(Reno Pictures: click thumbnail to see full size)
What a nice Monday morning surprise to read an article by Lauren Kramer from MySanAntonio.com:
“Once considered the lonely stepchild to Las Vegas, Reno has come a long way. Sure, you can still find a concerto of jangling slot machines in most of the gas stations and all the hotels, where patrons with glazed eyes wait to strike it rich. But step away from the blackjack tables into the sunny outdoors and you’ll discover there’s more to Reno than gaming.”
Some people have a habit of stepping on people who are already down. Instead of uplifting, they mock.
We are aware of it: Reno and the greater State of Nevada has been an object of ridicule the past two years as our economy has tumbled, bringing along the deepest housing crisis the last fifty years. That’s the brutal reality we face and facts back that.
But our City and State is far from being cast out in the deep abyss. I dare the naysayers to go out in the Reno afternoon sun and walk around and you will see what many locals have long been saying: Reno is alive, fighting, vibrant and a very active city. Yes, there are traces of economic casualties, but Reno is still a great, thriving place to live in. And as the columnist from San Antonio, TX have discovered:
“The Truckee River Whitewater Park, where we clamber out of the water, is situated in downtown Reno, where manicured grassy banks beckon with the possibility of picnics and outdoor festivals. We’d missed the Reno River Festival by a week, an annual event that attracts some 25,000 people and has become a city tradition since the park was created in 2003. “We’ve had something of a renaissance downtown in the last eight years,” says Hollis Laird, a 21-year-old rafting guide with Tahoe Whitewater. “I remember a time when downtown Reno was a sleazy, scary place. Now we have art galleries, trendy restaurants and bars, and it’s a great place to hang out.”
It’s a breath of fresh air to hear positive news from a visitor, and not just from a local’s perspective. I believe the worst is behind us (2009ish), and even if it’s not, we’ll be fine.