Neighborhood Names: Stereotyping or Better Neighbors?
This past week I read an article in the Star Tribune about the role of neighborhoods and the seemingly trivial task of attributing a name to the area. I find the idea to be fascinating and the exercise of naming an area to be of real value. Creating a sense of place requires some symbols. One symbol can be a name or a newsletter or a landmark. I applaud the citizens who want more out of the place they live.
The book Home From Nowhere by J.H. Kunstler addresses some of the shortcomings that sprawl have yielded in our communities. In addition to an increase in heart disease and obesity as a result of longer commutes, we have lost the identity of place. Colleges and Universities have long understood the individual need to ‘organize’ through clubs and fraternities, but some municipalities have missed the impact of creating identity in smaller groups.
Starting in a one-bedroom apartment, buying a 500 square foot condo then a 900 sq foot condo and finally the single family residence we call home, I have for the past fifteen years called Linden Hills home. While some see the name and have a picture in their mind of either boulevard trees, rolling hills, shops and lakes, others see a pretentiously Liberal neighborhood with over-educated soy latte drinking inhabitants. Whatever your take, the neighborhood has done many things incredibly well and has developed a sense of place that is immersed not just in the charming small town village, but in many other indicators. Great school, great walkability and active residents are three that seem particularly noteworthy. Some of this can be attributed to having a neighborhood name and unique landmarks that surround us.
This past weekend we attended the winter festival held at our neighborhood park. Without spending a dollar, we were able to do some snowshoeing, sledding and take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the park. Regardless of the picture or stereotype that emerges for a City or a Neighborhood, at an experiential level, the impact is that living in Linden Hills makes me want to be a better neighbor.
I gotta say, sometimes the neighborhood naming cracks me up, especially in the hands of Realtors with poetic license. I nominally live in Merriam Park, though I can see the border with “Midway” from my third floor windows. The enclave is also known as Union Park, as well as Iris Park. What’s in a name? Apparently a few dollars in asking price.
So my neighbor reminded me that “Diamond Lake” used to be called “Pearl Lake”. Interesting….I wonder if when they changed the name they were thinking about branding and/or if they thought “Diamond” would be more attractive than Pearl. Funny!
I can proudly state that I live in the Birchwood Neighborhood of St. Louis Park (http://www.stlouispark.org/birchwood.htm). We have a very active neighborhood led by a tireless, and in my mind, under appreciated neighborhood association volunteer committee. The committee is always looking for ways to bring the neighbors closer together, such as, social/book club, picnics, progressive dinners, movie nights, winter parties and a neighborhood newsletter. The trusted friends we have made throughout our neighborhood are a big reason my family chooses to stay in St. Louis Park. It is our home.
Thank you to the City of St. Louis Park for supporting the Neighborhood Association model.