Exploring a changing Fort Collins
Meg has been writing about urban development issues in Fort Collins since 2015. Learn more…
Meg also writes about local history at NorthernColoradoHistory.com.
I’m hoping to add a recommended reading section here soon.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Think BIG
“The ultimate test of man's consciencemay be his willingness to sacrifice something todayfor future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.”― Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day. Humans have been reusing and recycling hand-made goods for millennia....
A Sense of Place Outside of Old Town
At a City Plan meeting last night, there was a short discussion on the term "distinctiveness." It was a theme in the 1997 version of City Plan as residents wanted to be sure that Fort Collins remained distinct from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington and Laporte rather than...
Roundabouts: the Sustainable Solution
I recently returned from a trip to Uganda and Kenya where I was impressed with how frequently roundabouts were used as opposed to traffic signals. It struck me that in an up-and-coming third world country, where resources aren't alway readily available but traffic is...
Streetcars and Commercial Centers
Last week I had the pleasure of attending Saving Places, a three day conference that looks at historic preservation as a means of enlivening communities, strengthening economies, and giving story to the lives and cultures of past and present residents. Transportation...
Sidewalk Disorder
This article was originally published on July 11, 2013 on my North of Prospect website. Since that time a Poudre student was struck by a car when a motorist fell asleep at the wheel. The student was walking on the shoulder of Laporte Avenue on his way to Poudre High...
The Fort Collins Streetcar Was Here
Old streetcar tracks were uncovered today buried under a section of Walnut street. The City is in the process of replacing water pipes that are over 100 years old and it was while digging up the street for that project that the old tracks were found. Though the wood...
Throwing a Building Away: Adding to the Landfill
At the rate we're going, the Larimer County Landfill will be maxed out by 2024 according to the Director's Report published last month. The growth and redevelopment of our built environment is contributing to the amount of waste deposited into the landfill yearly....
Ginger & Baker: a Delight to the Senses
Materials, patterns, textures, and colors shape our lasting impressions of a place as profoundly as does its overall formal organization and composition. -- Sarah Williams Goldhagen I had the privilege of eating lunch at Ginger and Baker last week, followed by a tour...
Auto Idolatry
America's car culture is a form of national idolatry. The United States has prostrated itself to the automobile. Even if you don't believe there is a God, I invite you to bear with me as I use this spiritual analogy to make a point about what our vehicle use, built...
Walk & Wheel Skills Hub – Fun with a Purpose
Oh, to be a kid again. I used to play all sorts of games of pretend when I was young. When I was in elementary school, we lived in a small town just outside of metro Boston and I spent a lot of time exploring, imagining, and riding my bike. There's something about...
What is a subsidy?
In talking about affordable housing, transportation, development and other issues related to urban growth, the term "subsidy" often pops up. It's generally used pejoratively and seems to refer to such a large variety of situations that the meaning can start to get a...
The Technology That Goes Into Electric Bikes
Congestion on northern Colorado roads is an increasing problem, consuming both our time and patience. The bus works well for some, but with several routes running only once or twice an hour, and other parts of town receiving no bus service at all, it remains an...