Publishing a list is risky because the content is always limited, however, as we have seen in the Market Basket crisis there are times when you have to stick your neck out (cue the giraffe). August is a time when a lot of people slow down and take time off from work. It’s a month when we can not only reflect on how the summer has been but also how the year to date has gone as we get ready for the fall and busy final quarter of the year. This has been a year of restructuring in politics and government. Our still-new City Manager Kevin Murphy has assembled most of his new team and with the City Council is shaping a strategy to keep the city moving forward. We have the City of Lowell master plan, the Downtown Evolution Plan, a creative economy development plan, and other road maps that show where we have said we want to go. The community has social and economic challenges to meet, as well as some systemic problems to grapple with, but we must not lose sight of the enormous success of Lowell in the past 40 years and the array of built-in advantages, distinctive resources, and outstanding talent in this place. For today’s post, I want to highlight just twelve initiatives or ventures that have grown up here in the recent past and which generate good vibrations in the community. These efforts show that we are moving forward. When we look around for activities that we should encourage and support, this list is one place to start. If your favorite new-ish thing is not on here, then give us a comment and add your recommendation. And this list is in no way a reflection on the long-standing assets in the city. We know that list, and we are grateful for everything on it.—PM

.

Mill City Grows

The Party Band

Lowell Film Collaborative

Lowell Canalwaters Cleaners

United Teen Equality Center

Western Avenue Studios

Arts League of Lowell

The Wish Project

Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust

Merrimack Valley Sandbox

Mill No. 5

Public Matters