Polk part of recipe for a thriving city

I am on the board of directors of the Irish District Music and Arts Festival, a non-profit organization that has adopted Cedar Rapids' Moundview/Uptown neighborhood as its home. Our annual festival is designed to promote a stronger community through a family-friendly celebration of music and arts, with all proceeds going to local music and arts education programs. Last year, we used festival proceeds to purchase new choir robes for Polk Elementary School.

Our organization, like the many other public and private groups working to revitalize core Cedar Rapids neighborhoods, understands that a key to the city's long-term success lies in a vibrant city core. Thriving neighborhood schools like Polk play a huge role in this effort by maintaining strong, stable neighborhoods. Strong neighborhoods attract small businesses, which create more jobs. Increased economic well-being spurs more development. The preservation of a city's distinct neighborhoods sets a community apart and promotes a better quality of life for all.

Conversely, closing a neighborhood school contributes to the neighborhood's decline. Residents and businesses move elsewhere, leaving vacant buildings and higher crime. As a city's core weakens, urban sprawl increases, bringing traffic congestion and habitat loss. The city becomes a virtual doughnut with a hole of poverty and crime where its heart should be.

I ask that the school board join efforts to keep Cedar Rapids strong by voting to keep Polk open.

Deborah Neyens

Swisher