Add Bookmark | Recommend this book | Back to the book page | My bookshelf | Mobile Reading

Free Web Novel,Novel online - All in oicq.net -> Romance -> First American President in History

Episode 2 Young Mayor Chapter 71 Small Town Steel Valley

Previous page        Return to Catalog        Next page

    "Hey, Rex, I heard you're going to hold a steel culture festival?"

    After the news that Wang Lei planned to hold a Braddock Steel Culture Festival came out, it immediately became a hot topic among the residents of the town. They have been waiting for the young mayor to make a difference and bring new life to the town.

    "Yes, I hope it can bring more people, more jobs and business opportunities." Wang Lei always said this with a smile when someone asked.

    "Haha, that's a good idea, I hope you can succeed."

    Some town residents think it¡¯s great. The cultural festival can make the sleepy town lively with tourists, businessmen, bonfire parties, music performances They haven¡¯t seen it in Braddock for many years.  It can also provide job and business opportunities. They are also considering whether to get some small things to set up a stall, or get a job.

    Of course, not everyone is optimistic about the outcome.

    "Steel Culture Festival? That is indeed a good idea, but who will come?"

    They know that it is not easy to create an influential cultural festival. ¡°Without art, no performers, and no tourists, how can we show the amateur sketches of a few high school students, or move out the furniture from our homes, and then let everyone interact with each other?¡±  Do you want to visit?¡±

    "Hey, I have to say that young people have really rich imaginations. A successful steel cultural festival can indeed bring a difference to the town. But holding a cultural festival is not that easy. It's not like a child moving home.  , or a school simulation game.¡±

    ¡°With no money, no people, no art, nothing, where can a cultural festival come from?¡±

    These comments are quite objective. Some people directly think that Wang Lei is whimsical: "He doesn't understand anything!" "He is going to do it again!"

    Those employees who were destined to be laid off shouted resentfully: "Damn little boy, he wants to take our salary to play his cultural festival game."

    ¡°Rex¡¯s business simulation game?¡±

    The "Pittsburgh Post" published such a news on the second page. The news storm caused by "the youngest mayor" has gradually dissipated. However, as local media, the "Pittsburgh Post" and the Tribune are still paying attention to Braddock.  and Wang Lei's movements, and responded quickly.

    Compared with ordinary people's casual comments, the Post's news went more in-depth. They listed many similar cultural festivals and art festivals, such as the most influential "Three Rivers Cultural Festival" in Pittsburgh, and then analyzed what a successful cultural festival should be.  What does it look like.  It should have a large number of art works, wonderful theatrical performances, a dazzling array of art products, dazzling food, convenient transportation, unique culture, landscape, etc.

    "It is not easy to do this. Although Braddock is also part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, it is still a bit far from the center of Pittsburgh, especially from the Pittsburgh International Airport, so the transportation is not very convenient."

    "Bradock is a traditional steel town with no literary tradition. They have to find enough art works from outside to participate in the exhibition. The problem is, there will be so many artists willing to bring their works to an exhibition that has never been held before.  A cultural festival in a small town with similar events?¡±

    "Especially since this cultural festival has just been established and was planned by an eighteen-year-old high school student"

    Comments in the media are not optimistic. They believe that Braddock does not have the conditions to host a successful cultural festival. They also compared Braddock with those well-known cultural towns and concluded that Braddock is not.  With neither tradition nor any advantages, cultural festivals can only be castles in the air and self-entertainment, and the possibility of failure is very high.

    ¡°In the eyes of eighteen-year-old Rex, the cultural festival may be about eating, drinking and having fun, just like the homecoming of Woodland Hills High School, but we must solemnly tell him that the cultural festival is not that fun.¡±

    The Cultural Festival is of course not a homecoming day, Wang Lei knows this very well.  He ignored the voices in the media. For him, nothing was impossible, just like when he ran for town mayor, everyone thought it was impossible, but he was actually elected.

    The difference is that some people shrink back when they see difficulties, while others will work harder and find ways to overcome them when they encounter difficulties.

    The first Monday in September is Labor Day, so Wang Lei has three days off this weekend, and he can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

    Of course, there is still work to be done.  Early in the morning, Wang Lei put his camera on his back, mounted his bicycle, and rode along First Street to the Monongahela River.

    Braddock is located on the Monongahela River. The river flows through the town from northwest to southeast. There is also a main double-track railway built on the river. The narrow strip between the railway and the river is Braddock's  steel valley?Once the most famous steel factory area in the United States.  Here is the Thomson Edgar Steel Works, the oldest steel plant in the United States. There used to be many steel processing plants lined up along the river bank. Now most of them have closed down, leaving only the factory areas covered with rust.  Quietly looking at the rushing river.

    Wang Lei rode along the railway to Rankin Bridge, using the bridge line as the dividing line. On the other side of the bridge line is Rankin, on this side of the bridge line is Braddock, and on the other side of the bridge is the small town of Whitaker.

    Rankin, Whitaker, and even the towns around Braddock, such as North Braddock and Braddock Hills, are in similar situations to Braddock. They once prospered because of the steel industry.  Now they are all in recession.

    There used to be a steel casting factory under the Rankin Bridge, and part of it is still in operation. However, most of the huge factory area has become a display. There is a large open space under the bridge, with some iron troughs and unknown iron tools piled up in a haphazard manner.  It's stained and I don't know how long it has been there.

    Wang Lei watched and took pictures of the scene with his camera. He wanted to find the most suitable place to serve as the main venue for the cultural festival.

    The area under the bridge is actually quite good, with convenient transportation. It is connected to the highway to Pittsburgh through Bridge Street and South Braddock Avenue. Opposite the Rankin Bridge is Highway 837, which can be connected to the highway of Pittsburgh International Airport, although it is a bit  Far.

    The disadvantage is that it is far away from the Edgar Steel Plant. The blast furnaces and chimneys of the Edgar Steel Plant are the buildings that best reflect the steel culture.

    Wang Lei walked all the way along the railway, including dock companies, iron fittings factories, pipe fittings processing factories, etc. The once prosperous factories now have only empty sites and factory buildings, and few people are seen.

    It was not until the intersection of Sixth Street that he saw two black men squatting next to a pile of scrap metal in the deserted vacant lot next to them, the welding guns in their hands spraying out strings of dazzling sparks.

    {Piaotia Literature www.piaotia.net thanks all book friends for their support, your support is our greatest motivation}
Didn't finish reading? Add this book to your favoritesI'm a member and bookmarked this chapterCopy the address of this book and recommend it to your friends for pointsChapter error? Click here to report