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4BODYOFCHRISTNEWSMARCH2014WhatMakesaGreatCityWhenmywifeWilmaandIrecentlytraveledtoLondonIstanbulPragueBudapestandViennaIthoughtabouttheongoingdiscussionoftheLeadershipFoundationoftheDenverMetroChamberofCommercewhichIchairedandthequestionweareconstantlyaskingourselvesWhatmakesagreatcityItackledthesamequestionwhileteachingasessionatHarvardfornewmayorsfortheU.S.ConferenceofMayors.Overtheyearsmylistofeightessentialsforacityhasgrownto10baseduponconversationswithmyMetroChamberFoundationdialoguepar-ticipants.Iamsurethislistwillevolveintomorecomponentsascitiesworktowardgreatness.FornowIbelievethese10necessitieshavebecomeparamountforacitytobeconsiderategreat.1.Everygreatcitylikeahomemusthaveastrongfoundationtobuildupon.Acitysfounda-tionisitsstrongfiscalpolicieswhichincludesprovidingbasiccityservicessuchassafetygoodroadsqualityparksstateoftheartlibrariesandfundamentalutili-ties.Andlikeahostinahomethecitymusttreatitsresidentswithrespectincludingcustomerser-viceandpromptvendorpayment.Withoutthisbasicfoundationacitywillbegintocrumbleandneverbeabletoexpandandbuildonitsstrengths.2.Asnotedinthefoundationeverygreatcityhasresidentswhofeelsafeintheirhomesandonthestreetsbecausepublicsafetyisthecoreofeverygreatcity.Inadditioneverygreatcityhasgoodschoolstoeducatetheirchildren.Agreatcityalsomusthavegreatuniversitiestogiveresidentseduca-tionopportunitiesbeyondhighschoolandmustbeabletoattractgreatmindsandprovidefortheskillsnecessaryforacitytogrow.Withoutthesequalitiesofliferesidentswillfleewherevertheyfeelthoseopportunitiesexist.3.Everygreatcitymustdevelopandpromoteitsculturalinstitutionsincludingthesymphonyoperaartmuseumsandothermusicalgenresandtheirevents.Thesupportoftheartsshouldbeasequalasitregardsitsprofessionalsportsteams.Artisourinnersoultheconservatorofthepastandthepredictorofthefuture.Balletjazzhiphopandrockandrollalsoneedtobeconsideredaspartofourarticon.MywifeWilmaandIrecentlydevotedmoreofourenergiestosupportingtheculturalinstitutionsbecausewefeelquitestronglythatitisthesoulofwhatmakesacityheartbeatalongwithitssportsteams.Ourrecentdedicationtotheartscontinuesourlong-heldsupportofartsandculturewhichasmayorincludedthesymphonyplayingatmyinau-gurationandmypushingforbondelectionstohelpallculturalinstitutions.Italsoisvitalthatagreatcitysupportitslibrariesandmuse-ums.Acitycannotbegreatwithoutbeingwell-roundedwhichmeansitsleadershipanditscitizensmusthaveastrongdedicationtoitscul-turalbase.4.Everygreatcityhasathrivingdowntownandhistoricpreserva-tionplaysakeyroletomaintainit.WhenIwasfirstelectedasmayorin1991Denversdowntownmir-roredotherdowntownsinthatitbasicallyshutdownatsundownandwasstrugglingtosurvive.HowproudandfortunatearewetonowhaveoneofthemostvitalandvibrantdowntownsinthenationthatrivalsChicago.ThelistofdowntownsdyingislongbecauseunlikeDenvercityleadersdidnotmakeitthecenterofdevelopment.Wesupportedsportingandcul-turalstructurestoremainandgrowdowntownincludingtheBroncosnewstadiumthePepsiCenterCoorsFieldtheEllieCaulkinsOperaHousetheDenverCenterforthePerformingArtsandColoradoConventionCenter.ThelocationofthosefacilitiesdowntownandneardowntowncreatestheenergytomakeDenvertheenvyofthecountry.ThecityhadthewisdomtopushforapartnershipwiththeRegionalTransportationDistrictRTDwhenitlocateditsmainterminaldowntown.Thecitymadeaninvestmentof10milliontowardthe50mil-lionpurchasepricetohaveaseatatthetableandbeapartofthedecisionmakers.Thisblueprintiswhatmakesdowntownstheeconomicculturalandsportshubforthestate.Itisalsoimportantthattravelerswhetherlocalnationalorinternational-haveeasyaccesstotheheartofacity.RTDwillenhancethosetransportationoptionswhenanewrouteopensandvisitorswillbeabletohopontolightrailatDenverInternationalAirportandbetakendowntown.Entertainmentplustransportationgiveresidentsreasonstovisitandlivedowntownandgrowthecenterofthecity.Ifyouvisitacityanditsleadersdonttakeyoutotheirdowntownthatisasigntheydonthaveoneorlostitbecauseofthelackofleadership.5.Agreatcityhasgreatparksandopenspace.Weshouldalwayssupportresidentswhoopposeallow-ingparkspacetobeusedforotherpurposes.Thatvaluableassetshouldnotbedivviedupwhenitisconvenienttodosobutshouldbecherishedandprotectedforfuturegenerations.Ourearlycitylead-ersgaveusthegreatgiftsofaparksystem.Parksarepartofeverycityslegacy.Citiesthatmaintainexpandandvaluecurrentparkspacestandoutasgreatcities.6.Agreatcityhasthoughtfulbusinessdevelop-mentandsupportsitsneighborhoodsandtheuniquecharacteristicsofeacharea.Cityleadersshouldlis-tentoneighborhoodconcernswhetheritisaboutgrowthorimprovements.Theresidentstakeowner-shipintheirneighborhoodsandoftenresistchangeiftheyfeelthatchangeismovingforwardwithouttheirinput.Thesameistrueofbusinessownerswhooftendontfeeltheyareheard.Ifacityisnotconsideredbusinessfriendlythosecompaniesmayrelocateelsewhere.Thesameistrueofresidentswhowantanactiveroleintheirneighborhoods.Creatingcollaborationthroughopencommunicationanddia-logueallowsforgreatnesstoshinethrough.7.AgreatcitypromoteshealthandwellnessasdidtheGreekswiththeOlympics.Acitycandothatbyprovidingbikelaneswalk-ingtrailsparksandotherfreeoutdooractivitiesthatallresidentscanenjoy.Agoodparksystemineverycornerofthecityshowsleadersunderstandtheimportanceofgivingeveryresidentachancetobepartofthecityscommunitybackyard.Healthyresidentsalsoseekoutbusinessesthatcatertotheiractivitieswhichinturncanbringinnewbusinessandstrengthencurrentbusinesses.Peoplewanttoliveinacommunitythatisvibrantandnobetterwaycanthatbeachievedthanbypromotinghealthandwellness.8.Agreatcityisalsoaninternationalcity.ItisoneofmyjoystoseeMayorMichaelHancockembracethisgoalasexemplifiedinDenveracquir-WellingtonE.WebbservedasmayorofDenverfrom1991-2003.TheLegacyDenverpartici-pantsheworkswithincludeChrisHansenDeidreJohnsonHeatherLaffertyMelanieLewisDickersonGraylonMillenColeArminMitchellBrentNeiserLindaOlsonFelipePineiroSusanShepardRogerShermanandBeckyTakeda-Tinker.ByWellingtonE.WebbOPINIONResidentsofagreatcityhavethewillanddeterminationtomaintaintheircityasgreatthroughtrustfriendlinesscivicengagementandfaithinthefuture.Thiscreatesthebuzzanintangiblefeelingandsenseofgreatness-thateverycitywantsandcanachieve.WellingtonWebbContinuedonPage21