What was once a sore sight for perfectly fine eyes is now a sight for sore eyes.
That space between the Dunlap Community Development Corp. building and Bonsall TV & Appliance is now worth marking on a map and stopping at for a visit as the ribbon cutting for the new Dunlap Pocket Park took place last Wednesday, Sept. 18.
What really sticks out to me is that a plan was even made to revamp what is essentially a tiny piece of Dunlap, if we're simply talking square footage. It's easy to just forget about or ignore those unsightly aspects of one's hometown and treat it like it will be there forever. I know I've been guilty of that with places I've lived.
But all it takes is some people to prove that it doesn't have to stay that way, and that's exactly what happened here. I would like to extend my congratulations to all involved, and I would invite anyone who hasn't stopped by for some relaxation to do so. I've already decided that this will be added to my list of “stop and read a book while I eat a sandwich I packed for the road” locations that one always has as a traveling journalist. Of course, the most commonly used dining room of a newspaperman is simply your car while driving, but sometimes it's nice to stop and smell the roses.
Anyway, I've made a great community achievement all about me. But maybe that's the point, because these things are about all of us. I know the utility that the Dunlap Pocket Park will have for me. Take a look and figure out what yours will be. That tiny little strip of downtown just might become a place for you and your family to take a load off here and there.
At the very least, it will be a testament to what happens when individuals care enough to change something that needs it instead of forfeiting to indifference. That's a good thing in and of itself.
