As part of our continuing coverage of Dunedin's upcoming elections, we are launching a question-of-the-week feature leading up to the election. This is the candidates' opportunity to answer some questions that might be on residents' minds, right here on the Patch Podium. 

This week, we asked:

• What quality of life advancements do you foresee in Dunedin's future?

Dave Eggers responds:

Advancement in quality of life will happen because residents are always looking for new things to experience and those improvements are reasonable and expected. Preferences and priorities can change, but it is clear while a commitment to public safety, infrastructure and economic development is critical to having quality of life that a commitment to improvements in nature, entertainment, arts and culture or other areas is what helps define our delightful community. A community must do its best to provide a healthy balance to improving every aspect of Dunedin life.

First Dunedin must stay vigilant in our commitment to the basic services provided by any city. We can’t waiver in future commitments to our infrastructure, public safety and economic development. We will continue pursuing items like improved water and waste plants, roadways, new government center and continue expanding economic development to our commercial corridors and adding hotel or grocery/drug store in downtown or additional rooftops. You can’t stay stagnate in looking to improve the “basic” necessities of life.

Access to art and culture will remain a high priority as there will be continued commitment to development of the DFAC, DHS, our bands and choirs and to diversity. As we stay committed to improving those aspects with our partners, we must explore the addition of a theater and the diversification of music listening opportunities being brought to Dunedin.

Use of and access to our natural environment will remain a high priority, so we must maintain our commitments to our parks, our environmental center on Honeymoon, our accessibility to St. Joseph sound and bike trails. Further exploration of a city aquatic center will be a priority, in addition to expanding our bicycle trail system and developing our own nature center. Development of our new Hammock in Vanech Park, improvements to Edgewater Linear, Weaver and Bleakley parks and incremental additions to our park landscape will also be a priority.

Entertainment like golf, baseball, downtown craft shows, concerts or movies in the parks or participation in intramural sports is important to our City. Continued improvements in our golf courses is critical. Improvements of our facilities that provide soccer, baseball and softball will be occurring and it is never too early to start planning for the next Blue Jay contract.

We must always look to improve other amenities whether in access to schools, day care centers, grocery and drug stores and in many other facets. Many have voiced preferences for these and other amenities. Development of Day care center for adults and children will continue and incremental additions of grocery stores is inevitable especially as new homes are added to downtown, along Patricia Avenue or Causeway Boulevard.

Dunedin has a very high quality of life and has had a united commitment to maintaining and exploring new amenities in the future. These quality of life improvements will occur through private efforts, the City of Dunedin efforts or through our private public partnerships. The one thing that will always remain the same is a strong improving quality of life in Dunedin for all of our residents in a balanced and responsible way.

Related Coverage:

• Dave Eggers on the Patch Podium: Experience
• Dave Eggers Says City Gets His 'Heart and Soul'
• Eggers Vs Hackworth for City Mayor

See also, Bob Hackworth's response.