I am so pumped after reading your VisionQuest Phase 1 article! I commend your direct and creative ideas and love your "its time" attitude. I'm in your shoes bigtime! I'm also a 24-yr old native Clevelander who believes in Cleveland with all I've got! I was born, raised and went to school here and I respect your visions and would LOVE to see them come to life.

My favorite line in your artice was: "This might be an inconvenience for some but the time has come to say, 'Deal with it.'" People are so ready for this change, but its always been so easy to be complacent and agree with all the bad-talking about Cleveland. Ya, it'll make a few people uncomfortable because "change" in Cleveland, let's face it, is an uncomfortable idea to the majority. Ya, we can laugh along with the jokes and we've got a thick skin around here, but things will only change once we decide to believe in the change. We have to actually lift a finger, be a voice, channel some passion into the greater good of the city. I'm so ready for a change and I know the people of Cleveland are too. I don't want to have to leave the city to continue my career and build the life my parents encouraged me to dream about while raising me here in Cleveland because the opportunities just aren't here. I'm sure you can relate.

Last topic....I would LOVE to see the barges re-directed away from the Cuyahoga River. While the local factories would take a hit, take a look at the real return on investment of keeping the very FEW factories operating versus a healthy, clean, attractive waterfront that will bring people downtown again. Industry is completely outdated thesedays. We'd gain SO much more by creating a lovely riverfront, similar to Cincinnati or Pittsburgh or Toronto. I was a rower at John Carroll University for four years and rowed out of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation Boathouse. Trust me, I cringe at the thought of some of the stuff I've seen (and smelled) on that river. But for the love of the sport and my team, I stuck with it. Nevertheless, it was a "vacation" everytime we went away for races in other cities like Boston, Pittsburgh, Columbus; even Athens, OH was a "getaway." Therefore, I am a HUGE proponent of getting that riverfront cleaned up and getting more people aware of the opportunity for watersports down there.

Kudos on your article! Can't wait to read more!

from Cool Cleveland reader Krystal Brandt krystal.brandtATgmail.com

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