Just another year in ‘Paradise.’

That’s likely the perception of those outside Santa Monica’s borders, but residents know better; they know much work needs to be done and are fully aware of the problems that pervade the everyday lives of city denizens.

The inherent spirit of the city in which we live is to dream big, to strive and to welcome change for the better (i.e. — progress). With the dawning of a new year upon us, the time to dream and express hopes for the days to come is ripe.

Nothing broken can’t be repaired with the right mix of foresight and perspiration.

We give you 10 ways, in no particular order, in which Santa Monica can be fixed:

- Eastside Eden: A concerted effort should be placed on the development of the city’s eastern border, an underutilized area that not only contains the decidedly unattractive City Yards, but also the city’s No. 1 hidden gem — Bergamot Station, a former rail station-turned-art gallery complexthat remains quiet and unvisited by the general populace. An attractive east side would also relieve pressure on the west side of the city, offering residents and developers alike an attractive alternative.

- Beat it: With shootings occurring in the Pico Neighborhood still a regular occurrence, bolstering the police presence in the district seems a no-brainer. But to what degree? Balancing “police presence” with “police state” is a delicate matter, but until gangbangers get the message that the neighborhood is no longer an easy target in which to fire guns and flee, more and more police is needed. No region of the city is in more dire need of the SMPD’s services. Officers need to be walking the streets in increasing numbers and become a constant mainstay at Virginia Avenue Park, where a substation did nothing to deter the attackers who shot and killed 20-year-old Miguel Angel Martin this past week.

- On the slow track: With a disconnect between the city’s neighborhoods, increasing traffic congestion and energy woes giving everyone the willies, the time for an innovative solution is at hand. An alternative energy or electric monorail — free to all city residents — could serve the city on a number of levels, not the least of which might be to serve as “the new Santa Monica” landmark. Connecting Ocean Park to Montana Avenue to Santa Monica beach might seem a pipe dream, but isn’t that what New Year’s is all about? In addition, the venerable Santa Monica Pier is an aging landmark for a city in need of a modern marvel that epitomizes not only where we’ve been, but where we are heading.

- Pedal to the mettle: With everyone in the city calling for alternative means of transportation, bicycle commuters continually touting their two-wheel travails and city officials yearning to be the greenest of the green, it seems somewhat obscene that Santa Monica ranks poorly among like-sized cities in terms of being bicycle-friendly. More streets need to have bike paths and more corners need bike racks in which to lock them. It’s one thing to tout the use of bicycles and quite another to take steps towards actually making it feasible for commuters.

The city might do well to take a page from Amsterdam, where there are community bicycles that can be shared by all residents and are made readily available. The city could emblazon them with city logos and even outfit them with electronic brake wheels (like those used to guard against shopping cart thefts) if someone attempts to pedal it beyond the city’s borders.

- The wading game: While oftentimes referring to itself as “The City by The Sea,” the beaches of Santa Monica can seem a long way away, especially to residents who live on the northern end of town, where beach access is divided by the bustling Pacific Coast Highway and the natural bluff. The city’s series of pedestrian bridges are dirty, a haven for homeless and uninviting. Grander beach access platforms and crossways, perhaps resembling the pier in architectural makeup, would not only be more aesthetically pleasing, but also more enticing to tourists and locals alike who’ve grown weary of making their way south for a safe, unencumbered entryway to the fabled Santa Monica beaches.

- Homeless sweep: Typically, the major complaint about the city’s homeless is that they dwell in the city’s parks and gathering places, doing nothing to enhance the city, only taking up space and adding a threatening, dirty element. Many within the homeless population contend they are willing to work and earn their keep. City officials should provide them the tools to do so and install bins with rakes and brooms and general maintenance equipment throughout the city. Visitors should be encouraged to tip those they see cleaning, sweeping and caring for the city that cares for them.

- Embrace Darwinism: It’s time to put an end to the Palaeozoic Era in Santa Monica. The Third Street Promenade can sometimes feel as aged as the hedge-lined monstrosities that serve to divide the city’s main shopping district. With Macerich Co. drawing up plans for a revitalized, open Santa Monica Place mall, the time has come to address the adjacent promenade and make it a true town square. Tear up the dinosaurs and clear out the nooks that tend to draw undesirables. Keep the people-traffic flowing. Install a stage for community concerts and give the want-to-be Cheryl Crows a rest now and then. Inject some life and movement into a tried-and-true gathering place before time passes it by. Learn from the lessons of Santa Monica Place.

If something must be installed in the central courtyard, city officials should consider public bathrooms. They could even be the self-cleaning variety, so that attendants now manning public toilets in the alleys could be relocated to the city’s parking structures, where safety continues to be an issue for visitors and employees alike.

- Re-taking the Fourth: Once a Mecca for Westsiders on the Fourth of July, courtesy of an oceanside fireworks show, the city of Santa Monica’s community spirit is now conspicuous mostly for its absence. The since-cancelled fireworks show became too popular, and in turn, too difficult to maintain. Today, the city stages no parades and no street-closing citywide celebrations on holidays. A city just eight square miles should boast of much more community spirit and celebration. Even the annual Summer SOULstice on Main Street, an outdoor music festival, doesn’t warrant street closures. It’s time to rethink the city’s decision not to bother. For a city that espouses tolerance and cloaks itself in the Constitution, serving as celebration central on the nation’s birthday seems a natural fit.

- Boxing day: With the cost of living in Santa Monica becoming harder and harder to come by, especially for those in affordable housing and on fixed incomes, savings have to be found where they may. The city’s shopping choices consist primarily of health food stores and some of the pricier supermarket chain outlets. Why not attract a so-called “big box” store such as Target or Costco to Santa Monica? Located on the east side of town, it would provide families with a more affordable option, as well as eradicate the need for residents to waste gasoline motoring outside the city in efforts to feed their families.

- Gone, but not forgotten: While progress should be the mantra as we move forward in 2007, we mustn’t forget from whence we came as a city. The recent flare-up of community support for the Horizons Surf Shop building on Main Street, which was in line for demolition before the structure’s history as a birthplace for modern skateboarding led to a change of heart by the owner, is indicative of the city’s history and residents’ realization that their hometown has served as pioneer in modern culture. While the city goes about contracting new artwork and demanding that developers adorn their creations with art, we encourage those parties to take the city’s past (i.e. — skateboarding, Muscle Beach, aviation) into consideration when choosing their subjects.