DEFENDING OUR HOME TOWN FOR THE RIGHT REASONS -
CONFRONTING THE CRITICS STRAIGHT-UP
SOME SIDE NOTES: ONE OF THE BIGGEST POLITICAL ISSUES IN GRAVENHURST, OVER THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS, AS FAR AS THE LOCAL BIA IS CONCERNED, WILL BE THE PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE BOUNDARY OF THEIR COMMERCIAL ZONE, PARTICULARLY THE PLAN TO PUSH SOUTH ON MUSKOKA ROAD. YOU READ IT HEAR FIRST, BEFORE IT MADE THE LOCAL MEDIA A WEEK AGO. WELL, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER FIRST. I PREDICT IT WILL BE CONTENTIOUS AND NASTY, AND THOSE WILL BE THE GOOD DAYS, AS SOUTH END BUSINESSES GET THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS AND DEBATE THE PLAN. THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST HAS A PRECARIOUS POSITION IN THIS MATTER, MORESO THAN USUAL; HAVING TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO ALL PARTIES, INCLUDING THEMSELVES, WITH SUCH A CONTROVERSIAL EXTENSION. IN ONE REGARD, IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE, THE BIA NEEDS TO EXPAND TO HAVE ANY REAL FUTURE DYNAMIC. ON THE OTHER SIDE, THERE WILL BE BUSINESS OWNERS OUTRAGED BY THE EXTRA TAXATION, AND THE FACT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN A GROUP WITH A REPUTATION FOR IN-FIGHTING…..AND ALSO, ON A GOOD DAY. THERE ARE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE EXPANSION I AM ONLY VAGUELY AWARE OF, BUT IT WON'T BE A RUBBER STAMP SITUATION, THAT'S FOR SURE. ONE THING IS FOR SURE! THE NEW YEAR WILL BE OFF TO AN EXCITING START……IF YOU HAPPEN TO LIKE EXTREME POLITICAL DEBATE.
THE WHOLE FISHING EXPEDITION, MAY BACKFIRE ON THE PRESENT BIA EXECUTIVE. THESE KIND OF POLITICAL / ECONOMIC / TAXATION FORAYS, SELDOM END WITHOUT BATTLE WOUNDS TO THE PARTICIPANTS. I THINK THE PRESENT BIA EXECUTIVE AND THE TOWN, SHOULD CONSIDER SOME OF THE PRESENT DISCONTENT IN THE ZONE AS IT EXISTS TODAY……..BEFORE THEY MOVE AHEAD WITH PLANS FOR EXPANSION. IF THE TOWN DID ITS DUE DILIGENCE, AND TOOK A SURVEY OF PRESENT BIA MEMBERS, A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF BUSINESSES WOULD EITHER ASK TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PROGRAM, OR DEMAND, THROUGH THE TOWN ITSELF, DIRECTORSHIP CHANGES TO BE IMPLEMENTED. SURELY THE TOWN KNOWS THIS AHEAD OF GOING AHEAD WITH EXPANSION. OR MAYBE NOT. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MOMENTS OF BUSINESS TO BUSINESS HOPPING, TO FIND MERCHANTS UNHAPPY WITH THEIR PRESENT REPRESENTATION. OF COURSE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO SWEAR WE COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT THE BIA. I EXPECT WE'LL BE HEARING AND READING A LOT MORE ABOUT THIS, AS EXTENSION PLANS ARE BANDIED ABOUT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. AS I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT BEFORE, THE TOWN NEEDS TO PLACE DEMOCRACY FIRST, IN THIS EXPANSION PROPOSAL; BECAUSE IF IT BECOMES A DONE-DEAL, (WITH NO WAY TO OPT OUT) IT COULD COME DOWN TO A MESSY COURT CHALLENGE, DEPENDING ON THE MOOD OF PROPERTY OWNERS. FROM EARLY REPORTS……IT'S GOING TO BE A HUMDINGER THIS SPRING.
