If you could change your hometown to make it a better place, what changes would you make? How would these changes improve your hometown?

Even though I love the town where I grew up, it isn’t perfect. A few targeted improvements could make it even better. Specifically, I would create more opportunities for people to gather together, with the goal of enhancing the sense of community in the town. Unfortunately, my childhood home, Merriltown, does not offer enough opportunities for people to meet and socialize. The reason is that Merriltown is about 20 kilometres from a major city. When people from Merriltown seek entertainment like concerts, sporting events, and festivals, they usually go elsewhere. I think two changes could improve this situation. First, Merriltown should actively plan unique community events downtown. Currently, city leaders assume that people would rather leave for entertainment, so they don’t put much effort into organizing a robust community calendar. This should change. If the city would plan special events that are not offered elsewhere in the region, there is no reason Merriltown could not become an entertainment destination. Secondly, Merriltown should make its downtown more pedestrian friendly. Currently, the town’s streets are dominated by car traffic. It is not a very welcoming place for people to walk and congregate. If the city would consider restricting traffic, widening the sidewalks, and enhancing park space near the downtown area, people might want to spend more leisure time in Merriltown. Both of these changes share a single objective: to bring the residents of Merriltown together as a community. Organizing fun and meaningful events would create opportunities for residents to meet and socialize with one another outside normal daily activities. These changes could also instill a sense of community pride among residents who could boast, “my town has so many fun things to do! ” If Merriltown would make these two changes, it would be an even more special place to call home.