Since I went to school in Sonoma County, I’ve visited Petaluma a few times this summer to see friends. As a college student who lived either on campus or so close to campus that I was still practically living there, Petaluma was a sleepy town I’d only venture into for its dive bars on a Saturday night.
However, now going to visit with the sole purpose of catching up with friends, I can very clearly see the appeal of it. Downtown Petaluma really is the heart of the town with its streets and storefronts filled with quaint restaurants and unique shops. I think the part that makes people like Downtown Petaluma so much is its walkability.
Unfortunately, I don’t see much of that in Fremont or Newark.
I think what brings people into a common space is the need for something: groceries, shopping, restaurants. Of course we have all of that, we even have it all in one place. The glaring issue—and annoyance—is that it seems the design of these places were made with cars in mind instead of people.
Pacific Commons on Auto Mall Parkway has great stores: Target, Nordstrom Rack, Sephora, but it all feels so divided. Across three blocks lay huge retail names but what takes up the majority of that space is parking. Parking around, behind and between stores.
With so many stores closing and an empty NewPark Mall, I’m grateful I still have a place near me where I can actually shop in person, but as Fremont keeps changing and the downtown continues to develop, I hope those in power stick true to their word of trying to build a strong community for the people who live and work here, not just for large retailers
