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FROM STAFF REPORTS / Editorial

It’s amazing what simple will do, and the city of Pelham recently showcased that when it announced the date of its first-ever Christmas parade and tree-lighting ceremony in December.

It was a small addition to the city, but one that created buzz and meant something to the residents.

We recently asked the question of what residents across the county would want to see as a change to their city that would be a benefit.

And while many of our minds think big, it was amazing to see how small some of the suggestions were.

Comments rolled in from residents across all corners of the county, and some were as simple as beach volleyball courts, more kid-friendly activities such as playgrounds and mini golf, nature trails, better food options and more.

Of course many wanted bigger ideas such as higher-end homes, more affordable housing, new parks, overpasses for railroad crossings, a community pool, new retail areas, wider roads to relieve traffic and so many more.

But regardless of which end of the spectrum you sit on, most of us agree our communities need some form of improvement, and something as simple as leadership showing they care about giving us a great quality of living is all we care about.That is obviously subjective. We all have different views of what an ideal quality of life is like, but working together to find what works best for each of us is key.

It’s evident each community has residents who need something to help make the quality of life better, so it’s on the shoulders of leaders to continue finding ways to strive for that.

Pelham proved what can happen when you make a small change by sending the city into a frenzy of excitement about Christmas in July.

Chelsea has done the same with its recent opening of the city’s splash pad, next to the already built Melrose Park playground, while Alabaster, Calera, Columbiana, Montevallo and others are also making small changes.

We do live in one of the best areas in the state, but often, we forget to listen to those who make it great.

Every city could use some form of improvement and listening to those who live in the community is the best way to make a difference and keep our communities the best in the state.