KNOWING THE TOWN…..SUPPORTING THE TOWN……PROMOTING THE TOWN
BACK IN MY DAYS WORKING FOR THE MUSKOKA SUN, AS ASSISTANT EDITOR, TO ROBERT J. BOYER,… ONE OF MY JOBS WAS TO FILL HIS HUGE "MAY TO OCTOBER" PUBLICATIONS. BACK THEN, THE MUSKOKA SUN MIGHT HAVE HIT ONE HUNDRED PAGES ON THE CIVIC HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AS ONE OF ONLY A FEW STAFFERS, THE TASK TO FILL THE BEAST WAS ENORMOUS, AND ESPECIALLY TO A STANDARD THAT PLEASED MR. BOYER, ALSO ONE OF THE REGION'S WELL KNOWN HISTORIANS. SUZANNE WOULD GET THE CALL, AT HOME, WHERE I HAD MY OFFICE IN THOSE DAYS, AND TAKE THE MESSAGE FROM BOB……ON A PRESS DAY, THAT WAS WORDED THUSLY: "I NEED MORE COPY FROM TED URGENTLY." AND, "WHEN CAN HE HAVE IT TO ME?" SHE WOULD HAVE TO WAKE ME ON THE COUCH, NEXT TO MY DESK, TO LET ME KNOW THE PAPER WAS RUNNING SHORT AGAIN. THE POINT OF ME RELATING THIS STORY, IS THAT I HAD TO RELY ON KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL HISTORY, CURRENT EVENTS, THE QUALITIES AND QUANTITIES OF THE HINTERLAND ITSELF, TO COME UP WITH THAT STEADY STREAM OF PUBLISHABLE COPY.
I HAD A MASSIVE LIBRARY OF MUSKOKA RELATED BOOKS TO DRAW ON, FOR LAST MINUTE FEATURE STORIES. IT WAS AT THIS TIME, THAT I BECAME A FULL TIME PROMOTER OF MUSKOKA, AND ITS COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT BOB REALLY WANTED FOR THE MUSKOKA SUN. I MIGHT HAVE THIRTY PIECES PUBLISHED IN ONE EDITION. I ONLY PUT BYLINES ON A FEW, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED RIDICULOUS, HAVING SO MANY CONTRIBUTIONS EACH ISSUE FROM ONE STAFF WRITER. I WAS IMMERSED IN LOCAL PROMOTIONS, BUT I WANT TO EXPLAIN TO YOU…..AS I IMPRESSED ON BOB AT THE TIME, MY MATERIAL HAD TO BE HONEST AND ORIGINAL. (SO KNOW HACKING WITH AN EDIT PEN, OR KNIFE) I WON'T FUDGE ANYTHING TO BUILD-UP A STORY. THE USE OF ACTUALITY AND FACT IS IMPERATIVE. I DON'T WRITE FLUFF……WHICH BASICALLY MEANS, FILLER COPY NO ONE WANTS TO READ, EVEN WHILE SITTING ON THE TOILET. SO OVER A FEW YEARS, I BECAME A HIGHLY PROLIFIC PROMOTIONAL WRITER, FOR BUSINESS, COMMUNITY GROUPS, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, COTTAGER ASSOCIATIONS, TOURIST ACCOMMODATIONS, MUSEUMS, PARKS, OUTDOOR ADVENTURE GROUPS……YOU NAME IT. THE EDITORIAL COPY BELOW, IS WRITTEN BY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS ALL ABOUT POSITIVE PROMOTION, AND PRESENTING EVEN NEGATIVE DETAILS INTO A STORY…..THAT BY THE END, BECOMES UNDENIABLY POSITIVE. NOT BY USE OF FICTION EITHER. IT WAS MY TRAINING. I ALWAYS INCORPORATE ACTUALITY, NEGATIVE OR NOT, INTO MY EDITORIAL COPY…….BUT IT WILL ALWAYS BE COUNTER-BALANCED BY SENSIBLE PROPORTION, INSIGHT, AND WHATEVER POSITIVISM FITS, WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO BE FORCED AWKWARDLY INTO THE STORY. BOB WAS A NEWSMAN AFTER ALL, SO HE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCING ANY NEWS OR FEATURE REPORT. HE EXPECTED IT OF ME, OVER MANY COLUMNS EACH WEEK; AND WELL, HERE I AM ALL THESE YEARS LATER, STILL FEELING COMPELLED TO PRESENT BALANCED STORIES, DESPITE HOW I MAY FEEL ABOUT THE SUBJECT, OR CIRCUMSTANCE. HERE'S A CASE IN POINT. I SOMETIMES HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING THE SENTIMENTS IN OUR HOME TOWN. JUST WHEN I THINK I'VE FIGURED IT ALL OUT, I AM SUDDENLY SHOCKED BY A TURN OF EVENTS. I REALLY HATE TO ADMIT I HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING ENOUGH POSITIVE COUNTER-POINT, TO FINISH MY STORIES ON THE UPBEAT…….."THAT FOLKS, THINGS ARE GOING TO GET BETTER HERE." LET ME EXPLAIN A RECENT ENCOUNTER WITH A LOCAL CRITIC.
