It is clear that Beaver, PA is a community filled with civic pride, and a community that is filled with such pride for its quality of place is one that people want to cherish and invest their time, energies, talents, and resources.

Now, I suppose that this is especially surprising given my past experiences as a Main Street Manager. In the community that I worked in, it was all too often that I posted some great aspect of the downtown, only to have people complain, point out the problems, and throw their own community under the bus.

At this point, the evidence for making communities more walkable is pretty overwhelming. Walkable communities are more healthy, more equitable, more financially secure, more safe, more happy, more attractive, more sustainable, and more relational.

But how can we make our communities more walkable?

Recently, I had the opportunity to do a quick walkabout in Downtown Waynesboro, PA, and I’m so glad that I did! From the smallest of details to the largest, it was clear that it is a community that cares and recognizes the value of quality placemaking.

On Wednesday, June 28, 2023 I was honored to present the closing keynote address at PA Downtown Center's Premier Revitalization Conference in Scranton, PA. My presentation, "Walking the Talk" recounted my walk of every street and alleyway in York City and the lessons it taught me through my first year as the Director of Downtown Inc, the organization committed to driving, enhancing, and encouraging investment in Downtown York, PA.

Here are my remarks: