I was in Old Town last weekend and was really happy to see the district packed with people.  There was a car show going on.  Old Town was hoppin'.  The atmosphere was great!

As I left to go home late that night, I said to a friend how neat it would be if Old Town was like that all the time.  Sure, the bars play a role in the business climate of Old Town, but it can't be just that.  Give us a reason to go to Old Town and stay.  Not just get drunk and go home.

Part of our conversation turned to the new downtown arena.  The issue of parking was brought up yet again.  Folks, parking spaces aren't the answer.  If this town is going to progress and move forward, we have to ditch the small town notion that you have to use your car to get around everywhere.

Have you ever been to Wrigley Field in Chicago?  How many parking lots does that stadium have?  None.  I also recently went to a concert at one of the largest stadiums in Ireland.  It's called Thomond Park and it seats about 30,000 people.  I saw one parking lot and it had room for about 20 cars.

It's all about public transportation.  I truly believe that, for this city to move forward and stop this flight to the suburbs, we must come up with some sort of user-friendly public transportation system.

I've blogged in the past about how Wichita's bus system is horrible.  I don't believe buses are the answer for the city as a whole, either.  Sure, focus a number of bus routes around the core of the city so people can get around once they get in, but I really believe we need a light rail system that brings everybody in from all areas north, south, east and west.

Now, how to raise the hundreds-of-millions of dollars it will take to do this?  Good question.  Maybe Jeff Herndon can answer that.

How about some of your ideas?  Let me know what you think.