Many people make the move from New London to Waterford for many different reasons. I did the opposite and after being raised in Waterford, I moved to New London 26 years ago. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

In those 26 years I have witnessed a downtown that offers the Garde Arts Center, numerous restaurants and an impressive Waterfront Park. I no longer drive by an eyesore where Electric Boat exists, real estate has been developed downtown and neglected homes have been restored. The schools have improved tenfold. Our homeless community has a safe and clean shelter. There are so many other improvements that I am so proud of and none of it happened without the sweat equity of a lot of citizens.

I am not sure if 26 years qualifies me as old or new guard. I think the term divides us and does nothing to continue the momentum of development. I do want to recognize the old guard for all they have done. For years they have given their time and energy with no monetary reward because they too love our city. The lessons learned from their past experiences and the relationships they formed cannot be lost. My hope is we all can work together, respect each other and maintain a positive energy to keep New London on the right path.