Recent walks rediscovering open space in my hometown show some progress (though a bit sanitized) since the days when “the only relatively green space in the area winds along utility rights of way.”

These more recent walks have reminded me of what Harchester did right.

First, it had a Parks and Boulevards Commission that ensured major streets were both green and functional.

Second, it had a design commission that enforced good taste and reasonable scale in development.

Third, it encouraged appropriate amenities such as beer gardens on its small rivers.