July 1989. That's the month my wife and 9 year old daughter moved to the Forest City. In our late twenties it was a new chapter in our lives. An opportunity to own our own home after seeing the real estate market explode in Toronto and our dreams of home ownership fade. I was working for a family owned retailer, Grand & Toy Ltd., and I was presented with the opportunity to expand their presence in the southwestern Ontario market by opening their first location in London in the newly renovated and expanded Galleria London.
It was an exciting and busy time in our lives. We bought a home in old east near the western fair grounds, almost next to the Boyle community centre. Our daughter was enrolled in Lorne Avenue Public School. Many told us to stay away from "East of Adelaide" but it just felt like home. That feeling probably rose from the time my wife and and I lived and worked in downtown Toronto. The proximity to work, being close to the core, an old home we could put our own stamp on, it all felt right. For the following ten years it was just that. But times change.
The Grand family sold Grand & Toy around 1993 and not long after that franchising ensued. My wife and I jumped aboard. The office product business and retailing was in our blood. We enjoyed it immensely but our dreams turned to nightmares as the business climate changed. The big box explosion in retailing commenced in the mid nineties. Many Mom & Pop businesses fell by the wayside at that time. Ours was one of them. Six full time jobs that paid more than a living wage complete with benefits along with a dozen part time student positions disappeared along with our business. After flailing around searching for employment in the only field I had known it became apparent that I had to re-invent myself as a bread winner. A living wage, let alone a wage that would allow you to grow and prosper as a family, was no longer a part of the retail business fabric.
Those were difficult times for us in London. Financially we lost everything having to tap into all our savings and the equity in our home. Selling the house to meet those obligations was the hardest thing. But a house is only bricks and mortar after all, the great love that my wife and I share along with the support of our immediate family got us through.
It's not without irony that I found myself working outside London in order to be able to live in London. The quality of life we found here in London has been second to none. No regrets. It's also not without irony that I work primarily as a long haul trucker and that profession keeps me away from the city I call home far more than I would prefer. Of late I have been dealing with a good deal of angst over not only how I can stay in touch with our community but also how I can take on an active role and participate in strengthening our community.
So on the Father's Day as I sat down with my morning tea and started checking out the local scene I downloaded The London Plan. The plan that looks at our city outward to 2035. I watched in awe the series of videos on the website and look forward to reviewing the details of the plan my fellow citizens have built over the past few years. This is a must read for any Londoner that gives a dam about their hometown and the future of their children and grandchildren. I believe our upcoming municipal election in the fall is a deal maker / deal breaker for all of us that live in London.
I've seen much in the past 25 years. We seem to be trapped in an endless cycle of "development for jobs" by building shopping centres and giving away the farm in the form of endless tax breaks to business. To those that believe that we need more big box developments to compete I say no. In the past 15 years I have travelled all over North America and the same retail landscape has now been replicated ad nauseum across every town, city, state, and province. There is nothing special about it. There is no attraction. The retail landscape is a symbol of everything that is dull and lifeless about our consumer culture. It does not speak to the future. It is not the future I envision nor want for my two young grandchildren. It is not a gateway to community prosperity in my opinion. That is only my experience speaking.
On the very bright side the explosion of social media has presented me with the opportunity to engage with my fellow citizens and re-connect with my community. It is one path that can help us all re-establish a connection with our community and lead us to those face to face contacts that are so important in fostering a sense of belonging and of well being. That is my hope.
I can also relate strongly to all of my fellow citizens that have had to deal with traumatic job losses. Think Electromotive and Kellogg's as two high profile cases. To realise that you are only a paycheck or two away from disaster is sobering. My attitudes took a dramatic shift when I could no longer make ends meet and put bread on the table. I can't put those feelings into words. You have to experience it. I wish that experience on nobody.
So that's where this blog came from this morning. A place I can reflect on my thoughts in a little more detail and share them with anyone that has an interest. I hope to be able to provide feedback to the London plan between now and the fall also. Time is always in short supply for me these days as I am sure it is for you. I hope I can carry through with a deeper commitment to community building. My grandchildren depend on it.
Cheers,
Alan
