07/29/2022
Amazingly put together thoughts from Moose Pass resident Bruce Jaffa
"Many may know 1-2 mile core of Moose Pass is in the crosshairs of a highway "modernization" project. A result of our communities opposition this Makes me think about how lucky Carole and I were to live and raise our family here. This is a little long but I would love to hear your opinion.
What is a Community
1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common
2. a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals
*Oxford Dictionaries
It’s about people.
First and foremost, community is not a place, a building, or an organization; nor is it an exchange of information over the Internet. Community is both a feeling and a set of relationships among people. People form and maintain communities to meet common needs.
Members of a community have a sense of trust, belonging, safety, and caring for each other. They have an individual and collective sense that they can, as part of that community, influence their environments and each other.
That treasured feeling of community comes from shared experiences and a sense of—not necessarily the actual experience of—shared history. As a result, people know who is and isn’t part of their community. This feeling is fundamental to human existence.
Neighborhoods, companies, schools, and places of faith are context and environments for these communities, but they are not communities themselves.
*Stanford Social Innovation Review 5/12/2015
What do we value?
Is it possible that the common difficulty in our country today is a loss of community identity, loss of belonging, lack participating in common projects? Do the trappings of the modern world separate us and diminish our ability to learn basic social graces? Even, as we are independent, (sometimes fiercely independent) and we try to be self-sufficient there is always an appeal to know that our community is there to share a common purpose and supports us, even if by just leaving us alone. Like family, our community is there if you need it, caring but separate. No one needs to feel alone.
As the Seward Highway grew and joined other Alaska roads this East Peninsula Corridor became vital to commerce, recreation, and travel. We all share an exposure to these activities. How do we want Moose Pass to be viewed by those visitors or travelers? As a narrow place in the road, or a place that cares deeply about its vitality and respects its history. A history that grew from a distant past to the modern era. An Alaskan history that is important to far more than the residents of Moose Pass. Here, we bridge our different philosophies, and attitudes to live in a place of scenic beauty without destroying the gift we have grown into. A look into the past allows us to have footing and strength as we journey into a changing future. Knowing our history keeps us rooted in reality and provides a foundation for fulfilling our dreams.
Moose Pass Community Organizations and Institutions
• School
• Post Office
• Library
• Organized Civic Groups
o Community Club
o Chamber of Commerce
o KPB Advisory Board to the Local Planning Commission
o Volunteer Fire Company
• General Store
• Historic buildings and Structures
• Fudge and gift shop
• B&B business’
• Restaurant and Bar
• Motel
• Outdoor Recreation Business
• Aviation Business
• Contractors
• Artists
• Bike Path
• Parks
• Summer and Winter Festivals
• Winter outdoor Hockey
How many of the above will be negatively impacted or destroyed by the Grand Highway restoration? What would be the best thing to give up for the benefit of a fully modern highway? Why not find the exception to the rule and scale back this project to repaving along the 45 and 35 MPH zones? Repair the current ditches and culverts that have provided decades of service? Do not pursue ROW acquisitions that will devastate Moose Pass and un-needlessly remove a cultural icon from the Alaskan experience."
What does community mean to you?
What does Moose Pass mean to you?
