Before we look "outside" to attract a new class of worker to our community, we must look "inside" at what's keeping the creative class and businesses they work for from coming to Fort Wayne. And then this city has to change. When they arrive in our community, gay, tattooed and pierced individuals (creative class members) often do not see the welcome signs Florida refers to in his book. We like to talk up "amenities" we have, but are they adequate and the type of amenities the "creative class" seeks (ie: 15 miles of river trails vs. a comprehensive "people mover" system of walking, biking skating trails that link neighborhoods, parks, industrial areas and even area communities?) The "old guard-self interests" of Fort Wayne need to loosen their grip on the fate of this community, and stop feeling threatened by those who are "different," to the point that they chase those individuals away through firings, retributions, etc. We need to move more quickly to make things happen (ie: how many years did it take to add another sheet of ice for a thriving hockey community, how long before a skate park is built-it was first proposed almost four years ago!!!!) We don't have mountains, lakes and streams to attract people so we need to work doubly hard to develop the types of amenities the "creative class" and their employers seek, and develop a welcoming environment. Until those in a position to effect change in this community, including what Florida refers to as the "old money families that run the town" can unselfishly recognize this, we will simply continue to amaze ourselves over our past, but wander aimlessly into the future.

Victor,

You make a lot of great points. I agree especially with your contrast between the River Greenway as it currently exists and a "comprehensive 'people mover' system of walking, biking skating trails that link neighborhoods, parks, industrial areas and even area communities".

I for one would appreciate actual bike lanes downtown (not just paths which are out of the way for some and vary in how well they're kept for) as well as along all major roadways to connect the suburban centers. Riding with traffic is particularly discouraging for me. What about an 'adopt a bike lane' program similar to the 'adopt a highway' cleanup campaigns that exist?

As you mention, shorter turnaround time for planning of these things is also important. A DIY attitude can often make things happen faster than months or years of deliberation and 'planning' by officials. Control at the top can often squelch ideas. Sometimes there's a fear of committing to projects out of fear they're not the 'right thing' for everyone. Moving away from this towards a 'Just Do It' approach might yield small victories towards bigger changes; there doesn't have to be an all-encompassing, official master plan where very base is covered. Smaller tasks like these will add up to a diverse set of options.

What specific features would you like to see in such a 'people mover system'? Connecting specific areas? Everyone?

I am a returning adult art student at IPFW and will be graduating next spring. The title of the lecture drew me to attend. When I returned to finish my BFA, I decided to teach. Now government is making education cuts. That in itself creates a stumbling block for everyone. I"ve always had this vision of creating my own job and I'm searching for the resources to do so.
Richard had some wonderful things to say and inspired me to continue in my goals. At the same time, I know it won"t be easy because I feel Ft. Wayne is a very conservative city and I have never seen much change in it. He spoke of the movers and the shakers making it happen. I believe the answer lies within our youth. My opinion is that Ft. Wayne needs to reach to the youth and make things availalbe to all. The barrier is money. Not everyone can afford to put their kids in wonderful programs for the arts because of that barrier. We need to reach all classes of people to create change.

What surprised me the most was that the 300 or so people present for Richard Florida's presentation were predominently middle- and older-aged, white (mostly anyway as far as I could tell), affluent, well-educated, traditional professional business people! Including me. While there were some exceptions, it just smells a lot like the good-ol'-boy (and girl) power and money base trying to figure out what to do, and inviting more of their ilk to join in and help them. And why not? Virtually all boards and power structures require managers and directors to have professional positions, visibility, education, experience, useful contacts (i.e., they have to be old by default.) Let's get more just like us!

But the type of young, creative people we're supposed to attract and retain have much more in common with our teenage kids than us. And we know how much we understand them. This is best illustrated by the question from the audience that night - from the young kid who asked, "how do we accomplish this and bridge the gap between these younger creative types on the periphery (like me) and the older people with the money and power, like all of you other people in this room?" Bingo. How many boards (with lots of older people) would be comfortable with a director that is a 24 yr old, gay, spikey-haired, body-jeweled, tattooed artsy type with their off-the-wall ideas that hasn't come 'highly recommended' by an existing board member, and without a properly vetted C.V.? If we don't change that, us middle-aged, white, traditional thinkers ain't gonna move this thang no matter how hard we try.

That said, then who are the people who want to live here, and why?

First, the ones who are ALREADY here. We need to understand why they're here, and retain what we have before we lose any more of our critical mass of these creative types. We don't have mountains, beaches, oceans and temperate climate, but we do have 'stuff'. Affordable housing (rent and own - Indiana is one of the highest per capita home ownership states); Fort Wayne is the recreation / entertainment / education 'hub' of Northeast Indiana; NE IN is a wonderful lake region; we're 1/2 day flight to anywhere USA; equidistant from and just a couple hours' drive to Chicago, Indy and Detroit; midwestern values and work ethic. You'd think we could do something useful with the rivers, the fort. We need to identify and support the organically grown people and businesses who WANT to be here.

Second, the people who are already here but on the verge of leaving - recent college grads, recently laid-off creative professionals. How hard do these people think we work to keep them here (in their opinion, not ours)? We need to identify and retain these, find them a place at the table.

Third, the creative-job-types who were originally from here, having contacts, family, etc. in the area, and moved away but might want to move back if the opportunity presented itself. How hard do we work to identify and attract these - keep 'em on the mailing list so to speak?

