More Change

Since I started writing this blog I have mentioned change a lot primarily to do with how we can be champions, however, there are other changes. Of course, in personal way we can make changes in regards to our physical being as well. In fact, I would say when the year begins people do look to do more exercising so they can lose weight.  By February most have given up, and go back to their regular schedule.  I would say it has to do a lot with will power, however, I am going to say other changes has to do with technology and what has happened in Gig Harbor.

Technology has made a big change in the last twenty years with computers and cell phones.  I went back to community college in the early 1990s; the classes I took concerning computers had to do with business. I had no idea computers would go into the homes as well. The internet was in its infancy, and email was just beginning.  Of course, the internet began with dial up, and high speed internet wasn’t even mentioned. I think what made it so unbelievable was the cost involved. In the beginning it was somewhat costly but then became affordable for everyone.  The computer classes I took had to do with building networks for small businesses, and window programs like Word, and Excel. Cell phones were not even mentioned at the time. Now almost everyone has a cell phone, and a large amount of people have smartphones.  Continually more applications are being added to them on a daily basis, and a lot of internet startup companies have come about including those I have never heard of, and now besides email people are communicating by text message, and also there is social media. I am sure things will even change more in the next ten years. The whole technology age has become more of a need than a want.

Gig Harbor and surround area change has happened because the population has more than doubled in the last twenty years.  Because of the population, the traffic became very bad so a second Tacoma Narrows Bridge was built and completed seven years. There is a toll on the bridge only paying one direction; the toll is paid going to Tacoma. Every year the toll has gone up, and the powers to be say because the bridge hasn't been used as much as anticipated.  The reason is that more businesses and adding two shopping centers have given reason not to go over the bridge.  Primarily the bridge is used during the week for those who work in Tacoma or other cities across the bridge. On the weekend there is not as many reasons to go across the bridge especially adding the shopping centers.  Gig Harbor really did not have to go over the bridge for groceries; however, you had to for shopping of clothes, and for entertainment. Now you can shop for clothes in Gig Harbor, and there is a ten-plex movie theatre as well.  Also, there are many more restaurants you can eat at as well. Of course, if you have go to concerts, theater,  and sporting events among other events you have to cross the bridge, but people think  more about it because of the toll. Since the building of the second bridge Gig Harbor now has a hospital as well; there was never a hospital in Gig Harbor before. For instance I was born in Tacoma, and then my parents took me home to Gig Harbor. The only other option was go to Bremerton, or be born at home.

For some of those who have lived in Gig Harbor a long time the changes have not been welcomed, however, for others the progress of change has been welcomed. I am sure there will be more businesses coming to Gig Harbor in the next ten years or more, however, I don’t see the population increasing at the manner it has in the last twenty years. Downtown Gig Harbor is still a wonderful place to come visit; it is directed toward tourists.