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Articles 31 - 60 of 96
Full-Text Articles in Civic and Community Engagement
Canada Teaches Some Simple Lessons, Chester Smolski
Canada Teaches Some Simple Lessons, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It's an odd person who doesn't marvel at the cities of Canada on his or her return from a visit to our neighbor to the north. Whether this be a trip to Canada's largest city of Montreal or to a Providence-sized Quebec City, people speak of the cleanliness, the safety, the beauty, the good public transport and the relaxed way of living. What accounts for the livability of these urban centers? And is there something that we can learn from the Canadians that we can use in our own cities?"
Residency And The Charter, Chester Smolski
Residency And The Charter, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"When Providence voters approved a home rule charter in 1980, they took a major step forward in choosing their own destiny, rather than relying on the General Assembly to approve many of their actions. To implement the resulting changes, the date for full compliance of the charter was set at 1983. And since that time, newly hired city workers are required to live in Providence."
Cluster Battle Is Over, But The War Rages On, Chester Smolski
Cluster Battle Is Over, But The War Rages On, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The Chinese have a saying: 'Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think.' For Americans, the same could be said for zoning in the seemingly never-ending war between residents and developers over land development."
Return Of The Student Tempo, Chester Smolski
Return Of The Student Tempo, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It's that time of the year again when summer wanes and fall approaches. In the minds of many, this change to autumn occurs around Labor Day when the kids go back to school, rather than the official, later occurring, Autumnal Equinox. So, another season and the new academic year is upon us."
Regulating Video Arcades Is No Game, Chester Smolski
Regulating Video Arcades Is No Game, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Improvement on Washington Street is needed. The Providence Board of Licenses is about to determine if the Saturn's Rings video arcade on Washington street should have its license renewed. The issue is as critical as it is controversial."
Tourism's Full Potential Waiting In Wings For R.I., Chester Smolski
Tourism's Full Potential Waiting In Wings For R.I., Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Question: What industry in this country involves 8 million consumers daily, employs between 4 and 6 million people directly, generates nearly $200 billion in annual expenditures and is our second largest retailing activity? If you answered tourism, you are correct."
Designing The Cityscape, Chester Smolski
Designing The Cityscape, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"A new structure has recently been erected in the Providence downtown, and criticisms of the building's design continue to fly. An editorial in these newspapers, for example, referred to the 'failed example of quickie construction with a outsized Erector set.'"
The Stimulus Of City Success Stories, Chester Smolski
The Stimulus Of City Success Stories, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"When George Voinovich, mayor of this city, spoke to the 300 persons gathered from all parts of this country to discuss successes in cities, he had the undivided attention of the audience. After all, this was the man who brought the city back from the brink of bankruptcy and has now given it clear direction and a solid financial base."
Porter And Rouse--Believers In Cities And Opportunities, Chester Smolski
Porter And Rouse--Believers In Cities And Opportunities, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"His name may not be familiar, but it should be. He helped to originate and implement the Marshall Plan, this nation's effort to help European recovery in the post-war years. Throughout his long and distinguished career he touched many bases as editor and publisher of a trade newspaper, U.S.diplomat in several European cities and successful businessman and president of his own firm. Upon retirement several years ago, he developed an interest in cities, wrote a book about them, and four years ago at an age when many have packed it in, became director of the Urban Recovery Project at the …
Economic Spin-Off From The Arts, Chester Smolski
Economic Spin-Off From The Arts, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It was the variety of people there that was most noteworthy. There were the construction men, the account executives in their three-piece suits, the poor, the old, the young, the blacks, the Asians, the college professors and the unfortunates who frequent downtown parks and benches."
Missed Opportunity In S. Kingston, Chester Smolski
Missed Opportunity In S. Kingston, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"They were well dressed, although informally. They came with their spouses. They were articulate, educated, and generally did not raise their voices. They looked like solid middle-class Americans--homemakers, civic-minded, and concerned citizens, so it was difficult to understand their reaction to the proposed housing development."
Providence: Arts Can Improve The Image, Chester Smolski
Providence: Arts Can Improve The Image, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Providence has an image problem. Whether one asks as state resident or a Providence native about our capital city, the response is usually negative. And the image of our city held by non-Rhode Islanders is one that should not make us proud."
Some Good Things Are Happening, Chester Smolski
Some Good Things Are Happening, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It is easy to be critical and to single out the wrongs of a society: the reporting of such wrongs is what sells newspapers. Too often the good things that happen are not recognized nor deemed newsworthy, and the result is they go unnoticed. So it was more than refreshing to read recently in these papers about some very positive actions on the part of a private citizen, a small business, and yes, even a politician--actions that are helping to make our communities better places in which to live."
Accepting The Townhouse Idea Requires New Attitudes, Chester Smolski
Accepting The Townhouse Idea Requires New Attitudes, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"To change actions is easy; to change attitudes is more difficult. This is a truism that one finds whether one deals with race relations, sexual equality or ethnic stereotypes. It is also true in housing."
Downtown Grubbiness As Seen By A Visitor, Chester Smolski
Downtown Grubbiness As Seen By A Visitor, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"This is a thank-you note to Betty Lyndon, of Bordentown, New Jersey, for taking the time to send a letter to the editor of this newspaper concerning a problem in the downtown of our capital city. The letter appeared in the morning and afternoon papers together with an editorial; that evening the police were working to resolve the problem. Perhaps this is the technique that needs to be used to get things done in the city."