ONE OF THE BURDENS OF HAVING SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE AS EITHER A WRITER/ COLUMNIST, HISTORIAN, (AND HUNTER OF ANTIQUES), HAS BEEN THE SUBTLE BUT PROGRESSIVE LAYERING OF CHARACTER…..MAKING ME THE KIND OF SELF RIGHTEOUS SON OF A BITCH, YOU WILL NEVER INVITE TO COFFEE, OR WANT AT YOUR PARTY. THIS GOES BACK TO EVEN MY EARLY DAYS WITH THE NEWSPAPERS IN MUSKOKA, WHEN I WOULD BE INVITED TO A PARTY, BUT TOLD CLEARLY, I WAS TO LEAVE MY NOTEPAD AT HOME. I HAD TWO CLOSE FRIENDS INSULT ME IN THIS FASHION, AND I DECIDED IF THEY THOUGHT SO LITTLE OF ME AS A FRIEND, TO FEEL COMPELLED TO ORDER ME TO SEPARATE WORK AND PLEASURE, WE WEREN'T REALLY FRIENDS AT ALL.
THE OTHER DAY, IN A BRACEBRIDGE STORE, THE SALES CLERK, WHO I KNOW WELL, COMMENTED ABOUT THE NEWS GRAVENHURST MAY CONSIDER MAKING AN APPLICATION FOR A CASINO IN THE FUTURE. SEEING AS IT HAD BEEN IN THE PAPER THE WEEK BEFORE, AND I HAD WRITTEN ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY TWO WEEKS EARLIER, I DIDN'T FIND THE QUESTION PARTICULARLY OUT OF PLACE, OR IN ANY WAY UNUSUAL; AS ON OUR FREQUENT ENCOUNTERS, WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE HIGHLIGHT OF REGIONAL NEWS. SINCE I HAD MY FIRST WRITING GIG AT THE MUSKOKA LAKES-GEORGIAN BAY BEACON, BACK IN THE LATE 1970'S, I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED, BY A LOT OF FOLKS, AS THE GUY WITH HIS FINGER ON THE PULSE OF THE DISTRICT. IN FACT, I DO STAY UP ON CURRENT EVENTS AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS BLOG, AND BECAUSE I'M TRULY INTERESTED IN OUR TOWN AND REGION.
I OFFERED MY FRIEND THE OPINION THAT WHILE I DON'T VISIT CASINOS MYSELF, AND I DON'T LIKE WHAT GAMBLING REPRESENTS, ESPECIALLY ITS CONNECTION TO PERSONAL TRAGEDIES, I KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE INDUSTRY TO SAY WITH SOME CONFIDENCE, THAT IT DOES PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL INVESTMENT, AND WOULD MOST CERTAINLY INCREASE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES…..AND FOR OUR AREA OF SOUTH MUSKOKA, JOBS ADMITTEDLY ARE MUCH LESS ABUNDANT THESE DAYS. MY EDITORIAL OPINION, SHARED VIA THIS BLOG, IS THAT THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT GRAVENHURST SHOULD HAVE A CASINO, MUST BE DECIDED BY THE CITIZENS THEMSELVES. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A REFERENDUM ON THE MATTER. POSSIBLY DURING THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION, BECAUSE NOTHING IS IMMINENT AT PRESENT.
I BASE PART OF MY OPINION, ON THE REALITY, THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM OUR TOWN AND WIDER MUNICIPALITY, VISIT CASINO RAMA EVERY YEAR, PARTICULARLY TO SEE SOME OF THEIR IMPRESSIVE LINE-UP OF PERFORMERS, PLAYING THE MAIN STAGE. OUR BOYS ARE AMONGST THE CLIENTELE. THEY DON'T GAMBLE BUT THEY LOVE THE ENTERTAINMENT VENUE. THEIR FAVORITE SHOW WAS "KISS." FROM THE SUPPORT COMING FROM OUR TOWN, IT WOULD SEEM A REFERENDUM WOULD SHOW THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF OUR POPULATION SUPPORTS THE TOWN'S INTEREST IN A FUTURE CASINO. BUT THE CITIZENS SHOULD HAVE THEIR SAY. GETTING A CASINO IS A BIG STEP FOR ANY COMMUNITY. TOWN COUNCIL IS RIGHT FOR KEEPING IT A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY, BUT THEY WOULD BE DEAD WRONG, TO THINK THEY CAN AVOID OPPOSITION. PUTTING IT TO A VOTE, IS THE DEMOCRATIC THING TO DO.
