Kernville - Perception is Reality

The recent article in Forbes magazine about Johnstown and the Tribune article about the proposed designation of downtown and Kernville as a community revitilization strategy area bring back memories of the importance of image. When I was a teenager and young adult, I found out that Kernville had a really negative image, which was surprising to me since I thought it was a pretty nice place to live. I remember the concern of my junior high classmates at the prospect of attending Greater Johnstown High School in Kernvile. I also remember a college classmate (who, at the time, lived in the West End) and a significant employee of the New Day organization (based in Kernville) giving me rides to my home on Yoder Street in Kernville. In both instances as we turned the corner from Millcreek Road, I heard comments about how surprisingly nice it was there. In fact, one of them specifically exclaimed that it was an "oasis!" I was thunderstruck that my little average street, with average to below average houses could be considered an "oasis" by anyone. But that made me realize how negative the perception of Kernville was in the late 70's and early 80's.

Those negative perceptions of Kernville and Johnstown must be conquered by real investment in infrastructure. And I mean that type of investment that will lead people to make the choices made by the people highlighted in the book, "Life 2.0., How People Across America are Transforming Their Lives by Finding the Where of Their Happiness," written by the publisher of Forbes. That book brings to light what I believe (which I am going to keep saying until the day I die or am convinced otherwise)about the importance of creating a community that people want to live in. And if people choose to live in Johnstown that will invest in Johnstown. But to get that private home and business investment (sometimes in the same location as a home-based business), the city must have a strategic plan for investing in itself, including its people. As was indicated by the bank vice-president in the article about Kernville, it is a shame that a lot of the housing stock has been lost and not been renovated. However, every lost opportunity creates a new opportunity to promote mixed-use development that honors the city's past as a dense city with residential, commercial and industrial uses coexisting, except in a more modern context (sort of like the dream Mark Parker wrote about in his editorial). So, how about creating a real "oasis" in Johnstown that will give people of the region, state and nation something to get excited about.