The Fayette Tribune, Oak Hill, W.Va.

Local News

July 30, 2012

Planning for the future

Mount Hope’s youngest generation helps in process of improving town

How many times have we heard the phrase “children are our future” and rolled right along without giving it a second thought?

Of course, they are our future, but they’re proving to be a mighty important part of our present too — in planning for their future, and our future — especially in Mount Hope.

In a recent meeting of the Mount Hope Planning Commission, a group of boys and girls ages 10 through 16 showed up and shared input on what they’d like to see happen in their community (while most adults don’t bother showing up for town hall meetings or even manage to make it to the polls on election day, but that’s a topic for another day).

These children care about their town, that’s apparent.

But they also provided unique perspective for the town’s leaders.

When they’re in their 20s and 30s, these kids envision a Mount Hope that serves its community well — with playgrounds, clean streets, good quality child care, places to shop with healthy food, tutoring centers, health care facilities, a community garden, museum and employment that’s close to home.

In other words, a great place to raise their children.

Mount Hope is drafting a comprehensive plan to guide future land use and development.

So we applaud Mount Hope community leaders for involving its youth in this  process.

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

It appears Mount Hope and its resilient residents, despite recent setbacks and because of new opportunities due to the impending arrival of the Boy Scouts and The Summit Bechtel Family Reserve, are not planning to fail.

Leah Squires, Mount Hope’s planning coordinator, says that the children’s ideas will be incorporated into the overall planning document alongside the adults, calling their input “invaluable.”

There is a lot to a name: Mount HOPE.

As long as the town has a generation growing up with the tenacity that these children have shown, it’s a town with a very appropriate moniker.

Because where there is still hope, there is a life full of vigor, new opportunities and unlimited potential.

That’s all these kids are asking for.

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The kids’ contributions are available for view on the Mount Hope Planning Commission’s page on Facebook. More information about the planning process can be found at www.mounthopewvplan.com.

Mount Hope’s next planning meeting is Monday at 6 p.m. at the community center.



 

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