Zone 1 Councilwoman: It’s a Northside thing

What is Northside Pride? You’ve probably seen or heard that phrase by now, maybe on a T-shirt or a car window or even in the newspaper. Why do people say that? What does it mean?

Northside Pride is the I.D. badge of who we are and where we live. It means we’re proud to be called Northsiders. It’s a validation and recognition of North Springfield as a good place to live. Northside Pride is a positive message to our children that there’s no shame in living on the Northside. Being ashamed is reserved for acting badly when you know better and people do that on all sides of town.

Northside Pride is our important place in Springfield’s history and heritage. It is how strongly we feel about Commercial Street, Jefferson Avenue Footbridge, The Frisco, and Doling Park. It’s being proud of the generations of families who have lived and worked in North Springfield and don’t leave. Their stories provide us with rich histories of the life in our neighborhoods before we came.

Northside Pride is how we feel about our historic homes with beautiful architectural lines and provenance. It’s appreciating and enjoying the summer shade and fall colors of grand old Maple, Oak, and Catalpa trees that grow on our properties and line our streets.

Northside Pride is the charm of quaint brick sidewalks, century old parks, and the little neighborhood groceries that dot our street corners. It’s the satisfaction we feel in having found our perfect place. Northside Pride is all about strong neighborhoods. It’s sitting on your front porch and greeting your neighbors by name as they walk past your house on a summer night. It’s when the neighbor across the street mows the yard because your husband is down and you didn’t have to ask.

Northside Pride is the relationships that are developed and fostered at backyard barbecues and block parties. It’s caring about and looking out for folks who care about and look out for you. Northside Pride is the stubborn streak that seems to run through all of us over here. We don’t give up, we try harder. We do what it takes to get it done. Sure, we have struggles – too much of this and not enough of that. But, that doesn’t stop us. Tomorrow will be a better day. We will make it a better day.

Finally, Northside Pride is our visions and our achievements; where we have come from, where we are today, and where we are headed. It’s about our bright future and the strong foundation that we are laying to get there. Northside Pride is a mindset of steely determination essential to people who love this side of town and work for what we need. Simply put, it’s a Northside thing.

Won’t you join us?