Preserving the Village Centers (or Centres)

The Tab wrote a nice article the other day about some of the ongoing efforts to bring vitality back to the Village Centers in Newton. Newton Villages continues to work to ensure that these remain good places for our community to come together, to eat, to play, to shop. We want to see them thrive for the long term.

We know that there are concerns that people no longer value our downtowns.  Or rather, people appreciate that the centers are there.   But instead of going to the Village Centers we shop online and stay in our own homes for entertainment.

We feel differently.  We believe that people will support the Village Centers if we bring in (and hold onto) interesting shops and restaurants.  We also feel that our hectic times require us to come together as a community, and that we need places that help make this happen, and help to maintain Newton’s identity.

Moreover, we think that – if we nurture them appropriately – our Village Centers are sustainable, can keep themselves going, and can continue to contribute to civic life.  Yes, the Centers need to adapt to changing times, but there is a strong future for them – and for our enjoyment of them – if we choose to make the investment.
Read the full Tab article here.