To the editor:
Thank you for the Rev. Rona Tyndall's beautifully written Midweek Musing (Opinion page, the Times, Wednesday, Feb. 8) about changes under way in the Fort neighborhood.
I don't think what makes Gloucester special is any collection of buildings or single neighborhood.
When the houses along the harbor side of Stacy Boulevard were cleared a century ago, some people didn't like the change. Today the Boulevard is one of the most beautiful places in Gloucester, bringing people together every day for exercise, walks with family and to see old friends.
In the 1940s and '50s, a neighborhood of small houses grew up in Burnham's Field. Eventually the houses fell and were removed.
Today, on the same patch of land a stone's throw from my house, parents cheer their kids playing softball, football and soccer. People come down every day to walk their dogs, sip coffee and trade stories with other dog-owners. A garden was started in Burnham's Field last summer — another new community of people coming together.
A few years ago, people lamented the closing of the Depot Cafe, a longtime fixture on Washington Street. Today in the same spot, the Azorean restaurant is packed with people who come to celebrate family milestones or meet friends for dinner.
Any parent knows that a child won't stay 3 or 5 years old forever, as much as we want them to.
Kids grow up. It's up to us as parents to find ways to keep that strong but constantly changing bond with them as they grow.
Communities change, too. Gloucester's been changing for centuries. We can't keep it from changing.
As it does, it's up to all of us to create new groups of friends and neighbors, new communities of people who look out for each other and love this port we call home.
Think about it. How many other people feel as strongly about their town as we do? That's what makes Gloucester a special place.
John McElhenny
Allen Street, Gloucester
