Seattle has problems, but this city is worth it

Seattle is worth fighting for. That’s the thought I kept having as I walked through the city yesterday. I walked for almost eight miles around downtown mostly, and it really is a magical place.

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Sure, someone with clear mental issues got way too close to me when I was buying an iced coffee at Starbucks by Westlake Center. For a minute I wondered if I was about to have to defend myself. And obviously, I saw some homeless people and tweakers occupying doorways.

But mostly I loved the sights and sounds of the city.

Where else does a market like Pike Place even exist? It really was a joy to rent a LimeBike for a buck, watch a movie, and then walk down to the Seattle Art Museum. I get why over 4,000 people a month move here. I had an amazing happy hour at about mile number six. Fresh oysters on the half shell and avocado toast. I guess that makes me an honorary millennial.

To overstate the obvious, there are tremendous growing pains right now. Big companies are trying to build new places to live and work as fast as they can. As of the end of January, we still lead all cities in the US in the number of construction cranes. Hopefully when these new units come online, it will continue to drive prices down in the rental market. Will it be “affordable?” Probably not by many people’s standards, but spend an afternoon on foot in the Emerald City and it’s clear things are happening.

If you are not paying attention, this place can definitely run you over. But it’s not aggressive by nature like walking the streets on the East Coast.

It wouldn’t be a sunny day without a protest. I walked by a group of folks chanting and holding up flags and signs about Nicaragua and the deadly riots and looting happening in Central America. I felt for them since I just visited their beautiful country a few months ago. What’s happening is tragic.

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So what are we talking about here?

As much time as we spend talking about negative trends here, the upshot for me is that this place is worth it.

Let’s all fight for what’s important. For me that means a version of Seattle that still sparkles in the afternoon sun as fish fly through the market and a tourist feels safe to ask for directions. It means that there’s a place for people to go who need help kicking a bad habit and people that need a warm dry place to sleep.

But it also means shiny new buildings next to the iconic ones we already know.

I’m all in for a more fair and equitable Seattle. Let’s not lose our collective souls and allow the fighting to turn nasty. That’s not the Seattle I know and love.

You can hear “What are we talking about here?” everyday at 4:45 p.m. on 97.3 FM.

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