HAVING TO BATTLE A LOT TO KEEP A BUSINESS IN GRAVENHURST - IT SHOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND - HOW ABOUT TRYING TO KEEP US HERE!!!!

There is little point trying to help the governance sector of our community, or the other associations that are supposed to be enhancing business and its opportunities, because other than seeking broad-stroke solutions to every problem, apparently and allegedly plaguing us, they don't see the trees for the forest. And there's no way an opinionated son-of-a-bitch like me, is going to have any influence, to convince them that broad strokes may be good in conjunction with other improvements, but a waste of energy unless there is a ground-swell of support for the cause. There are citizens of this town, who are tired of the complaining from some main street merchants, which is a decades-old reality. It didn't begin with the spate of fires and construction. It began well more than a decade ago, and longer, that main street merchants were verbally sparring, largely with themselves, about the way they've been ignored by the town. There was merchant unrest when I became editor of The Banner in 1989. I think research would reveal this is kind of a main street thing to do, with business associations across the province. If there wasn't an association, well, as they say, "if a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is there to witness it……does it bother to make a noise?"

The latest bid, by various groups and interested parties, to declare the devastated area of the main street, an economic horror story unfolding, is a wee bit of over-kill, and the problem is, most of the participating parties seem to be embracing the idea; that to get financial assistance, we should also, for fear of being different, adopt a like-minded strategy, and confess to having the worse business time of our main street existence. While my critics will suggest I'm a insatiably argumentative, disloyal blogger, ignoring the plight of our business neighbors on the mainstreat, I like to think of myself as the bastard who knows the importance of getting all sides of the issue, before issuing the proclamation "we're starving to death out here…..won't someone help." And while it may seem like a good idea to seek financial assistance to help businesses get through the year, damn it, has any one of these pre-occupied folks pondered, even for a moment, how much pain and suffering is going on in the households of our fine community? How many families are struggling to make ends meet, and to keep a roof over their heads? How many kids show up for school every morning, without having had breakfast? How many will have to rely on the food bank again this month, to keep some food on the table? And who will advocate financial relief for these folks, when the mortgage or rent payment falls short, sometimes month after month? I wonder if the same business folks, who are having such an incredibly miserable time, have had to use the food bank recently. As a matter of some irony, the food bank is located on the main street, and has faced many of the same disadvantages, and huge economic challenges. They carry-on because there is a need for assistance, and many clients who would suffer immeasurably if the service was no longer available.

As citizens of Gravenhurst, our family is sensitive to the welfare of our community generally, from neighborhood to business sector, and we have involved ourselves many times, in the past, trying our best to support the local food bank, and our friends at the Salvation Army. We truly appreciate the difficulty the main street is having, and realize how dreadful the fires have been to all the lives connected, in one way or other, with the recent devastation of fire. The construction period has been hugely difficult but it had to be done regardless. We will benefit from the restoration, without question, and it will help inspire re-investment on the main street corridor.

Our family business was not consulted about this latest attempt to draw attention to the main street economic situation. And we won't be supporting it, as far as our own business is concerned. You see, we can't join an initiative that is so broad sweeping, and unfairly inclusive, when we can state, without reservation, we are having a successful business year, in an area apparently burdened to over-flowing with huge economic woes. In some cases, we've actually felt more than the usual isolation from the town and representative associations, and have pondered whether we should just close-up seeing as business sucks? And then we look at our financial statements and realize, well, we've made it another month, and everything seems to be holding tight. Maybe we can ride this out! We've been thinking about this a lot lately. Every time however, we correct ourselves with reality…….that our problems, and they are few, are no greater or more significant that many folks out there, who worry about economic survival. Warning of the approaching apocalypse for main street businesses, is really stretching it, as we see it from our business vantage point.

So, our music industry lads are taking a week off, and traveling on business to Ottawa, where they stay at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast close to Parliament Hill, and they're going to study music and record businesses in the city, and bring back some new ideas and plans for the coming Christmas season……that they are looking forward to, as they both love the social / commercial connections with their customers…..and assorted friends who find their shop a nice place to stop for a visit.

The improvements to main street business, no matter what the broad stroke, or generalized programs, will come piece by piece, just as our community was advanced from the late 1850's. It will take gumption and courage to stick it out……not just loan leniency from lending institutions, or grant money for yet another survey-taker / grand idea facilitator. The welfare of the business community and the welfare of our citizens is one and the same. They all need attention. They all need good neighbor actions and reactions……and while few will stand up and say "don't give us any free money," the reality is, good neighbors, who are proud of their community, warts and all, is all the investment you need, to inspire ongoing investment.

We think of Gravenhurst as a whole. And we want it to do well as a community, in everything it pursues in improvement to the quality of home town life. We are sensitive to the criticism of other communities, and we hate it when customers tell us, that it's too bad our shop isn't in a more economically better-off area. It's especially hard when we truly enjoy working from our main street shop, yet we're constantly informed by others, that being part of a declining main street, means we are disadvantaged ourselves. We just don't see it that way, and we know now, from the direction being taken by the business networks, that we will simply have to put up with the reign of negativity, and the precarious undertow of chagrin…….and deal with the guilt, we suppose, of doing quite well in spite of what others have been led to believe.

We brought this to the attention of the media, recently, suggesting it would be a dandy idea, to research those businesses on the main street that are surviving, and presently thriving, in order to present a more balanced overview of the situation. We haven't seen any action on this but we trust they will sense the necessity of balancing their reporting by gaining as many sides to the story, as they can……so the citizens of this town, and region, can get a more complete understanding of these burdensome economic times. And just how widespread it is! Not just on our main street.