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The Answer Book 2005

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Trees, people grow on you

BY LAUREL LUNT PRUSSING
© 2009 THE NEWS-GAZETTE
    My first impression of Urbana was that I liked the trees. My husband and I moved here in 1969 from California, where I had heard the story of how in the 1950s Urbana's elm trees had been wiped out by Dutch Elm disease. Despite that disaster, I was happy to find Urbana still graced with an abundance of beautiful trees. The stately oaks lining Race Street impressed me.
   Now after living in Urbana for 36 years, what I like especially about Urbana are the people. Because of the University of Illinois, we are a cosmopolitan small city with people from all over the world who come for short periods of study or to settle for a career. In turn, people who live here often travel to remote parts of the planet. You can go anywhere in the world from Willard Airport  and it is a lot easier to begin your journey at hassle-free Willard than to endure long lines at O'Hare.
   Urbana people are more passionate about politics and local government than many Americans. As Mike Monson, longtime News-Gazette reporter, told the League of Women Voters recently, more citizens typically show up at Urbana City Council meetings than Champaign City Council meetings. And you can learn a great deal by listening to citizens of Urbana.
   Over the years, Urbana has earned a reputation as a progressive place for human rights and respect for the individual. Urbana people care about the quality of life for not only themselves, but for others.
   A few weeks ago, I was delighted to see a young Muslim woman with a headscarf, dressed very modestly in long sleeves and long slacks, rollerblading north on Vine Street.
   Urbana people have made this a pleasant place to live by having the foresight to not only plant trees but to support good schools, good parks and a nationally recognized library. Creative business and university people have brought us the amenities of civilization  fine restaurants, internationally acclaimed entertainment at the Krannert Center  all without the transportation snarls and parking problems of a big city.
   Our public services in Urbana are first-rate. We have a very highly regarded police department. Our fire and rescue service is one of the best in the state.
   What Urbana residents want to see is more retail establishments. Forty years ago in the heyday of Lincoln Square, the second indoor mall in the United States, Urbana was the area's shopping center. Urbana's retail dominance ended with the development of Market Place in Champaign.
   Downtown Champaign was also hit hard by the competition from Market Place. After many years of hard work, Champaign now enjoys a once again vibrant downtown. Efforts now under way in Urbana will bring a similar renaissance and the retail stores residents want. In addition to Lincoln Square Village and the residential and commercial revival under construction, we will see a redevelopment of Philo Road and new retail in the High Cross Road corridor of east Urbana.
   
   Laurel Lunt Prussing was elected mayor of Urbana in May.



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