05/02/2023
Someone sent me this, concerned, knowing I live here. It might be relatively accurate now, but I don't buy it being a permanent description of Barstow going forward. Yes, right now, Barstow, the entire community, both commercial and private, is severely depressed, under-resourced, with a lack of appropriate infrastructure to support a healthy community. Barstow has all the potential, the opportunity, and now, a large project that could truly change the entire future outlook for Barstow. If approached with common sense. ANYONE suggesting NEW commercial construction in the city of Barstow, is NOT considering the health of the general Barstow surrounding community. To put a new building next to several blocks of closed, boarded up businesses will benefit absolutely NO ONE except the general contractor given the contract. Period. You'll NEVER convince me otherwise. You build NEW commercial buildings in a healthy, thriving neighborhood, not a boarded up, closed down, derelict area. What Barstow SHOULD be doing, while waiting on the Rail Project to save Barstow and make everything great again, is to actually start improving the existing community here and now, starting with Historical Downtown, and branch out from there. Clean, fix, unboard, paint, make downtown look open whether it is, or not. Get many small parks developed, with large rocks, benches, shade awnings with solar charging and lighting, to encourage foot traffic along main. Develop parking. Develop a true, comprehensive plan to deal with the homeless, while the count is below 100, not after the new railyard, when, if not prepared, the homeless count will probably skyrocket. And, the part about education. Make Barstow a community people enjoy both living AND visiting, and I bet there'll be more qualified professionals drawn to the area, to then educate our young here. Barstow isn't less smart. Barstow just hasn't attracted enough qualified professionals to keep up with technology, and keep our children educated properly. Nothing I've mentioned requires building a single NEW building, anywhere. In fact, most of what's needed is relatively inexpensive, grass roots level, and simply takes someone do DO something. Labor intensive, but not cost intensive. I've offered my services pro Bono for months now. The fact that not one single person associated with Barstow has taken advantage of my offer shows me that something is truly off-kilter with how decisions are made, and how realistically Barstow is about helping itself.... Not very, so far, as I can tell. But sure, go ahead and build a multi million dollar complex for new business. The outlets will probably be helped. Maybe. Anywhere in the city proper? It'll just end up another abandoned, boarded up building, costing the city, rather than benefiting it. Just makes zero sense. I've only lived here five years. I care. Deeply. And I'm ABSOLUTELY willing to put my money where my mouth is. I've offered to do minor repairs and paint the three blocks of historic main street. Free. I've offered to be onsite caretaker for a park developed on the hill, behind me. I've offered to secure main street, once it is unboarded and repainted, made to look open, 24/7, for free. I've offered to set up and run self sustaining low cost housing for those between the streets, and an actual apartment. Free. I've offered to pass on my 3D design skills, encourage student participation, develop proposals thru construction as-builts drawing ng packages, anything I can. Free. Just, truly puzzled here ....
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