Dreams are funny things.

From the time we’re young, we’re encouraged to chase after them, catch them if we can.

But as we get older we’re taught to be more pessimistic, though we like to call it being realistic.

Sometimes we forget the idealism we were encouraged to chase in our youth.

It’s time for even the most pessimistic of Selmians to wipe the dark clouds from their eyes and get behind a collective dream that could change course of our city forever.

When it comes to the dream that is the Selma Riverfront Park, we’ve heard from the pessimists.

“It’s too expensive,” they’ll say and then add that it will take too long to complete.

Finally, while shaking their heads and clucking their tongues, they add, “It’ll never work.”

Shame on them.

In the history of just our country many great ideas were scoffed at, ridiculed and dismissed.

The transcontinental railroad was considered ridiculous by some.

Others thought The Empire State Building to be a horrid idea.

Still others dismissed a flight to the moon as merely flight of fancy.

Will making Selma’s Riverfront a beautiful showpiece be an easy task? No, it’ll take year of hard work. It will take the collective support of our leaders, our people, the state and federal governments.

Now is the time.

Get on board, help lead the charge and make a difference.

If we simply work together, one step at a time, we can make the dream a reality.

We can make this city a better place for us and for the future.