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The western stretch of Broadway Road has been a mecca for auto enthusiasts over the last several decades. We once had Manzanita Raceway, which closed a few years ago; we still have an incredibly unique collection of auto recycling and related businesses located in a cluster along Broadway, and I think it's time that the city got behind them.

Most of us may not pay any attention to the salvage yards or "junk yards" as most know them, but there's quite an aggregation of those strangely wonderful places, located alongside other automotive service businesses, and there's a vibrant subculture yearning to be embraced by all. Drive by on a Saturday morning and you'll see a bustling crowd that you never likely expected -- looking for odd parts for old collectible cars, getting something fixed, or just talking shop. People fly in from other states to visit some of our salvage yards, yet we try to ignore them as blight or something of the sort.

Here's an idea..... Let's capitalize on a couple of trends that work in our favor:

1) The Phoenix area has a proud auto tradition most don't immediately recognize as a regional powerhouse (Goodyear, Chevy, VW, Nissan, to name a few companies with a presence here), so let's breathe some new life into it. It doesn't have to be some anachronistic or foolhardy attempt to relive the past -- we also have innovative new companies staking their claim in the area, making custom hotrods and hybrid batteries, for instance.

2) We have one of the best known high end auto auctions in the world in neighboring Scottsdale (Barret Jackson), as well as a cottage industry for collectible cars that are highly regarded as rust free thanks to our climate. So let's encourage our city's own residents and businesses to cash in on this.

3) We should capitalize on the growing global movement known as the "maker" community (http://makerfaire.com/). Not only is this an incredibly hip, smart movement, but it also promotes interdisciplinary design.