To say “There is a lot going in McCook right now” is an understatement. Everywhere you look, there is construction equipment, dirt piles and supply trucks. Not to mention numerous porta-potties and random holes in the ground.
West First Street in downtown McCook is like an obstacle course some days, as you weave around the boom trucks and cement trucks for Community Hospital’s new student housing complex, ROOTS. But with each brick being laid, excitement grows to have McCook’s first new building downtown in decades.
Half the parking lot between the YMCA and McCook High School is unavailable because of the major renovation project at the YMCA, specifically the pool area now. As different parts of the building are added on to or renovated, various areas around the facility will open and close. But the inconvenience now means a wonderful facility later.
The pile of dirt at the ballpark project north of McCook continues to grow as dirt work continues to transform the field into a playable surface, offering new softball and baseball fields. The area will also offer valuable greenspace for soccer, flag football, even just flying a kite, which is currently lacking within the city limits.
These are just some of the projects impacting the community. McCook Community College has plans for its campus, the city is constantly working on the streets and water lines and internet companies seem to be everywhere laying fiber lines for broadband internet service.
And McCook Schools wants to build/update the junior/high school complex with a bond issue coming up for a vote later this month.
To some people, this can be overwhelming, both financially and mentally.
That is understandable. There is a lot going on right now. It can be hard to comprehend why we need or even want all these improvements and changes in our community. It also affects our pocketbooks because the money for these projects has to come from somewhere.
Part of the reason all of this movement is happening now is because major projects didn’t happen for a long time. Community leaders were satisfied with the status quo, which seems like everything is staying the same but actually leads to deterioration. Rather than being pro-active, the can was figuratively kicked down the road, which has led to a bottle-neck of activity in the community.
We also settled for “it’s fine” or “it was good enough for me” when considering changes and improvements.
McCook’s city pool was considered “fine” for decades despite near-freezing water and lack of things to do. Not until the pool shut down due to mechanical failures did a sales tax bond issue pass to build the new aquatic center. And now shouts of laughter from near daily capacity radiate from the new facility and we can’t imagine not having a new pool.
The McCook Junior High is considered “good enough” with students attending school with classrooms separated by fabric walls and walking down hallways which are uneven to put it mildly.
This thinking and these decisions have caught up with us but rather than lamenting everything that is happening right now, we should be rejoicing that there is so much movement taking place in our community.
It means we are willing to invest in our future and make sacrifices today to ensure our community is around years from now. It means we are willing to do things that will hopefully make our young people return to the community. It means we value families and want to create a community where they want to raise their children.
As you drive around to see all the projects underway, consider how this will benefit the community in the long-term. As you read in the paper about the changes happening, think about how your children and grandchildren will enjoy the amenities being put in place. As you consider whether to vote for or against a bond issue, decide whether you are willing to make a sacrifice now to have an educated society later.
McCook is on the Move and we can bemoan the flurry of activity and the sacrifices we are making right now. Or we can celebrate that we are making our community a better place to call home.
