2879840631_44ff6ddf41At age 14, I got my first taste of a big city when my family took a trip to Chicago.  I’ll never forget sitting in the backseat with my younger sister and watching the skyline as we drove in.  I was immediately memorized by skyscrapers and the hustle and bustle of the big city.  From that point on, I told myself I was moving out of Grand Rapids when I got older.

I remember being in high school and thinking, “Grand Rapids is so boring.”  Or, “there is nothing fun to do around here.”  But as I got older and wiser I learned to appreciate the things that really matter and make Grand Rapids such a cool city.  Over the past 10 years I’ve seen Grand Rapids transform into a place with excellent schools and health care, diverse restaurants, music and art institutions, growing tourism, innovative “green” initiatives and a caring community.  In fact, it makes me proud to be raising my daughter in a place that is the best of both worlds…..a big city feel and strong mid-west values.

I recently came across an article in Rapid Growth Media and it sparked my interest.  Do you think Grand Rapids has the potential to be the next Chicago?  We shall see…..