As a second-year newcomer to Collinsville—I’m now going on seven years probation—I decided to wade into a few town meetings, after making sure they were open to the public.
Before retiring from city life, I had occasion to attend several city council meetings in Fort Worth, at least a couple in Dallas and Richardson. There, I could slip into a seat in the back (if I could find one) unnoticed by anyone, and leave the same way.
But going to council meetings in a town where the resident count is lower than the number of students in my high school is a different story, in a good way.
Coming into a small venue like the Collinsville Community Center or even smaller, the Annex, there may be a few awkward moments. I might need to introduce myself to the person I’m sitting next to; sometimes someone will scramble to fetch an extra chair. Everyone is always very nice, but the obvious question, spoken or unspoken, hangs in the air: why are you here?
I never sign the “Citizens to be heard” list for City Council so I’m there to listen. Usually that’s what I do at any group and I’ve learned a lot about what Collinsville residents think.
A mention of city population growth came up at a Chamber meeting a couple of years ago; a cute lady at the end of the table grimaced in disgust as she held up the two-hand, two-fingered cross to ward off vampires. Everyone laughed.
I didn’t see anyone look my way but I shrunk down, embarrassed and a little guilty for being part of the problem. I’d been in town just long enough to know the whole room was seriously in accord with that sentiment.
But Collinsville people are famously friendly to everybody; they’ve been raised that way, so it’s in their nature. But to be practical, town traditions require worker bees, and there may or may not be enough of those for each event. Pioneer Day used to be three days of festivities until it shrunk down to one, for reasons I’ve never asked about.
Maybe every small town has a collective memory of a “golden age” when all the buildings were occupied and schools had just the right number of students. Everybody in town could be counted on to pitch in; new people and businesses weren’t a concern because everything was just perfect.
I never understood this until a Collinsville historian published on Facebook a list of professional people and business enterprises that were here prior to WW2 and it was astonishing. Where are they now?
According to the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) statistics, the town needs to get those businesses back, because property taxes are nice, but business taxes is what the future is all about.
Resident-wise, I don’t know how much Collinsville’s actual population has fluctuated over the years. And do resident numbers really matter that much?
Judging by EDC taxable income priorities, citizens are needed to support those businesses!
Citizens have to live somewhere and they pay rent or pay a mortgage. Rental properties, already disproportionate to owned homes in town, are apparently growing in number. Oddly, the rental/ownership ratio is said to be one reason Collinsville won’t have a grocery store! Renters have to eat too, but it’s allegedly a “stability” indicator.
Statistics aside, the famous “Senator’s mansion” on Stone Street is now painted white and divided into three spacious apartments, and 17 so-called “semi-luxury “ apartments are very slowly (should we be concerned?) progressing at the former assisted living facility.
On the other hand, for renters or owners already here, especially those pesky newcomers, downtown looks to be popping with all kinds of new places to go, new businesses to frequent, and I hope we all do.
Main Street is getting full on the west side. Apologetics Coffee and Coin House in the gray building on the corner is now open, where energetic baristas serve a full menu of coffee drinks and trendy food to go with them. For lunch the ever popular Pirate Island maintains its place next to when Cloud 29 shopping hours happen. Hound Town grooming near the bank is keeping full schedules, no walk-in appointments available here.
Across the street, Virginia Station, named for an original downtown building, has a boutique in front and full salon services (Botox can be had, nails not so much) in back, with spaces to rent for enterprises to come.
On the Hughes Street side, the Donut Store is no longer alone on its quarter of a block as full construction is springing up next to the “sign museum,” which has to be appreciated at night. And maybe it will be, because the construction is rumored to be home to a “Babe’s concept” restaurant.
Counting the very popular food trucks, we will have Restaurant Row within walking distance of City Hall. In addition to great food, Collinsville is going to have some very nice things to offer and we’re all going to enjoy them.
