Vibrant downtown due in Glen Ellyn

I just don't understand how the people of Glen Ellyn can stand by and watch their downtown area keep taking a back seat to other downtown areas in the western suburbs.

I keep hearing opinions and sound ideas from both Glen Ellyn friends and business owners on what Glen Ellyn needs to create a vibrant, financially successful, inviting downtown -- one that rivals the newly transformed Geneva. Maybe the right people aren't paying attention, aren't listening, aren't qualified to make things happen. This is not acceptable to me.

I love my neighborhood, the location of the schools, easy access to highways and commuter trains, the shopping, the restaurants, a variety of essential services right in town, a cinema I can walk to.

We have so much to offer, but we don't flaunt it.

We have to make improvements, but we ignore them.

We need some more great businesses in the downtown, and we need to advertise the ones we have.

We need some major renovations of old buildings to create interesting appealing spaces for new businesses.

We need to clean up our downtown sidewalks, remove the trash and make it a beautiful place to take a stroll.

Come on Glen Ellyn, our time has come. Take a good look around and see what other downtown areas are doing and let's get in on the action.

Kathy Howe-Burket

Glen Ellyn