New Years day has passed and just like other years I was home watching the ball drop on Times Square in NYC. It got me thinking, who decided that New York City would be the king of the new year parties, why is the ball drop there so important, why not Washington D.C., Atlanta or Detroit. I don’t know how these rituals happen, I think they just do because someone was crazy enough to do something and over time we liked it. Maybe next year someone in Saginaw will come up with a crazy idea to do something to ring in the new year that will become a tradition. The ball drop has been done, I say raze something up whats the opposite of a ball, a box? Maybe we can have a box raising, how hard can it be, a milk crate with some Chrstmas lights, run up a flagpole. I am sure Saginaw can come up with something better than dropping a wooden sardine or a Moon Pie.
I also remember when I was a kid, NYC was the crime capital of the world, unfortunately that distinction goes to Detroit now. Since I pondered how Times Square has changed I did what everyone does when they have a question, I googled it. I found this article and thought it was interesting how Times Square has changed. It’s interesting how part of Times Squares revitalization was refurbishing the theaters, kinda how Dr Shaheen has refurbished the Temple theater. I am sure every city has it’s own unique set of problems but there are some similarities and we can learn from what has worked in other cities. I have a feeling that 2014 will be a big year for downtown Saginaw with the renovations going on with the Eddy and BancroftBuildings and David Strouse investing in the Leo Kahn building along with CMU and other developments such as the new pavilion, I hope we continue to see downtown change for the better. It will never be what it was but hopefully it will be a place people will want to go to and enjoy again.