Interview with Mayor Gerd Brisingamen
We meet the town's Mayor, Gerd Brisingamen as she is walking through the reception area that most of us has visited a few times in our lives. Once here we're often shown into the small room just behind the desk. This is were births, marriages and lately deaths are recorded. This also were new residents come to take their photo and get registred.
So Gerd, looking back at the 42 years that have passed since Idavallen was founded, how do you feel about this big journey and the responsibility you've had?
It is indeed a big responsibility, but it has been a lot of fun. To come here with the original settlers and to be able to create this kind of town, it's amazing. And even if the first winter was hard and even if we are still a long way from being a proper town, I have been enjoying this so much. We've had so much fun over the years and I am really glad to call so many of the settlers my close friends. And to see their children grow up and spend time with my children has been amazing.
Why did you chose to leave your home town to come here?
I've always been longing for adventure. We've always been curious in my family, wanting to know more. My grandmother was a Servo, my father was a werewolf and my aunties were half-aliens, so for me the supernatural and unknown isn't that unknown at all! And my ancestors decided to travel to an unknown part of the world as well, to live a different life. So I guess it's in my blood.
What kind of ideas did you have for Idavallen? Have your dreams come true?
I guess I wanted a place were everyone could feel welcome, and I think we've managed to create that. But we're still not more than a few hundred people, so we have a long way to go before this could really be called a town. I do believe my dreams have come true, yes. Not that I really had a specific dream, but I'm very happy and content with my life, my family and Idavallen.
What are the plans for Idavallen in the near future?
I think we need to decide weather or not to build more communal places like a museum or a sport arena, or if we are to concentrate on either getting a link back to the rest of SimNation or build a University. Building a train station and open up the roads would allow for us to bring more goods and people here but a University would of course be of great interest to the town. A sport arena or similar would of course give the residents here a lot more to do. At the same time we see that people do start their own businesses, so maybe there isn't such a need for the community to build those things.
And what are your plans?
Oh, I think I will have to enjoy being Mayor for a short while, but it is time for me to retire and spend more time with my family. My daughter just got married and I am looking forward to be a grandmother soon. My son is also growing up to be quite the young man and I am very excited to see what life has in store for him.
Byggvir Ringhorne has been working hard to become the town's next mayor and I am quite confident in his ability to handle the responsibility. And the town do seem happy about what I've done so far, but are of course looking forward to the future. And we need the young to build that future.
Written by Oliver Copur for The Idavallen Correspondent