Just driving around town is exciting

Jim Fall

I know I am an eternal optimist; perhaps maybe the eternal optimist.

But I can’t help it.

My glass is always half full, at least — except, perhaps, when I’m having a libation with dinner, or otherwise.

I have no real explanation for that attitude, but I consider myself blessed for having it as a part of my makeup.

And all I have to do to reinforce my feelings, substantiate my belief in Maryville, is to take a brief drive around town — which I will admit I do on a fairly regular basis. I usually take my tours in the evenings, especially now that the longer days with pleasant evenings are here.

And the good things just keep on jumping out at me.

It seems like almost every trip reveals a new construction job, or two, or three, that I had not noticed the time before.

And I don’t mean the really big projects like the new bank at the south end of Main Street, or the huge new Ford dealership before you get that far south. I don’t even mean the town homes being built behind the bank, or the substantial new apartment complex that is also close to completion just south of Wal-Mart.

I noticed the new sculptures the day they were put in place, even the one at the head of the not so new anymore, but still exciting, Fourth Street Corridor.

Of course, there is a small project going on here at the Daily Forum that should be completed in another couple of weeks, and we are for sure getting a couple of new restaurants. At least one new restaurant, and another that will be in a new location.

The east side of town is making noises on the progress front too, with the new restaurant, convenience store and truck stop, a vehicle wash, and a now-under-construction hydroponic growing facility.

But the changes that really excite me, perhaps as much as the new retail operations, are the improvements that are taking place in the residential areas.

I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but the face housing in Maryville is changing, especially when it comes to student housing.

The city’s CTRIP that was initiated several years ago seems to have made a significant difference, not only in the quality of off-campus housing opportunities for Northwest Missouri State University students, but for other moderate homes as well.

The influx of new housing is evident around the university campus, but it also is spreading throughout the community as new single-family residences and duplexes are appearing in the eastern and northern quadrants of the city.

All of that, and you can begin to get the idea that lil’ ’ol Maryville is making some noise — the kind of noise that will attract additional business to town, additional students to the university, and additional revenue to area businesses — which should begin to see some additions as well, with all the other progress we are experiencing.

It is a slow process, one that does not take place overnight, but things are happening around our fair city, in case you haven’t noticed.

Spend one of these nice summer evenings just driving around and see what a neat place we call home.