Fourth, people and businesses with no prior connection with the area... transient execs, etc. are least likely to commmit and stay. Look at the Leadership Fort Wayne alumni, go back 5 years and longer. A quarter to a third no longer even live here (even more are no longer in as visible a business or community capacity). We need to identify and invest in the best long-term leadership resources and question the status quo.

What is FW's current age distribution? Have all the young folks moved away? Is all that's left the middle-aged, middle class suburban family units? No. At least not yet. I don't think.

Where do these (25% of our population) creative types live? Work? Where and how do the play, or want to play? Where's this 'core', our seed? Gotta know to help it grow.

To start, we have a great, and free, publication that tells us what's going on (and reviews written by creative people) all over the area. You knew the answer - "Whatzup!" - right? Based in Columbia City (!?). Hmmm... maybe we should at least say 'thanks' for doing it for us.

Well, that's enough to start. I'm sure what I said will ruffle somebody's feathers, so have at it. My skin is thick!

Nick Stanger

Young people love the night. Coffee houses and art galleries and music and, yep, even literature of any type. But most of these places are done after ten or eleven o'clock. At this point, most young people retreat to less creative activities. I think it's great how the community (or who ever is doing it) is pushing Fairenheit 451. It is a great idea. I believe that art and music and literature (which are one in the same) are growing in Fort Wayne, and it is wonderful, but there is not enough of them. When I visit Chicago, art is everywhere. Even in the smallest ways. From billboards and banners on every building to the guy playing a horn on the corner. We have a great artistic community, but I don't think it is promoted and cherished enough. If the creative class gets more recognition, it will flourish. Art is a part of the community that often goes unnoticed, but yet, it is what makes a culture. We need more culture. I take that back, we need to promote the culture we already have and it will spread like wild fire. No one is going to work harder at making Fort Wayne beautiful if they don't feel wanted or appreciated. We have gays and we have rock bands, the necessary ingredients, we just need to bring them out.

You know, Nick, I looked around the room at one point, and thought the same thing about the make-up of the audience. I counted five people of color. I was, by far, the youngest person in my immediate vicinity. The fact that so many interested "powers that be" were in attendance is encouraging, but I felt a little lonely.

With that said, I feel I can speak to some of the issues you raise. I came to Fort Wayne seven or so years ago, out of grad school, to take a job. I had recently lived in Iowa City, London, and Boston, and the best way I could describe my new home to my friends was by telling them we're a test market for PepsiCo products -- how much more middle-American can you get? All the selling points -- good schools, great place to raise a family -- were exactly the things that made me feel like I wouldn't be here very long: there wasn't a place for me, a young, single, culture-loving person. When I read Florida's book, it was extremely validating, as he was quantifying all the things I had been saying (or complaining) about Fort Wayne all along.

Obviously, I've stuck around, at first for continuing job opportunities, but more recently because I think Fort Wayne *is* changing. The bellwethers? They may sound trivial, but I think they're exactly the kinds of things Florida is talking about: improved dining options, more lifestyle shopping, better movies/music/arts offerings. And then there's the fact that we're beginning to talk about this as a community. It's not quite a groundswell yet, but I'm seeing some first steps that are very exciting, and that make me think that if I stick around, I might be a part of making Fort Wayne a place I'm proud to live in.

grassroots level, i.e, 3rivers co-op, allen county public library, klemms cafe, cebellos, Historic path of the Civil War, (crumbling)RiverGreenway, Hydes Bros., Children's Zoo, etc., are beautiful commodities that do exact commerce and increase, even if only by a small share, local spending annually. True, our topographical landscape does not near that of Colorado or other areas of intense geographical exquistness...

the only way to not be sucked into a land of annexed oligarchic values and plastic neon glow landscape is to SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS!!!

Munchie Emporium, Crystal Cove, numerous other private enterprise businesses that i am not familiar with dut to lack of necessity...

i sit outside alot of times for the hell of it and watch my fellow brother/sister pedestrians motorcade or hoof by my path in their abercrombie american eagle etc jcrew gear with numbed looks on their faces and i know that i cannot change anything by myself.. we need to unite together and use our same minded past to once again bring about, above most, a true sense of community here in the city of rivers and churces and potential.

stop annexation. focus on what already exists. fort wayne pop. two hundred something and crime rate and dispersity rate growing...

Call me cynical, but this "creativity" movement will be dead in 5 years. History moves like waves, this has happened before, it will happen again, blah blah blah. There is a reason Ft. Wayne is the way it is, and that is because no one cares that it is this way. The majority of people who live here are fine with it being a nice place to raise a family, so that is what it will remain. Those truly interested in belonging to an artistic community will move elsewhere, that's what they've been doing and that's what they will continue to do.

Hell, just look at the dates on these messages. It's been about 9 months since someone cared enough to even post a fucking message on the subject.

To 'Clever Name',

I don't see this as a 'creativity movement', so much as a growing interest in other topics of what's important to building a community and making a city more livable. If issues such as creativity can enter the discussion and be considered throughout the process of that, I for one am all for it.

Your cynicism that 'The majority of people who live here are fine with it being a nice place to raise a family' may be accurate. But the majority doesn't have to call the shots, if a (however small) group want to make a difference in things.