A purple bridge, but where are the people?

I'm one of those 30,000 Greater Cincinnatians whom marketers thought would climb the Purple People Bridge. I meant to. I had friends who made the climb and liked it a lot. I just never got around to it and now, like so many other unique experiences in our region, the opportunity is gone.

The bridge climb sounded pretty interesting to me, but to be honest, the main reason I would have made it was simply to keep the option open for everyone else. Each time something distinctive and colorful leaves Cincinnati, I worry. I mourn the loss of one-of-a-kind restaurants, movie houses showing foreign films, family arts events, neighborhood festivals,unusual shops, special recreational events.

I hope the Purple People Bridge Climb isn't gone for good. If it returns, I'll climb, simply out of civic-mindedness. But having a reason to make the climb -- a party at the top, for example, as some people have suggested -- would entice me, as would reasonable costs so I could take my whole family and visiting guests.

The best business plans hit it dead-on when it comes to setting a price, creating a sense of excitement and giving people a reason to return again and again. This round of the bridge climb didn't get all those things right, but the next round might. Meanwhile, we all should be grateful for people who stick their necks out to make this a richer and more interesting place to live.