Stuart’s Centennial Celebration is building toward a climax during the week of May 3rd through May 10th. As the Centennial Chair for the city, we have planned that week to be when we celebrate with a gala, proclamations, time capsules, speeches, a parade and a free festival in Memorial Park. So far this year, we have celebrated our past with pageants, lectures and shows. The week of May 3rd through 10th will be the week we celebrate our present. But we should also think about our future.
Where will the city be in a decade or two or a hundred years from now? What should our aspirations and goals be and how do we put in place the policies and programs to achieve them? A city is organic that does evolve on its own with or without conscience guidance by its inhabitants. The evolution that occurs can result in a Stuart much as it looked in the 1970s. Our citizens became complacent and allowed outside forces to shape its destiny. Downtown almost became extinct.
We only began to emerge and foster the identity that we have today beginning with our own Jeffersonian period of the 1980s. I believe that Stuart is once again poised at a cross roads. Do we affirmatively shape our destiny or do we do nothing and allow outside forces to do so? These outside forces are not necessarily developers with grandiose plans. That is an easy threat or opportunity to control. No…the forces that will emerge to influence our community will be because of changes in technology, demographics, and life style.
History is meaningful to our community. It does help explain how we evolved. But the Stuart of 1914 is not the Stuart of 1925 or 1960 or even 2000. Look how much has changed even in the past decade. We should remember the past, but live in the present and plan for the future. Stuart, as any place, must serve the residents that are here and be attractive so that new people and businesses want to locate and be here. As we celebrate our birthday we need to think about our future.