Every so often I think that I should be more involved in my town than I am. I read the local paper and I try to stay on top of the local issues, just in case I do decide to do something someday.

But to this point I have never done more than that.

So maybe this year will be the year I explore it further - that would certainly be a "New Thing".

But I'll start small: This week I filled out a survey for the town.

The Community and Economic Development Division is updating (as it is mandated to do every 5 years, apparently) its 'Open Space and Recreation Plan'.

I figured, I have kids, we enjoy recreation. Perhaps I can have some input on town recreation.

I also enjoy watching "Parks and Recreation". Maybe this would be my own personal Leslie Knope moment.

The survey gave me an opportunity to answer questions like:

-Does your street/neighborhood have "sufficient sideways or walkways"? (It most certainly does not.)

and

-Should major roads in Framingham be striped for bike lanes? (Absolutely - I love riding my bike around town, but there are certain roads where I feel like I'm risking my life when I ride on them on my bike.)

Then there were other questions about sufficient fields/parks/recreation areas. I've never felt like the town was lacking in spaces for me and my family to hang out, but I wouldn't mind seeing new facilities built that we can enjoy. But I stopped short of allowing the town free reign to appropriate certain areas where they might build these buildings. (I didn't think it would be appropriate. I hope I'm understanding 'appropriate' appropriately. Ah, wordplay.)

Who knows if any of my suggestions will be heard. Maybe it's just procedural because Framingham needs to update its plan and it needs to say it surveyed the public. I can't say I have my finger on the pulse of the town yet - I was stumped by naming 3 of the most attractive landforms in the area. (Something like that. I didn't know there were any.)

But I filled out my survey. It's a start.