“If I were Mayor of my town” it’s a cliche. The kind of thing you ask young children trying to make them ponder their world. It seems like a stupid question; why worry ourselves with the what ifs? But the point isn’t all the grand ideas of children to paint the streets rainbow and place ice cream shops on every corner, the  point is what would you do about the things that you complain about given the chance. Quick to slander those in charge, such as the mayor, we forget to consider what we would actually do in his place.

Everyone has a complaint about their town. Whether it’s spoken about at the football game friday night or behind the closed doors of your home, there is always something. Something that could be different. Ranging to all corners of the spectrum from the values of the people to the old complaint “there’s nothing to do” every town has their fair share. The underlying problem is we all acknowledge the issue but no one takes action. Rather we fix the things that weren’t exactly broken. Even going so far as to claim that this is the beginning of the solution, but you know: we all know. It’s not a solution in any form but rather a mask to hide behind-- a way out.

Greenwood, Arkansas is no exception. When asked what’s wrong with this town prominent answers include the traffic, obsession with football, and closed mindedness. While these are pressing matters the main complaint I have about my town is the vacant warehouse on center street. It seems like a miniscule aspect because it is, but it’s not the warehouse itself that  upsets me. It’s the fact that everyone sits around grumbling about the way our town is rather than doing something about it. People rant about the ugly, useless waste of space rather than seeing the opportunity it presents. You don’t have to be mayor to change the way things are, but I will admit it makes things easier.

If I were mayor of my town I would renovate the old warehouse and turn the property into a community center. This one project could be a solution to many of the complaints such as the horrendous library, the eyesore of a building, and the fact that there is nothing to do and in turn issues of underage drinking and drug abuse. Many times with nothing to do people resort to things they shouldn’t do.

Right in the center of town along side all the restaurants this is an ideal spot for a community center. I would make it similar to the Jones center in Springdale, yet not being an hour and a half away it is much more accessible to our town. With a large shell of a building the new Greenwood Community Center could have anything: an updated library, meeting rooms, study rooms, a basketball court, a swimming pool, an ice skating rink, and a movie room.

Much like they sponsor other things in our town the community center would be funded by Farmers Bank, Walmart, and other sponsors. With the community in support of  the new development, it would be an appealing project to put their name on.

The versatility of this building would offer Greenwood a great deal. Not only a solution to the complaints but an asset to the town that we could be proud of other than our high school football team. The Greenwood Community Center would enhance our community and even elicit others in surrounding towns to come visit. This addition would enhance the town of Greenwood making it a better place to live.