Our View

On July 13, a public meeting was held on a proposed Creative District in downtown Sidney.

The discussions included, why are people moving to Sidney, what can be done to promote more curiosity of downtown, add more growth, and bridging the gap between the highways and downtown Sidney.

We need to move past the stage of, “we tried it before and it didn’t work,” and ask the question of why didn’t it work, and what can be done differently.

Sidney, and Cheyenne County overall, has history streaming through it. The rails that once fed into “Sinful Sidney” are now moving coal and freight several times each day. Trails have become highways marked with historic signs. But what are we doing to encourage people to drive those historic trails, take the time to see the newer attractions and the buildings still displaying historic relevance?

A vision meeting is scheduled for August 2 at the Sidney Elks Lodge. Basically, if we could all put away the checkbook, what would you want to see in Sidney? Would it be just like it is, or less, or would it be a blossoming metropolis of the Panhandle with thriving industrial parks, a sports complex, community recreation and arts that urge the freeing of the inner person?

There’s a saying that people should aim for the sky, then wherever you land will be satisfactory. We should walk a line of contentment and seeking what is just beyond the next horizon. Few things stay the same. The more we are content with the status quo, the more we will be left behind. Society, our life on earth, does not stay in one place.

Plan to attend the Aug. 2 meeting, 6 p.m. at the Elks Lodge in Sidney. Be part of the Sidney community future. Share your ideas, and be willing to hear other people’s perspective.