When I moved to the City of Brookfield 35 years ago I was impressed with the friendly greetiing from the welcome wagon host who made me feel wanted as part of the community. Today there is no official welcome from the city, and yet a new commercial business is welcomed with a well publicized ribbon cuting ceremony.
And so the old and time tested tratition of starting out as a newcomer who is made comfortable upon arrival has faded into the past.
Thats the way it was.
Mayor Wirth was most deserving of having Wirth Park named after him. Mayor Wirth preserved open green spaces and the true style of suburban living, with some horses, cows and farms in an atmosphere of Hometown America.
Thats the way it was.
Mayor Mitchell also was most deserving of having Mitchell Park named after him, and he represented a gradual transition of modern and careful progress. Residents were involved in social activities during his tenure such as the Mitchell golf outing and dinner at Brookfield Hills and his annual Christmas party at his home, both of which were very popular events.
.Under both Mayor Wirth and Mayor Mitchell there was personal contact and a friendly community spirit.
Thats the way it was.
The major political issue in 1974 was the future development of condominiums, and residents voted them out because of their fear that property values would be harmed. My how times have changed.
Community leaders like Rolland Ruby wanted to keep the City of Brookfield united around a concentrated area. Thus Ruby Isle was born.
Gone are the places where people could meet and greet each other and keep up to date with the local issues and topics of the day.
Some of the hometown places were Judges' Beyond The Reef (Calhoun and North), Karters (now the Grecian Inn), Ciros and Phillips Pharmacy at Ruby Aisle (now Walgreens) with a real soda fountain.
Thats the way it was.
We still have the best hometown to live in and the future is bright if the pace of progress slows down and gives us a chance to catch our breath.
