Anyone who did not read the entire Sept. 24 Mirror article “Altoona officials meet with Cricket Knoll residents” might have missed what possibly were the two most important paragraphs of that article.

Parts of those paragraphs are as follows:

— “When the plan is finished, there will be additional meetings with residents.”

— “We’ll keep the conversation going.”

It was Altoona City Manager Christopher McGuire who made those comments, spoken during a meeting with more than a dozen Cricket Knoll residents.

Also attending that meeting was City Councilman Jesse Ickes.

The two city officials met with the residents to allay fears that had evolved due to rumors about what the city was planning.

One of the rumors was that the city would be including low-income housing in the project area, which Ickes and McGuire stressed was not true.

Another rumor indicated there would be a coffee shop and/or a brewery, which Ickes and McGuire “shot down,” pointing out the project area is not zoned for business development.

Neighborhood concerns at the session with residents also centered around preservation of green space in the 17-acre construction area. According to the two city officials, efforts will be geared toward maximizing green space.

The neighborhood residents were told at least part of the green space will be dependent upon the engineering of stormwater controls — not a new consideration, but one that has been on the front burner as a top-tier item for new developments for decades.

The proverbial bottom line stemming from the meeting was that the residents’ initial concerns — based on the inaccurate information that evolved from wherever and from what person, persons or organizations — were put to rest.

However, that does not mean Cricket Knoll residents should stop being vigilant as planning for the housing development continues.

If any future concerns evolve, residents need to be ready to address them, based on accurate information from reliable sources.

And, no matter what future discussion might take place, that dialogue must remain respectful, having been built upon the foundation of transparency and keeping the conversation ongoing that was promised during the meeting involving Ickes, McGuire and neighborhood residents.

If this project is built on trust and promises kept, it will be completed more expeditiously than if friction creeps into the picture.

Still, the intent discussed at the meeting with residents was not one of rushing the project to completion but taking the needed time to build the project correctly.

It is both interesting and a sign of good judgment that an engineering firm will be tasked with creating a master plan for the project.

Once the master plan is completed, it is intended that the city seek a developer willing to do the entire project, although, it was admitted, if it becomes difficult to find a single developer, more than one developer could be brought aboard.

So, all in all, city residents should be optimistic about how the Cricket Knoll project is taking shape.

All municipalities could benefit from having a project carried out successfully — essentially creating a blueprint for future endeavors.

The most important information is not always in the first paragraphs of a news report, as it was not on Sept. 24.