Introduction

Hello! My name is Allex Smith and I am from Springfield, Ohio. Coming from Springfield—also nicknamed The Champion City— gives me particularly unique experiences to draw from as we discuss planning in this class. Several online and printed publications have reported Springfield as being one of the worst cities in America; Just to mention two, theglobeandmail.com and The Ventriloquist both called Springfield “the unhappiest city” in the United States in 2012. With I-70 running through the city and I-75 not far away in neighboring Dayton, Springfield has suffered at the hand of the heroin epidemic amid other crises like a loss in manufacturing jobs, under-funded public schools, and high crime and poverty. However, my hometown has been on an upward trend in the last seven years. The city has completely revitalized the down-town area, bringing more commerce, a new restaurant scene, and town homes along the historic Fountain Avenue. While Springfield has endured a tiring and turbulent past, I truly believe that the city will cling to its recent progress. One fun fact about Springfield is that it’s John Legend’s home town too! (He and I went to the same elementary school!)

My major is in fact City and Regional Planning. I chose this program as it combines several of my interests, like government, economics, and sustainability. This course is required for my major and I am excited to delve into the material.

After much deliberation, I am designating my favorite city as Boston, MA (special mentions to Cincinnati, OH and Petoskey, MI). I first visited Boston when I was a sophomore in high school. I love Boston’s physical diversity between the urban center and parks by Fredrick Law Olmsted. Boston is also teeming with history—some good and some bad. Boston’s spirit is very tangible and enamoring.