By Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore
I’m not sure you know that I am a vociferous reader in my spare time.
I heard that author Richard Florida was the keynote speaker this week at the Florida League of Cities. While I was jealous of not hearing his presentation, I did the next best thing – I purchased his book, The Great Reset. Mr. Florida takes you through what he calls “resets”. He chronicles the impact of the 1870s economic downturns as a catalyst for the advent of train travel, industrialization, and the growth of urban cities. He also writes a chapter on the impact of the Great Depression, the lower cost of automobiles, and the growth of suburban sprawl.
We are all part of a large mega-economy of Central Florida. The possibilities for economic success and the preservation of our environmental treasures are endless.
We are all part of a large mega-economy of Central Florida. The possibilities for economic success and the preservation of our environmental treasures are endless.
This book, The Great Reset, is more about the economic changes from 2008 to 2010 and the rise of the creative economy. Most of you have not considered how the world changed from the Great Recession and the large housing bust around 2010.
It is clear in District 2 that we haven’t put enough thought and reflection into any of this. Shame on us. It is surely time if we want to leave northwest Orange County a better place. Lockhart has a great industrial heritage but never adequately developed its downtown core. I believe that is because Lockhart never incorporated it. If the transportation tax had passed and a train station put at Mott and Edgewater drives, the downtown would have taken off sooner. The good news is it isn’t too late. On Tuesday, September 3rd, the People of Lockhart and I are installing our first “downtown” history marker. The Main Street Programs have derived four points to revitalize downtowns, and history is one of the main features. We are doing what we can in Lockhart and waiting for Vision 2050 to pass and funding to come to improve Edgewater Drive.
The Pine Hills section of District 2 was developed during the suburban sprawl and automobile era. A vibrant, dense downtown does not exist. Most of the workers must travel too far to job markets. Richard Florida talks about the younger generation wanting to ditch cars and big houses and reside in more creative communities. On a positive note, the Lynx Superstop is being rebuilt, the Pine Hills Trail expanded, downtown design features added, and my People of Clarcona-Ocoee group is painting a mural with artist Delia Miller this Saturday at the Rebel Gas Station at the corner of Pine Hills and Clarcona-Ocoee roads. We are working towards a better Pine Hills.
As for Apopka, many residents are angry with the suburban sprawl and lack of infrastructure. Unfortunately, big box stores, large-scale farming in Central and South America, and the buy-out of Lake Apopka farms drastically changed the farming economics. Yet, Florida says this is the opportunity for a great reset. Apopka can become much more than a bedroom community for Orlando. Richard Florida has many ideas and methodologies to make this possible. I hope you read one of his books.
We are all part of a large mega-economy of Central Florida. The possibilities for economic success and the preservation of our environmental treasures are endless. We can offer a much better way of life while contributing meaningfully to the productivity and prosperity of the economy. Florida mentions the reset from 2010 as our opportunity for higher education, “sparking” the creation of the modern research-intensive university. Ah, we could benefit from thinking this through.
Yet too many times we sit back and let all the innovation locate in East Orange County, or the new chip industry and unmanned vehicles locate in Osceola County. We must do more than simply fill up large warehouses along Lake Apopka. We must innovate.
