I was fortunate to have some time yesterday to attend a morning session of the Northampton Design Forum at 126 Main Street in Northampton, at the A.P.E. Gallery. Participating in a round-table discussion, I found Professor Phil Bess and the students professional, concerned, and thorough. They listened, asked questions, and they all appeared to be taking copious notes. I and the others citizen participants raised issues about downtown, the BID proposal, the farmer’s markets, smart roads, conservation areas, bicycle lanes, side walks, mixed use development, the food cooperative, and several others, in a safe environment.
Jenna Wikler posted to the Paradise City Forum and Facebook a link to the Youtube video embedded below that she took of the design forum held Tuesday night. The man identified as Ira took the opportunity to bring his own video camera to the forum and proceeded to express himself. I can’t say that I understand clearly what Ira is saying and its connection to the design forum, but I feel it important to repost the event because obviously Ira has some concerns about Northampton that are festering.
Jenna’s entry seems to play better in Firefox:
"our friend & neighbor ira got a bit irate at the end of the "design northampton forum" presentation/feedback session this evening… and declared that he wanted to be heard. so i vowed to make his dream come true by capturing what i could on my dinky little camera and posting it on youtube.
these are exciting times, my friends! did we think we’d enjoy the honor of the notre dame crew studying our fine city without the home-spun drama we groove on so much entering into the picture?
someone must have foreseen this… anyway it’s here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abz-c4KklfA
for those who have not been taking part in "design northampton week"
you are missing out not only on this kind of excitement but on a very interesting and uplifting process. i find it fascinating to hear what the different people of northampton are passionate and/or concerned about and then see that reflected in the work being done by the notre dame group.
professor bess & his crew rock!"
