Welcome back to fall in Gainesville! Yes, I know it’s technically still summer, and I know it’s still hot. It’s going to be this way for a bit, but I promise you there’s no better place to be than right here in Gator Country right now.
Gainesville is always a great place to be, but, for me, the time between now and the end of the year is magical. New neighbors come to town, everyone refocuses on what’s important, and, yes, it’s football season. Speaking of which, it’s going to be all right. Coach Billy Napier’s got this.
The most important thing I hope you’ll take away from this column is that I’m glad you’re here. No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, no matter the hue of your skin or the accent of your voice, no matter whose hand you hold or the clothes you wear, no matter how (or if) you vote, your mayor is glad you’ve chosen to be a part of Florida’s “Cultural Capital.”
Here at City Hall, we’re excited about partnerships we’ve been developing with Alachua County and UF Health. The Gainesville City Commission and I are confident and excited about the changes our combined public investments are bringing to East Gainesville, and we’re seeing those investments begin to directly serve our neighbors who live there.
If you’re registered to vote in Gainesville — and I hope you will be, if you aren’t already — you’ll have a chance to vote in a historic special election in November to decide whether the people of this community have a direct say in who manages the utilities the community owns. No matter the outcome, together we are writing a significant chapter in the story of “Home Rule” in Florida with this vote.
The City of Gainesville team and many neighborhood and community groups have made great strides in lowering crime in our community — drastically. Crime, particularly violent crime, is down across the board in Gainesville. Further, through city partnerships with UF and the Florida Department of Transportation and Alachua County, our streets are markedly safer for pedestrians and cyclists. We are on track to have the lowest number of traffic injuries in many years.
If you’re downtown this fall, please seek out the “Downtown Ambassadors” in the yellow vests, and ask them for help if you’re having trouble with, well, anything downtown related. From directions to parking to security, they’re downtown to help you (and everyone else) have a great experience.
As always, we all have a great deal of hard work to do for ourselves and for our neighbors. I was moved while reading UF President Kent Fuchs’ admonition in The Alligator last year that “Hard work and joy are not mutually exclusive,” and his wish “that we all experience joy in everything we do.” Frankly, if we can’t provide the opportunity for joyful experiences to accompany the hard work, we’ve failed as leaders.
Toward that end, I hope you will take part in all this community has to offer, from homecoming festivities to the city’s third annual holiday parade, from our outstanding parks, recreation and cultural affairs facilities and programming to our libraries. They’re all yours, because no matter how long you’ve been here or how long you’re staying, you’re our neighbor. It’s important to me that you know you belong in our community.
Whether you’ve been here in Gainesville for a few days or a few decades, whether you are looking for the exits or putting down roots, whether you are a casual bystander or hip-deep in local culture, you are a part of Gainesville’s story, and Gainesville is a part of your story.
And once again, I’m glad you’re here.
Harvey Ward is the mayor of Gainesville.
