It is quite easy to read the paper and scoff. In fact, it is easy to scoff at anything. In fact, it is wise to have a healthy dose of skepticism when reading, hearing or viewing anything, whether it is from the mass media or your next door neighbor.

When I read Patrick Cunningham’s letter, which printed in Sunday’s paper under the headline “Midwest cities need new health outlook,” I felt he was exactly right.

An excerpt: “I visit a family in Boulder, Colo., now and then. The attitude about food and exercise is reflected in people’s everyday lives. The city is a mecca for bike and hiking trails. Bicyclists are everywhere. People walk uptown for groceries. The atmosphere is almost surreal. The city is designed around environmental and citizen health. Pearl Street is a downtown open mall extending for blocks where people gather to shop, socialize and be entertained. Everywhere are health food grocery stores, many organic.

“The residents’ outward appearances reflect their dedication to responsible diets. And their friendly attitude is contagious.

“Boulder is now in a battle to keep people from moving there, fearing too many people will destroy their hopes and hard work.”

I’ll tell you why he is right.

I lived in the West for five years. I lived in Ellensburg, Wash., nestled in the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range in the Kittitas Valley and home to Central Washington University.

The folks there weren’t very good at economic development at all. Albert Lea is much better at that than they were. Yet, the valley was filling up and for no more clear of a reason than people sought a decent quality of life. Yes, part of it was the mountain scenery, but a lot of the attraction was an attitude toward active living — from river rafting to wine tasting and from a hip downtown to quality schools.

There was public art all over, even in the patterns of the bricks in the downtown sidewalks. The same guy had done reflector-pattern art in the New York subway. Talking about quality wine, beer or coffee wasn’t deemed snobbish. It was like talking about the weather. Ellensburg had bike routes painted into its main streets. It had city-owned bike racks throughout downtown.

It wasn’t Shangri-La, mind you — ask me sometime why Midwest farmers are 10 times friendlier than Western ranchers — but that place sure had a strong emphasis on quality of life and it was paying off in growth.

How did it happen?

Places like Boulder and Ellensburg have had enough people move in that the move-in residents seemingly outnumber the longtime residents. They have taken control of the politics to push the cities toward quality of life because, as people who move can tell you, it matters a lot these days to making a place grow.

Now, Albert Lea is not horrible or anything. My wife and I returned to the Midwest to reside closer to families, but we were a bit picky in where we wanted to live. Albert Lea’s lakes, parks, historical downtown buildings, schools, shops, neighborhoods and friendliness impressed us.

Lately, the Albert Lea city leaders are to be commended for their support of the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project and the ideas it has suggested. They support community gardens, filling sidewalk gaps and other measures.

From the turnout of 1,200 people at the Vitality Project kickoff on Thursday, it should send a loud and clear message to city leaders that citizens want a high priority placed on quality of life. They want more. People who live here want active, healthy lifestyles.

So I have a humble suggestion:

There are plans to repave the western part of Fountain Street this summer. I live on Fountain Street, so I am helping to pay for the construction beyond my normal property taxes. The plans do not include paint for bike lanes. Why?

I called City Hall. The answer was that the lanes wouldn’t connect to other bike routes. For now, the city is focusing on filling sidewalk gaps. Kindly, my request was added to the official record.

Hmm. So that means leaders can still change their minds. Think about this: There was a Vitality Project meeting at the Senior Center in March where bike riders drew lines on a map of streets where they would like bike lanes. Fountain Street was one of them. The city engineer, in fact, handed out the markers.

Was it a futile exercise?

No bike lanes will ever connect to other bike lanes if we don’t start slapping paint on our streets somewhere. Since Fountain Street is getting reworked, it only makes sense to add bike lanes there. They encourage bike use, promote exercise, decrease auto traffic and make the streets safer.

After adding lanes to Fountain Street, then paint bike lanes on Lakeview Boulevard, which would please all pedestrians on the sidewalk.

If Summit Avenue in St. Paul can have bike lanes, right where F. Scott Fitzgerald lived, surely some Albert Lea streets can have them.

Fountain connects nicely with Bridge Avenue, which was another line those bike riders drew in March. I know Bridge gets state assistance and there are state rules, but a waiver at least can be requested.

Pretty soon, between bike lanes and trails, in addition to parks and public art, our city looks a lot more attractive to visitors. Wow! Look at those bike lanes. People must care about their health in this town. Who needs a college to live in a college town?

Hey, we already are a fairly good-looking city, but so many people who come here see so much potential for better. It’s a recurring theme. I’ve heard it more loudly here than other places I’ve been. Do we see that same potential or do we shoot too low?

Tribune Managing Editor Tim Engstrom’s columns appear every Tuesday.