Build it and people will come
Charbonneau Villager September 2025 7
Civic Affairs
By DAVE MAUK
Build it and people will come
Throughout the summer this column has shared thoughts on cultivating community— how we’ re interconnected by more than roads, bridges and civic
MAUK affiliations. Why do some communities thrive as others die? What makes a community be our choice where to live, where to get involved and where we feel relief in returning from being away?
When you read this column, my wife Deb and I will in fact be away. We’ ll be in Switzerland on our annual overseas trip. One of the aspects of travel that fascinates me is the attraction certain places have to pull us in, make us feel comfortable and stimulate us, too. There is a strong sense of being in the right place at the right time. Charbonneau’ s global travelers also likely notice this.
Visiting new places is a contest between expectations and uncertainty, reassurance and discouragement. We wish for the amazement that emerges from peeling back the bewildering layers of streets, shops, sights, food, history, customs and language to create highlights of our trips.
The pedestrian-friendly spaces in the middle of cities like Lisbon, Barcelona or Vienna are delightful ways to connect to those communities. The networks of parks, gardens and green spaces in Paris, London or Dublin soften urban echoes into soothing whispers. And the ancient piazzas of Rome, Florence and Cusco, Peru, the oldest city in the Americas, is like scenery lifted from a movie.
In Switzerland we’ re choosing smaller, more isolated, less visited villages outside cities. One is a carless town with trails linking it to other hamlets, all tucked into the scenic valleys and hillsides of the
panoramic Alps.
What makes all these places stand out is their charm. Whether paved plazas or green landscapes, they appeal to us by their balanced beauty and to our senses, by connecting us to the energy, spirit and stories that tumble into our laps by just being there.
One overriding physical characteristic is shared by these places- large, full-throated cities, midsized towns filled with famous sights and quaint villages like where we’ ll be in Switzerland. These communities have a visually appealing layout that effortlessly displays its charms and distinctive authenticity. It’ s where you’ re drawn to the people, culture, history, food, crafts, art and music that’ s happening around you- that you’ re now part of.
These communities, whether urban or rural, seem to lean into family and friends, healthy lifestyles and social activities. This sounds a lot like Charbonneau doesn’ t it! One overriding trait of all these places is the thread that weaves that charm, spirit and energy into a cohesive, appealing spot on a map.
Each has a central core, a beating heart.
They have a town center, square, commons, plaza, park or pedestrian boulevard, where‘ villagers’ of these cities, towns or suburbs can meet, mingle, socialize, shop, eat, drink, laugh, tell stories, play, listen to music, share time with the other generations and celebrate their culture and lives. This is what makes these memorable places endure over time and generations.
Charbonneau has been revitalized by its new and updated campus, our central core. It’ s where we catch-up with others, play cards, have potlucks and meet for golf, tennis and pickleball or have a coffee, beer, sandwiches or hearty meal that is literally minutes away from our front doors.
Unfortunately, Wilsonville has the plight of being divided by its geography, not just by a river, but a busy freeway separating parts of it from
See CIVIC AFFAIRS / 8
Fall in Love with These Prices!
Autumn’ s coming, but these prices are already falling:
7250 SW Arbor Lake Drive | Now Offered at $ 799,000 2 Beds + Den | 2 Baths | 1,990 Sq. Ft. | MLS # 558327297
8070 SW Fairway Drive | Now Offered at $ 699,000
Lisa Willett
REALTOR ®, Broker Licensed in Oregon
( 503) 318-7585
Oregon License # 980800079 Top Performer 2021
I am committed to upholding the REALTOR ® Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
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Assistant to Lisa
( 503) 348-1008
2 Beds | 2 Baths | 1,730 Sq. Ft. | MLS # 470317078
Cascade Hasson Sotheby’ s International Realty Charbonneau Team 31840 SW Charbonneau Dr, Suite B
lisawillett. cascadehasson. com