SO KEEPING THIS IN MIND, IN TERMS OF GENERAL CONVERSATION, A CHAP STANDING BEHIND ME, INTERRUPTED WHAT WAS INTENDED TO BE A PRIVATE CONVERSATION. HE LET US BOTH KNOW, THAT HAVING A CASINO IN GRAVENHURST, WOULD MAKE THE "POOR POORER," AND THAT IT WAS NOT IN OUR BEST INTERESTS TO PLAY HOST TO GAMBLING. HE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN HOW THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST SHOULD INSTEAD, BE OUT HUSTLING UP NEW INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT INSTEAD, TO CREATE JOBS FOR A COMMUNITY BROUGHT TO ITS KNEES BY UNEMPLOYMENT. FUNDAMENTALLY, GRAVENHURST, IN HIS OPINION, JUST OUTRIGHTLY SUCKS, AND A CASINO IS JUST GOING TO MAKE THINGS EVEN WORSE.
THE BURDEN THAT I EXPLAINED IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, IS ONE THAT PROHIBITS ME GENERALLY, FROM IGNORING COMMENTS LIKE THIS. IN FACT, LIKE THE MOVIE "SHANE," STARRING ALAN LADD, MY FAMILY SOON RECOGNIZES THE ALMOST INAUDIBLE GROWL DEEP WITHIN. THEY BACK OFF AND DISAPPEAR INTO THE CLOTHING AISLES.
I AM NOT A PACIFIST. I AM DEVOTED TO THE PRIVILEGE OF FREE SPEECH AND FULL DEMOCRACY. BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IGNORANCE AND OPINION MAKE FOR AN UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENT, FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS SPENT MOST OF HIS LIFE RESEARCHING THE HISTORY OF MUSKOKA……WORTS AND ALL. THERE'S A SKIT FROM THE OLD "I LOVE LUCY," SHOW, WHERE A VAUDEVILLE ACTOR, SHE WILL BE PERFORMING WITH, USES THE NAME "NIAGARA FALLS," AS A TRIGGER FOR AN ANGRY REACTION. LUCY IS TOLD BY THE ACTOR, TO NEVER UTTER THE NAME, BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENT INSANITY WHICH WOULD ERUPT. THE CHAP, ACCORDING TO THE SKIT, HAD LOST HIS WIFE TO ANOTHER MAN, WHILE VISITING "NIAGARA FALLS." LUCY CAN'T AVOID SAYING THE CITY'S NAME, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE SKIT……THE REACTION! THE THROTTLING OF THE PERSON, WHO DARED TO REPEAT THE NAME. I START FEELING THIS WAY, WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A SNIDE OR HURTFUL COMMENT, WITHOUT FOUNDATION, FOR MY APPARENT BENEFIT……AND FOR THE AUDIENCE NEARBY. SMACKING DOWN GRAVENHURST DOESN'T MAKE ME LAUGH. CERTAINLY DOESN'T MAKE ME WANT TO SHAKE THE PERSON'S HAND, OR COMPLIMENT THE POINT OF VIEW. SO, "SLOWLY I TURN….STEP BY STEP, INCH BY INCH……" AND LET LOOSE A RETORT I USUALLY COME TO REGRET.
HISTORY EXPLAINS A LOT OF WHAT WE MUST ENDURE TODAY
I won't go into any great detail, to describe my outburst in this Bracebridge shop. (Part of my antique hunting travels) It was short and abrupt. What made it so much more contentious to me, was that the chap offering the opinion about the social / welfare ills, of a casino in our town, was a Gravenhurst resident. I knew him well. Although I could accept his opinion about casinos, I had far more difficulty handling the critique of the place where we both live, in a store with other customers, also listening to the diatribe about the terrible economic situation, that is forcing people to leave altogether. I can get overly passionate fairly quick under these circumstances, when our town is unfairly attacked; such as town council being maligned for not producing enough jobs to satisfy our needs. And announcing this in the heart of another town…..with an audience that may or not be as historically astute to argue back like this blogger.
