Patrick McLean's Vision for the City of Ypsilanti

My vision for the City of Ypsilanti is that it be welcoming, inviting and inclusive for all of its residents, and that it provides the resources needed, through a lens of equity, that allows all of its residents to thrive and prosper.  Further, I want the City of Ypsilanti’s reputation to extend beyond its borders, so that those living outside of city boundaries know the city as a place that offers a strong quality of life for a diverse population.  I want the city to truly be a community.  A community is a set of people who are bound by some common element, goal, identity and/or geography.  A physical boundary (e.g., like a city boundary) is not automatically a community; it is only a community when everyone within that area identifies with and shares a vision and a sense of belonging.  My vision for the City of Ypsilanti is that the residents truly feel like they belong in our town, are welcomed and encouraged to be active in community affairs, and benefit from a city government that actively seeks to include and engage them.  Our city government should be inclusive not because it is somehow politically correct, but rather because our leaders understand that our city can only be strong if everyone in the community has an equal seat at the table. 

I love to walk through our city, often with my dog, and I’ve walked through cities across the continent.  Walking provides a particular vantage point and view that you don’t have when driving past or through at 25 miles per hour or faster.  What I have observed on my walks is that communities that are truly walkable are also vibrant.  A city that has walkable neighborhoods, a downtown core that can be reached by walking and destinations that can be reached on foot is a community that is alive with activity and commerce.  Ypsilanti has many elements of a walkable community, but we can do more.  I would love to work with City Council, the Mayor and the community to make Ypsilanti even more walkable and, in the process, a healthier, more vibrant city.