What Southern Utah Could Learn from New York City…There’s a Lot

I recently had the chance to travel to New York City to visit some family. While that sounds boring on paper, this was a sort of first for me. 

I say “sort of” because I’ve played tourist in the big apple before, but this was the first time I’ve visited one of the more suburban areas of Queens and Manhattan.  

While I was there, I couldn’t help but think about Southern Utah and how we do things here. You might be thinking “I’m glad I live in St. George,” there are some things about New York I couldn’t help but want to integrate into my hometown.  

The biggest thing I saw was how accepting the people were of others. Regardless of race, gender, religion, or political affiliation, they are New Yorkers, and they are treated as such.  

Here in St. George, I can’t help but notice the many residents who exclude outsiders if they aren’t a member of their church or if they think a certain way. There’s a number of reasons for this, but I’ve never really felt that sense of comradery with the people of St. George. 

Another thing I noticed while in New York was how efficiently the people used the space they’ve been given. I’ve been told by city leaders that they don’t want big apartment buildings, of which they called slums, in Washington County. I understand why. They don’t want any communities that could bring a negative influence on the city’s ecosystem, but the housing market would have something else to say about that.  

Another thing I’ve been told is that city officials want St. George to keep it’s small-town feel. I got to experience the biggest city feeling you can find in America, and I can confidently say St. George will never become a big city, but the mentality of “small town feel” is harming the city more than helping it. I’m not a politician by any means, but I have noticed the many young families struggling to make it through this “small town” despite working full-time jobs.  

Just a thought y’know?