|
Alternative Futures |
|
Evaluation of Demographics |
|
During the initial site visit one long time resident brought up the image of Monroe County as "the sixth Borough of New York." Although said casually, this observation is very significant. Much of the anticipated population increase will come from people relocating from metropolitan New York and New Jersey yet who will continue to work in New Jersey or midtown Manhattan. The population of Monroe County has doubled in the last twenty years and will double again in the next twenty. Within the county itself; the population centers are shifting from the boroughs to the townships. Note that by the year 2020, Chestnuthill Township is predicted to have a larger population than the County seat of Stroudsburg.
|
Demographic growth can be seen in the sequential figures that show development in 1974, in 1981, in 1993. If the Commonwealth's demographic projections are correct, and the County population doubles in the next twenty years, will the character of Monroe County change to that of any other metropolitan suburb? How can the stresses of this change be managed to allow Monroe County to retain its unique qualities ?
|