THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE - DON’T UNDERESTIMATE WHERE CHANGE COMES FROM - DON’T DISMISS THE POWER WE POSSESS TO FOSTER IMPROVEMENTS

Admittedly, we all, from time to time, become acutely frustrated by what we see as an erosion of democratic rights in Canada. More than just a few of us, getoutrightly angry, and lash out at the assorted levels of government that impose taxation burdens, without the slightest concern, about the destruction of personal economies. We stare at the latest news sources, and fold up the papers with resignation; government has become a monster empire. If we complain about government, it’s because we see it as a burden on the good graces of the last remnants of democracy. Of course we have a jaded opinion of government, because of the often irresponsible way we have been governed. Many Canadians simply refuse to vote, believing that elections simply determine the very next dictatorship to tax us for our own good.

In the past week, here in Gravenhurst, all we could think about, was the terrible main street fire that left four families without accommodation, a thriving business in ruins, and many folks wondering why we didn’t have our own aerial (ladder) fire truck,.......having to enlist the help of ones from Rama and Bracebridge. There was a letter questioning town on this issue, in this week’s Gravenhurst Banner. A good question and one that needs a response from mayor and council, considering there are a lot of multi-story buildings in this town.....apparently pretty vulnerable. A lot of questions are arising from the ruins of the fire scene, and the various levels of government here, are going to be getting lots of questions about emergency planning.......and why we should be demanding, as a population, far more accountability on spending matters. It takes an event of this magnitude to expose the flaws, in what the rhetoric tells us, is a well functioning, well appointed town. The fire department got a new fire hall without consultation with the public. The equipment and manpower “wish list,” is what we need to know more about, by insistence, to be invited into the democratic process.....not excluded as the nuisance lay-people, always getting under-foot.

If we have these serious shortfalls, the community needs to be made aware what it means to their long term well-being and safety. We don’t like finding out, in an emergency, that we’d have done better if there was newer or more adaptable equipment on hand. If a fatality had occurred, this would have been a far more acute issue. I was at the fire, and so were hundreds of other hobby-reporters, with camera perspectives, keenly aware of the visible difficulties fire fighters were having with this stubborn blaze. And they were making comments. Lots of them. Lots of questions. We all saw the big difference an aerial water assault, by the Rama equipment, made on the fire scene. Yup, it probably cost a million bucks. But it was worth every penny, seeing what it could do to save structure fires from spreading. The hometowners need to help finance better and more efficient fire fighting equipment, and if it means more benefit concerts.....we know where to find some musicians to help out.

The people of this community are a force to be reckoned with, and they need to know the power they can unfurl....they need to exercise it more. When we gather together, as we did during the recent benefit concert, on Sunday, it’s obvious people-power is the “stir” within......and clear evidence that government is only as strong and resilient as we are .......

Maybe it will take a massive community initiative to demand, and help finance, the fire equipment we need to help the department beef-up their emergency preparedness. We need to appreciate just how much burden, the aerial truck from Rama, took off emergency responders, by dumping a waterfall onto that burning building. It may have saved the block. Council needs to do a serious postmortem on the fire and the problems encountered trying to keep it from spreading. If we are willing to spend money on recreation centres and a new town hall, we can not afford to ignore a fundamental issue of fire protection, and emergency procedures. The buildings we are constructing now, and in the future, will substantially stress the fire department’s capabilities. This and a potential shortage of volunteer fire fighters, demands that we.....the citizens, be kept informed about what is needed.....not realities that only surface after the fact.

When the Thomas Company fire occurred in Bracebridge, a January fire that consumed a good chunk of a business block, back in the early 1980's, the “Tele-squirt” aerial truck, which may or may not have been on loan from the Fire College (don’t remember just where it came from) saved the business community. I was there. It was my first major fire as editor of the then, Herald-Gazette, our office just behind the huge fire scene. I took hundreds of photographs of the tele-squirt dumping water down onto that fire, and it stopped the fire from spreading further. It could have jumped across the road or further down the block, and become an even greater disaster. We have many other vulnerable buildings in our town. Just take a gad about. Many.

Council does need to take the lead on this one, and pay more attention to emergency capabilities.

We’ve had a number of very serious fires in this town, thankfully most being without loss of life.

We had a strong turn-out of community-minded, generous folks, for our fundraising concert, and what we found out, was that there is a will in this town to push for changes, and boldly address issues of concern with our elected officials. These concerns and ambitions didn’t just arise because of a fire. They’ve been simmering for decades. But coming together, to help families in need, and to show solidarity for our hometown, did remind us that we are the masters of our domain. We should never feel as if our opinions are worthless, our initiatives a waste of time, when it comes to dealing with town hall. Council was represented at the fundraiser, and we are pretty sure they witnessed, up close and personal, what a community can do when need arises. It wasn’t a political event. But it was a show of public support for home town values. All our elected officials need to appreciate that home town values aren’t determined by decry, amendment, bylaw or official plan. Possibly we have been a little standoffish in the past. Maybe we were all a little intimidated by previous councils, from getting involved with opinion seeding. I have a feeling things are changing, and it is a welcome sign of a new future.

As we stare at the ruins on our main street, and think about how quickly fate intervenes, how cruel reality can be, contemplate, at the same time, what milestones we can achieve despite adversity......as a result of adversity, when we set our goals high, and refuse any retreat.

Once again, thanks to everyone who helped out in any way, make the “For Our Neighbor’s” fundraiser a financial success. Neighbors helping neighbors. That’s the power of home town!