Home Is Where the Heart Is: The Importance of Being “of the Place”
Consider this scenario: You want to build a house. There are numerous factors to consider: structure, cost, necessities, location … the list goes on. What is the firmness of the soil? Is the water table high or low? Are there water bodies nearby? What are typical weather conditions? Who would you trust to build this house to meet your needs: someone who lives and works in that area, with expertise to match, or someone with the necessary qualifications who is a stranger to your environment?
There are plenty of reasons to contract with local builders, such as less corporate and administrative costs being passed on to buyers, travel costs, and a familiarity with regional building practices and aesthetics. This idea, however, can be applied more broadly; think of the creative costs to your project when a cookie-cutter concept is employed or the basic character of your surroundings and local culture are ignored. People who are of a place have more than just a working knowledge of how a structure or attraction can work in any given environment. They have a feel for your area, a sense of the people and history, and invaluable experience focusing their expertise right where you live. Selecting planners, builders and contributors locally will reflect that feeling of pride that comes only with calling a place home.
