Friday Funny: A Mayor Dares to Dream of a Revitalized Waterfront

With its most recent take on the world of urban planning and development, The Onion implies that sometimes the work of urban revitalization only requires common sense.

Here is Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott making the case for a waterfront redevelopment proposal: "I recognize this probably sounds insane, but I’ve got this strange feeling there might be some sort of upside to converting our unused and blighted lakefront into a family- and business-friendly hub of the community."

More of the satirical pitch: "But wait, it gets crazier: What if we also took some of the nearby vacant lots and—hold on to your hats, guys—turned them into public parks? With dog runs? Sounds bonkers, right? But I think it just might work."