JJ

While reading my assigned chapters in Suburban nation I will admit it was starting to feel a bit like a book of standards and I was loosing interest in street widths and garage placement when a name appeared on the page, Jane Jacobs.  Never has a named caused an image to instantly pop into my mind as if I had stalked a name on wikipedia as seeing her name.  I can't help but see the bangs and bob haircut, the wide framed glasses and the slightly hunched posture.  And I hate admitting physical appearance was the first thing I thought of, though it is an image that makes me smile.  The next thought of course is the firm opinion and words she held toward urban development.  She felt strongly about her home neighborhood and fought against what she saw as poo planning.

Jane wrote a book called "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" where she attacked City's Policies toward urban renewal.  I am embarrassed to admit I have not read her book, I have seen interviews about her passion and stand and I am interested in learning more.

I read an article once called Attack of the Butterfly Spirit, it was about community gardens and how an unlikely voice spoke out to save hundreds of community gardens throughout the Burroughs of NYC.  Bette Midler stood up to Mayor Giuliani in order to keep empty lots that had been used as community gardens from being turned into city owned parking garages and concrete structures instead of open green space or edible landscape for the common good of the neighborhood.