Letters

The recent editorial “Better Than Nothing” [August 28], about the proposed 7-Eleven and gas station at the Riverside traffic circle, suggests that we should “take the win” simply because it removes blight.

While it’s true that the site has long been neglected, it’s important to remember what the Riverside community itself asked for nearly a decade ago in the 2015 Riverside Revitalization Action Plan.

That plan was not about adding more gas stations or cookie-cutter convenience stores. It was about creating a walkable, vibrant community with mixed-use development, opportunities for small businesses, safe public spaces, and destinations that would attract residents and visitors alike. The plan envisioned a revitalized hamlet that builds local pride and fosters economic growth rooted in the community’s unique identity.

A gas station and national chain convenience store may fill a vacancy, but they do not reflect the vision residents helped shape. In fact, they risk reinforcing the very image Riverside has struggled with for years — as a place for pass-through traffic, rather than a place to stop, gather and invest in.

Revitalization requires more than just removing blight. It requires holding on to the community’s aspirations, even when the “easy win” seems tempting. Instead of settling, we should be asking: How does this project move us closer to the goals of the 2015 plan? How does it serve the long-term vision for Riverside?

If we lose sight of those questions, we may fill empty lots, but we will miss the real opportunity for transformation that residents have been working toward for years.

Angela Huneault

President

Flanders, Riverside and Northampton Community Association