Welcome To The Beach: Only If You Can Afford It, Chester Smolski
Welcome To The Beach: Only If You Can Afford It, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Narragansett has been called 'Home of the most expensive public tan in America' because of beach and parking fees imposed by the Tow Council in June."
Clean City Center Requires Cooperation, Chester Smolski
Clean City Center Requires Cooperation, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The drive to clean Providence's downtown got off to a well publicized start last month. On the first day 23 drivers had their cars towed from the streets of the city, paid $15 towing fees, received $5 parking tickets, and had the traumatic experience of thinking their vehicles had been stolen."
Providence, R.I., Yes, You've Come A Long Way, Chester Smolski
Providence, R.I., Yes, You've Come A Long Way, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It was just three years ago that this writer described on these pages a "Saturday night out" in downtown Providence. The story demonstrated that a middle-aged couple could walk the city streets without being mugged, but more important, it revealed how little there was to see or do in the heart of the capital city.
Providence Home Rule, Chester Smolski
Providence Home Rule, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The opposition bumper stickers have already appeared. In bright fluorescent colors to catch the unsuspecting eye, the message is loud and clear--'Reject Home Rule Charter.' Why should there be this opposition, and who are the people against this progressive move toward better local government?"
Boost For The Downtown: Splendid New Arcade, Chester Smolski
Boost For The Downtown: Splendid New Arcade, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The sign hanging from the center of the building reads '7 Days to Opening.' The countdown number changes dailty to remind carpenters, electricians, tile setters, merchants, and a whole host of others that construction must be finished, stocks placed, and shops ready for the Grand Opening of America's first indoor shopping mall--the Arcade.
Cleaning Downtown Can Lead To Improved Services, Chester Smolski
Cleaning Downtown Can Lead To Improved Services, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The newly formed Downtown Providence Improvement Association has a simple goal--to clean the center of the capital city. The DPIA is taking on a commendable and necessary task, one which is long overdue, in what is likely one of the dirtiest and scruffiest downtowns in this part of the country.
Fresh Ideas Essential For Redesigning Downtown, Chester Smolski
Fresh Ideas Essential For Redesigning Downtown, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Whether downtown Providence has style, grace, elegance and good taste or whether it is seedy, sleazy, schlock and second rate, there can be no question that the quality of the built enviornment should be a major consideration in all center city development. If the downtown is to prosper, than it must be made asthetically pleasing, inviting and comfortable, but who should be making these decisions on design?
City Image Building, Chester Smolski
City Image Building, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It is only the beginning, but it is a step in the right direction. The recently announced proposal by the Mayor of Providence for the purchase of art works for city buildings and parks is a welcome sign that the city is finaly recognizing the value of an aesthetically pleasing enviornment. Called "Art in City Life," the program could funnel as much as $300,000 next year into works of art for city public spaces, much of it in the downtown area (see Citiartnews, Fall/Winter Issue, 1979-1980). This important measure deserves the full support of the arts community as well as …
Improving Commercial Streets Is Possible, Chester Smolski
Improving Commercial Streets Is Possible, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It was only a small gesture, but a nice one. The two park benches were placed on the sidewalk in front of a small shop on the busy Thayer Street in Providence. Somewhat of a harbinger of Spring, the brightly painted, red benches added a little color to a street coming out of the throes of a long, dreary and colorless winter season."
A Little House Downtown?, Chester Smolski
A Little House Downtown?, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The touching story in Mark Patinkin's recent column about the young couple who had a dream to buy a house in the country singles out the dilemma faced by many other couples in the home buying stage."
Expert Sees A Revival Of Urban Church And The City, Chester Smolski
Expert Sees A Revival Of Urban Church And The City, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Douglas Walrath, recognized church consultant and author, was at the Epworth United Methodist Church in Pawtucket to address a recent conference of the Urban Ministry Division of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches on the topic of urban churches. At the end of the day, more than 100 who attended from throughout the Providence metropolitan area left the meeting considerably more optimistic about the future of their churches and of the urban centers in which they are located."
Bottle Bill Would Stimulate Sense Of Pride In Ri, Chester Smolski
Bottle Bill Would Stimulate Sense Of Pride In Ri, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Statements being made by Bottle Bill opponents have increasingly become more ludicrous. Most recently the head of the Rhode Island section of the United States Steelworkers of America wrote to members of the General Assembly, in whose hands the fate of the propsed legislation now rests, and offered this reasoning on the bill."
Suburban Elderly Speak Out In Providence, Chester Smolski
Suburban Elderly Speak Out In Providence, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The talk was designed to elicit information and reactions from the audience of elderly. And it did just that because old people do not waste words and are not reluctant to speak out, perhaps because they realize that they have little time left, so they were ready with their comments and quite willing to fill out the questionnaire."
The Local Planning Boards Miss An Opportunity, Chester Smolski
The Local Planning Boards Miss An Opportunity, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Planning boards in the communities of the state have the responsibility to study, advise and recommend strategies and policies for the growth and development of their respective cities and towns. These appointed members frequently have no background on such matters and must often make decisions on which they have little understanding. This is particularly true in areas of housing where PUD, PURD, Condo, Co-op, zero lot line zoning, and a host of other acronyms and concepts sometimes defy comprehension."
Questions Raised On Railroad Location, Chester Smolski
Questions Raised On Railroad Location, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"A second public hearing on the proposed relocation of the railroad station and tracks in Providence was held on October 25 in state capitol. Approximately 40 people were in attendance: most of whom were from Providence; most of whom raised substantive questions about the proposed relocation; and most of whom were opposed to it."