Imagining Atlanta in 2059
Decatur Metro | August 26, 2009
As part of its “Fifty Forward” initiative, the Atlanta Regional Commission is holding a series of “grassroots” forums all over the Atlanta “region”, asking lawns of residents a variety of questions about Atlanta’s vision for the future.
And guess what? The 11th in the series, which will focus on how to make Atlanta “the healthiest region in the country” will be at the Decatur Rec Center on Thursday, September 24th!
Healthiest region in the country huh? Man, that doesn’t sound like the easiest of topics. How about something easier like “how to make Atlanta the smoggiest region in the country”? I’m sure we could knock that question out in the good 20 minutes!
For more detail and more serious comments on the subject (from Elizabeth Wilson and Judy Turner), see the full release sent to the press after the jump. I know, I just called myself “the press”…I feel so dirty.
Regional Visioning Effort
Comes to Downtown Decatur
Part of a series of ‘Neighborhood Forums’
Atlanta, Ga. (August 25, 2009) – The Civic League for Regional Atlanta is holding a grassroots “Neighborhood Forum” in Downtown Decatur on Thursday, September 24, 2009. The forum, the eleventh forum planned for 2008-2009, will be at the Decatur Recreation Center Gym, starting at 6:45 p.m., with check-in, and ending at 9:00 p.m.
The meeting is part of a regional visioning initiative of the Atlanta Regional Commission, called “Fifty Forward.” This one will ask citizens to think about how the region can become the healthiest region in the country.
This forum is the first of three to focus on creating a healthier region. The second will be held in Clayton County, and the third will be held in Norcross. Future forums, in other parts of the region, will focus on education and workforce development.
“There’s almost nothing that the Atlanta region can’t achieve if it knows where it is going,” said Elizabeth Wilson, co-chair of the Decatur Neighborhood Forum. “This is both a critical and exciting time in our history, where citizens can paint a 50-year vision for our region.”
“We want to make sure the citizen’s voice is heard in the process,” said Judy Turner, co-chair of the Decatur Neighborhood Forum. “We’re eager for the citizen’s voice to be heard in the process.
Participants will work together in small groups to discuss their ideas and come to a rough consensus of what they would like their community to look like in the future. Every idea will be recorded and catalogued, and a report of the meeting will be sent afterwards to participants.
“We promise that participants will find these Neighborhood Forums to be respectful, forward-looking, meaningful experiences,” Lesley Grady, chair of the Civic League, said.
“I’m excited to see citizens engaged in this process,” added Judy Turner. “It is through their voice that a long-term plan for the region is achievable.
The Forum will be held in the Decatur Recreation Center Gym, located at 231 Sycamore St, Atlanta, GA 30030.
For more information about participating in the Neighborhood Forums, please call or email Joe Winter. You can reach him at (678) 386-8187, or jwinter@civic-strategies.com. To learn more about Fifty Forward, visit www.atlantafiftyforward.com.
Where are the flying cars?!? Back when I was a kid, every “futuristic” movie/TV show I saw featured flying cars, so goldarnit, I want my flying cars! No matter what other technological “wonders” the future holds, I’m never going to accept that it’s officially “the future” unless/until I get my ding dang FLYING CAR.
And I MEAN it.
Hmm…how about hoverboards? Would that be enough to satisfy you for the time-being?
In 2059, with the average Atlantan weighing 450 lbs, hoverboards will not be a viable transportation option. I do anticipate personal freightliners being all the rage.
No, no, and no. If I can have a flying car, I’ll just stick to shank’s pony. *crosses arms over chest*
–That should be CAN’T have a flying car…d’oh!
Why did picturephones never take off? That’s what we looked forward to as kids. Sometime during adulthood they arrived and went extinct without my ever seeing a real one. I guess Skype and webcams and camera phones have filled that niche better.
“asking lawns of residents a variety of questions”
Gosh. I hope they don’t ask my lawn anything. I haven’t been too kind to it lately.
“..agua…agua…aaaaaguuuaaaaa…”
Is all mine says.
“grassroots”, get it?
Maybe I should have said “lawns of grassroot residents”…has a better ring to it.
If we had flying cars in atl then we’d have no sunlight or trees. Let’s hope we’ve done away with cars in general by then, and that all transportation is handled by monorails and maglevs. The only thing that I’ve been worried about is that if there are no cars, then there are no roads and thus fewer places for me to operate my vehicle. I know that many have planne for this by purchasing a 4WD/SUV, but I am regrettably not one of them and so my options may be limited in some terrains.
I’m with you, I certainly imagine 2059 with no cars, or if we have them they are fueled by harvested rainwater & sunshine just like trains & planes…
Here’s one future we don’t have to guess at.
http://www.jamesgriffioen.net/
No cars? Seriously? 2059 is not that far away. We should set reasonable goals. There is a better chance of me winning the lottery tonight than there being no cars in 2059. Which reminds me. I’ve gotta go buy my lotto ticket now.
I love that artwork, DM. Look at all the mass transit! What a dreamer.
The artwork is missing a very important component, The Urban Forest. More Green! Good for the soul, air, and stormwater!
If that is the way the future looks, we are all doomed. Domed i say.
It’s easy to picture what Atlanta will be like in 50 years. It will still be the same dunghole, but with more pollution, more crime, less water, the same type of corrupt and inept “leaders,” uncontrolled population growth, a stagnant economy brought on by the overspending of government over the past 80 or so years, rampant illegal immigration, the total loss of the middle class, lack of innovation from a spoonfed population mired in ennui…in other words, it will look like exactly like the rest of America. Old timers (not me – I hope to be dead long before that) will look back and ask what happened to the land of the free, the home of the brave? The answer will be that it collapsed under its own citizens’ laziness, corruption, arrogance and stupidity.
Aw, Eric, you cheery little thing, you! Ease up, chiquito– that’s a little more optimism than I can take in one sitting.
You’re right Eric.
It all went wrong when they didn’t give us the flying cars.
Dang skippy.
People are people, so why should it be
that another Rick states that Domed we be?