This is not an isolated case. How would you like to be in a restaurant, and hear a woman at the table beside, remark with good humor, "You know what I like about Gravenhurst…….when it's a reflection in my rear view mirror." If I'm having tapioca for desert, I will inhale it, after hearing this. Especially when it's someone I know who lives in Gravenhurst. Over the years I've heard and read it all. I expect this kind of stuff from residents of other towns. But not from our own. As I took some lengths, to explain things to my fellow homeowner, while checking out my purchases, I knew that no matter what I said……this story he was telling, had "wings," and it would be told and re-told, whenever he found an opening to town-abuse, for a gawking untutored audience. If you're a resident of Bracebridge, do you really care what someone says about the town down the road? Maybe if you've got relatives who live there, or a parent that used to reside in Gravenhurst, in the past, you might offer a wee insight……or two, in our defense. But generally, it will be accepted news, no matter how incorrect and biased. Thus, we are getting dumped-on unfairly, but alarmingly, from those who have Gravenhurst as a mailing address.
When I wrote about this in yesterday's blog, I'm sure some readers thought it presumptuous of me, to single out town critics as the source of all evil. Let's just say, for example, that I was from out of the area, visiting to investigate the potential of opening a small business in South Muskoka; having dropped into that Bracebridge shop to sample the local fare…….and I came upon, inadvertently, a chap so eager to discuss the inherent and rampant disadvantages of living and trying to find work in Gravenhurst. To think that it wouldn't have some minor influence, is naive, because even small details and opinions like this, have a staying power in investor's minds. Now multiply this by many hundreds, of such negative opinions and miserable public relations, and is it any surprise that negativity and criticism flourish here…..virtually unabated?
I will guarantee you, that in these circumstances, I suddenly and without warning become part of the problem; without intent to provide history lessons on my day off! I can not resist a modest retaliation, to at least let the audience know, the opinions expressed by the subject malcontent, are not necessarily factual or based on any prevailing reality. Free speech isn't just the tool of the critic. So I suggest to them, that I deserve the privilege of speaking to allegations or unfounded accusations…..if not to prove incorrect, then to clarify the subject of debate. I have heard so many foul misrepresentations of fact, in argument, that after an initial gasp, I just can't walk away without offering a fleeting counterpoint……that comes after having spent most of a lifetime learning and writing about our region. No, it isn't my role as an historical super hero, of comic book stature. It's what we should all be doing, who care about our town and its reputation. It just makes me sick when one of our own, based only on personal bias, decides to salt the earth for the rest of us, who happen to like the place in which we work and dwell.
Seeing as we can't stop this from happening, and we would spend a lot of unproductive time, trying to re-educate and sensitize our critics, the best plan is to follow our protocols of good citizenship, and use criticism to influence constructive change. I love debate. I am a huge supporter of negotiation and inclusive democracy, where we all feel like contributors to our garnered fortunes. When I bring up this issue of self-defeating criticism, and how it has hurt us in so many ways, for so many years, it's to explain in part, why it is imperative to fight back…..and if it's just the instance of community pride, that makes your pulse race, and your blood boil, we can use this aroused gumption in a thousand different and productive ways……."moving forward," as politicians love to say. We have to sense where adversity is coming from. Why does defeatism have its roots so deep in our neighborhoods, and what can be done, to turn this around…..so that the energy spent on criticism and negativity, can be harnessed for the common good……of building back our confidence, that what we had, as an historically thriving town….. can be restored and built upon once more!
I am a proud resident of Gravenhurst. I bet you are as well. I will spend my last days of this mortal coil, living where I am most emotionally and inspirationally comfortable. As someone who has written more promotional articles for international consumption, about our region, than any one else, since the late 1970's, my endorsement of Gravenhurst carries heartfelt sincerity. So you can believe me, when I say, I wouldn't live here, or have raised our family here, if I wasn't smitten by its abundant good graces. It has deficiencies like any community. But its commonplace is preciously compelling, and as a writer, I only need to look out upon the snow-laden Bog this morning, or take a casual stroll uptown, on the way to work, to feel that I am in the right place to spend the rest of my life. I will open the family business, each morning, as usual, and look forward to meeting the day's patrons. I will enjoy the excitement of being involved in our community's well being…..it's prosperity. Our overall contribution, as a family business, may be small, considered to the work and dedication of others. But we will chug along the same as we have, feeling hopeful of some accomplishment, some credit to the town, before the shingle is retired at nightfall.
And yes, I will be just as vehement, when our town is slurred, for no other reason than malicious satisfaction, by those who have never taken the time, to help us improve our town……..as it is so much easier to knock the bricks down, than to fit them securely into place.
Thank you for supporting this blog. I feel you are, at the same time, supporting Gravenhurst……and I like that premise. See you again soon.
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