If you always do what you have always done

Steve Cooke

One of my favorite quotes is, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”That quote came to mind after I was told by a civic leader that the best thing Noblesville has going for it is its history.

True – many residents like me were first attracted to Noblesville for its historic charm. As a city, we honor our history and even leverage it for placemaking. But one thing is for certain: we cannot have history driving our vision toward the future. Walk around Noblesville Schools, and you’ll agree we have so much more going for us than just history.

If we want our community to be relevant and attractive and vibrant for years to come, let’s allow for some new ways of thinking without trashing every new idea that comes along.

Change, after all, is part of any community. When you resist change, projects like the Pleasant Street extension take 20-plus years to get to a simple drawing of an idea. A drawing!

Then again, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

SEMINARY SQUARE

The reason why this quote resonates with me now is the response the City received for an idea we had been exploring since late 2016. We were approached by a developer interested in a new project that met the needs identified in our recent Housing Study. As part of Noblesville’s strategy for smart growth, we want to attract housing types that allow for greater density but still high quality – and even better if this housing type is walkable to our downtown.

We were asked to consider selling two-thirds of Seminary Park to become 12 high-end, classic-style, single-family homes with garages in a back alley. The developer would preserve and enhance the eastern third with the playground, add new fencing and a doggy station – and move the gazebo and existing park benches to preserve them.

The reason our Planning Department and I would consider this idea was because it would get people excited about moving to downtown Noblesville – people who don’t want a historic home due to the upkeep, but want to live close to our historic downtown for restaurants, shopping and trail access. And we thought it could be a catalyst to inspire developers to pursue privately owned land to also redevelop once this project was a proven success.

We also welcomed the opportunity to inspire nearby residents to improve their existing homes. Having refurbished and new homes lining 10th Street is one way to strengthen our community’s preservation efforts.

As for the loss of this park, the playground seemed to be the only part of Seminary that sees active use today – and that would remain regardless. On a recent weekend afternoon, there were more people hanging out near the Pocket Park and the White River Greenway boardwalk bridge than at Seminary. Events like Shakespeare in the Park are already moving from Seminary to Federal Hill Commons.

THE PROCESS

Like many potential projects the City considers, we tested the waters of this idea around City Hall, then one-on-one with a handful of others. The response was positive enough, although not completely, to at least continue to explore. I then brought it before the Parks Board in an executive session where we could talk about the pros and cons and to get their feedback.

One of the negatives of this project came out of my own mouth – and that’s the loss of green space. I also made the point that this project was not anything the City would rush through or push forward without community input. My plans included reaching out to more residents, business owners and the Noblesville Preservation Alliance well before any official consideration would have been asked.

Still, the conversation at Parks Board wasn’t pretty. One civic leader not on the Parks Board dominated the conversation. The same one who thinks history is the best thing we have going for us. And then that person sent out our proposed idea to generate opposition, making it sound like this project was a “done deal” – which is not true.

However, based on the Parks Board discussion, we’ve shifted the project to find a different location.

I certainly don’t blame the Parks Board. They are dedicated community leaders volunteering their time because of their passion for parks. And I get it – parkland and green space are valuable. Sure, I can point to several other park projects that are happening – from the opening of Federal Hill Commons in April to Finch Creek Park breaking ground this summer to improvements planned for Southside Park and continued exploration of a new Dog Park on Pleasant Street.

In fact, more parks will have been built under Mayor Ditslear than any other administration in our city’s history. And I have no doubt that our Parks & Recreation Department can do wonders with Seminary Park so it no longer remains an underutilized space.

But I will not apologize for exploring this idea. I applaud our City staff for thinking outside the box and putting themselves in a position to be criticized for even daring to think differently. While I always welcome feedback from residents who are concerned about losing a connection with our past, we also need to hear from people who believe that we have more going for us than just history.

And I think we heard that from residents who feel strongly about Seminary Park – not for its history – but for the local neighbors today who won’t make the walk to the other parks near downtown.

In the meantime, we will continue to exercise creative thinking when considering projects. We will refuse to do what has always been done – because we want more for our community than what we have today.

And I think the future of Noblesville will thank us for it.