A Tale of Two Places: Towards a Conversation About Place And the Forces Reshaping Them

I often feel like I’m living, straddled between two places, different, yet similar, on opposite sides of the world, 3,000 miles apart. At the end of 2021, I sold my home and drove with my son, from Washington State to Florida’s Space Coast so my son could start his career in aviation. Sometimes the events here and there are so similar, I have to stop for a moment to orient myself, is this Washington State or Melbourne?

One of my favorite subjects is geology for the way it reveals the unnoticed and incremental changes over time, rivers and valleys carved out over millennia, mountains shaped and formed, changes invisible to the naked eye. As humans, we live in the here and now, never seeing these changes as they occur. When new technologies appear, we forget what came before. These new technologies or community changes may erupt onto the scene, but they are shaped and built over time, and they evoke changes that will ripple into the future.

I find the parallels between the two places to be interesting.

For example, notice these two recent headlines: “Planning for the future of international travel at Melbourne Airport,” from Jan. 2025, and, “Paine Field plan is to expand for more airline flights by 2040,” from May 2025.

In EVERETT, “County Executive Dave Somers directed his team to work on adding more commercial airline slots at Paine Field’s terminal and generally expanding the terminal in an executive order May 20.”

In MELBOURNE, “We’re planning for the future of international travel at Melbourne Airport! With international travel at record highs, we are working closely with airlines to finalize the details of a major international terminal expansion to deliver increased terminal capacity and an enhanced passenger experience. “

Both regions tout growth and exciting opportunities, major businesses moving in, providing jobs and progress. Yet, having worked in community and major economic development projects over two decades, I see challenges that come as part and parcel to the growth. It’s crucial that we have conversations about these issues, that we make room at the table for voices from different perspectives, the elderly, the disabled, the everyday people, you and me. So that what we create, as we continue to grow, truly benefits all people, not just a few.

By investigating other places, we can learn from each other on both sides of the country, from others who have come before so that we can avoid the pitfalls of the expansion and growth. While change can be exciting, it’s important that we also look at mitigating the downsides. Just as with urban growth, I see patterns in the digital world with AI, as it disrupts entire industries. And while some seem almost callous when they discuss these changes, I think of the human cost, those who will encounter changes they might not be ready for.

When planning our growth, we must consider everyone because, after all, the communities that we are shaping exist to benefit the people, so they can live their lives. Sometimes it feels as if we are shaping our communities to benefit technology, or that exciting changes are pushed forward without fully thinking about those who might be marginalized or left out. But we must not forget the humans, the individual people who are raising families and living in these places, who are riding along in the current of growth.

My passion, and life’s work as a writer and communicator, has been about using my talents to help forge community, to help people connect and communicate, to tell stories, to create places “worthy of our affection,” as James Howard Kunstler once said. I love to research and to learn about the communities where I live, to find places where I can roll up my sleeves, to jump in to help. I attend chamber and networking meetings, like those at Groundswell Startups, or Women in Defense, and visit interesting places like Mt. Dora, with its elevation of 167 feet, when I miss the amazing mountains back home.

Since my days in Everett, WA, I’ve worked on community and economic development issues, from helping with the $355 million revitalization of the downtown core, to assisting a veterans counseling agency, to serving as Team mom on my son’s sports teams. In Everett, it was a heady time, with new businesses and projects that reshaped the region, leading to the Paine Field Airport expansion, similar to our own Melbourne International Airport here in Brevard County. Paine Field Airport is about an hour from Seattle International Airport, while Melbourne Airport is about an hour from Orlando International Airport. Both regions have undergone a similar history and trajectory.

Being a writer makes me a bit of a sceptic. I annoy people with my questions. I want to know what’s underlying the research, the code, who is funding the project, and why. I talk to neighbors, I ask people about the problems, about their business, or the regional growth that is happening, and what makes it work or not.

That’s why I like this story and the series on which it is based. It looks at both the exciting growth and promise, while also looking at the struggles and problems that come with growth. According to the article, “America’s Evolving Cities is a USA TODAY Network project that takes a close look at four regions across the country and their unique paths to success — and how residents have benefited or suffered along the way.”

Here in Brevard County, according to the article, the current growth episode brings the following:

•  Florida’s Space Coast is experiencing rapid economic growth, driven by diverse sectors like space, aviation, tourism and health care.
• The rise of commercial space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin has offset the impact of the space shuttle program’s end.
• While the economy thrives, challenges remain, including balancing development with environmental protection and maintaining housing affordability.”

When I ponder these things I am reminded of this quote: “There is nothing new under the sun,” Ecclesiastes 1:9.  Whether it’s airport expansion, regional growth, or new technologies like AI, while things may appear novel, they are ultimately variations of what has come before whether in Washington State or Melbourne Florida. I see the cyclical nature of life and the repetition of human experiences and actions throughout history; I hope to help steward the changes so that we consider the myriad human lives that will be impacted.

I’d love to hear what you’re seeing in your own communities. What parallels or differences are you noticing?