That sense of ownership and pride that we feel, can be harnessed into a more positive outlet. Get involved. With schools, charities, Bend city council, the planning department, raising great kids and just being a good human being. Remember, we have the power and we don't have to sit idly by.
I like to think of our opportunity here like a sculpture. We have a huge slab of clay here and there are lots of hands shaping our sculpture, they have been for years. Developers, business owners, students, parents, children, the government. Some have very big hands and are sculpting at an incredible pace. If we want our art piece to turn out the way we like, we'll need to get busy. Otherwise, the vision will resemble what those big hands want.
So the next time your driving around town in "traffic" and someone cuts you off, take a breath and remember what it is that you love about being here and take the advice of another bumper sticker "Be nice, you're in Bend."