We consider it an honor to offer views from our rocker on things that impact our community. Some are positive, some not so much. Keeping this in mind, we’d like to give a kindly curmudgeonly view of last Sunday’s HGTV feature, a nationally televised piece billed as a major tool to kickstart our community.
Our “watch” party consisted of one, unlike the invitation-only gatherings we understand were held in preselected locations. Being a party of one is a good thing. Impressions of the hour-long presentation are uninfluenced and uninhibited.
We liked the intro. Minden’s resiliency was shown, featuring the overcoming attitude that rebuilt the town after twin disasters of fire and tornado in 1933. Through the camera lens, Minden appeared to be a colorful, clean collection of history and present. But what the camera doesn’t see isn’t always rosy.
HGTV was here to improve, promote and attract attention to what Minden can offer. One business, one family home and a couple of public spaces were selected to serve as kickstarts. We must say the choices were good. A business that focuses as much on people as profit and a couple dedicated to helping others help themselves received well-deserved attention and facility facelifts.
Understand this before we continue. Our intention isn’t to step on anyone’s bubble wrap, but we have some questions. We heard more than once in the piece that “all of Minden” was coming together to help, especially at the site of the newest gazebo/public space at Miller Quarters. If that’s true, our population has shrunk dramatically.
If there had been a call to all of Minden to help at that site, there would certainly have been more than the dozen or so that were cameraized. We remember the admonition to the public (i.e., little people) to stay away during filming. Guess that explains the limited number of chosen volunteers.
Yeah, crowds may have been a distraction, but the demanded secrecy during the entire filming was curious. We don’t think anyone would have given away trade secrets or tried to bootleg cell phone video. If this was to kickstart Minden, it would have been nice to see all of Minden started rather than kicked off the sets.
It was obvious that our town’s new inner circle was well represented. We believe there are those who deserve special credit for their efforts in getting the network interested. But we wonder who decided who would represent “all of Minden.”
We hope the goal of attracting boocoodles tourists/visitors to our town via this nationwide presentation is realized. We do have to ask, though: do we truly believe renewing one business, one family residence and two public spaces will do that? If large numbers do come, we think they need to see more.
The view through the lens was most likely intended to put on display a sense of unity and inclusiveness here. Those who, in the HGTV show, were identified as “Minden Leader” might take a moment and determine who they’re leading and who they’re including. Is it all of Minden, or just all of the select? You may be surprised at how many of us are willing to get involved to help us de-stagnate.
Final thought: Speaking of visitors to our city, we may be seeing a few coming to show their interest in land in our town. Their interest might be slightly disconcerting, however. We’ll know them by the clothes they wear, and the acronyms associated with the garments. Acronyms like EPA and DEQ. And we hear they might be interested in things like COC and, perhaps, LOC. Stay tuned.
