Within a lengthy Facebook exchange on the subject, I posited this notion for my correspondent's consideration:
Further to that final point, here's a challenge, for all the 'dissidents' in Hamilton, for all the 'movers and shakers', for all the 'community organizers' and 'civic activists': Why don't you utilize your immense talents and sound, heart-based energies and construct a co-op effort in concert with either an independent entity (Goodness Me!, Longo's, Lococo's etc) or Loblaws or Metro? I'm not being glib here. I'm being absolutely serious. We have so much whingeing and kvetching in Hamilton concentrating on what we're disappointed with, on how powerless we feel in the face of so many 'bad decisions' being made, here's a chance to actually pull together and make a difference. This wouldn't be the first time such an effort was made; didn't this happen in Ward 3 with a rec centre? Residents putting their own resources up to make the project happen? There's no reason why a 'community effort' coudn't provide a downtown grocery store, and plough the proceeds back into the community. Town hall anyone...?
So, there's the challenge: brainstorm a way to get a self-directed supermarket into the core.
I'm looking forward to the discussion.
M Adrian Brassington
interesting, but two observations megs and i have chatted about: 1) it's not like there's NO food in the core--just n., e., and w., of james & king are food basics, no frills, and fortinos, respectively; 2) Who wants to compete w/ the farmer's market?
ReplyDeleteMike, I'm very aware of those locations; they were in my previous post.
ReplyDeleteNone of them are what I would consider 'downtown'. (I'm sorry to ruffle feathers, but I don't think of 'north of Barton' as being 'downtown', and Dundurn sure ain't...and neither is that No Frills.)
What do you mean, 'Who wants to compete w/ The Farmers' Market? It's hardly hallowed ground. Especially in its current incarnation.
When I talk about a 'grocery store' or a 'supermarket', what's available goes well beyond what the FM sells. And good Lord; you can't tell me that the downtown core couldn't support the 'competition'; how do you think that The Barn got off the ground?
http://www.degroote.mcmaster.ca/News/pdfs/2008-08-08_The_Barn.pdf
You know, this post...as it was distributed to some 'people in the know' in the city...has surely opened my eyes about how Hamiltonians have a fantastically limited ability to imagine and dream. It's almost like the 'legacy malaise' I constantly harp on about manifests in some really unfortunate ways.
I can't say for sure that it's the result of self-defacement, or that we've been victims of various influences, but man, I'm amazed at how much energy gets channelled into limitation-based thinking. We seem very good at complaining...but when it comes to creation beyond personal space, we seem collectively challenged.
Maybe it's simply that we're so beaten down that we just can't imagine what we haven't seen yet.
Strange.
"...I'm amazed at how much energy gets channelled into limitation-based thinking..."
ReplyDeleteI cannot agree enough with this quote; so very, very (unfortunately) true.
Ryan: Wait until you see my expanded thoughts on this subject.
ReplyDelete