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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-10-27, Page 7THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27,1999. PAGE 7. Approaching- the. MjUennium Community - yesterday, today and tomorrow By Janice Becker Citizen staff From a time of simple pleasures, of taking the horse and buggy to town on Saturday night to shop and socialize to the fast-paced hustle and bustle of driving 60 kilometres to grab the groceries before hockey practice, the community and one’s sense of it has changed in many ways. Yet in others it has remained the same over the last 100 years. Through much of the early 20th century, Huron County had a large farming population with numerous retail and manufacturing centres scattered across the countryside to serve their needs. Communities with flour mills, saw mills, grist mills, food and clothing stores and the rail­ road boomed. For many, their community was the village or hamlet to which they were able to travel easily. They sold their goods, bought necessities and met with friends. Recalling childhood memories, Doug Scrimgeour of Blyth says peo­ ple wouldn’t actually start shopping until the store sign light was turned out at 10 p.m. Before that it was a time to talk. The Early Years Bill King of Brussels says things have changed a lot since he was a child. “There was once four or five gro­ cery stores, seven gas stations and at least two hotels,” he says. “At one time, most people shopped in Brussels.” However, King sees the prolifera­ tion of the automobile after World War II as the beginning of change in small communities. “There were families with two or three cars. Cars made it handy to drive greater dis­ tances.” King also notes that the demise of the industrial base in Brussels caused an outflow of the population. “There was once a lot of industry here, but as it got out of date and closed, the young people had to trav­ el out of town for jobs.” Bill Manning of Blyth saw a simi­ lar change in his community over the years. Having moved to Blyth from Belgrave in 1945, Manning remembers the numerous businesses which once employed residents. A farmers’ co-op developed an award-winning cheese factory which ran for many years until gov­ ernment regulations closed them down, says Manning. A cooper’s shop once stood were the office for Radford’s gas station is. The barrels produced by the cooper were used to ship the abun­ dant fresh apples grown by local orchards. Surplus apples were taken to an apple evaporator which was located at the comer by Manning’s Building Supplies. There was a three-bay White Rose garage on the village parking lot site and a jewellery and watch repair shop and rug hooking business north of the General Store. Where the post office and Grant Sparling’s fire engine storage buildings sit, there were once farm implement dealer­ ships. Bainton’s was operating, but they did not have a retail outlet, says Manning. They had two travelling salesmen. Elliott’s Insurance and Doug Whitmore’s printing shop, along with Radford’s in a different form, factor ago. would drive very for For small rural communities to survive in an ever changing society, providing ample leisure activities for both seniors and young families may be key to future sustainability. are a few of the last main street busi­ nesses from a past era. There was a dairy at the west end of Dinsley Street and a tinsmith and plumber across the alley behind Radford’s. Having once owned a feed mill in Belgrave, Manning’s father saw an opportunity in Blyth in the late 1940s, for a planing mill when the last mill in town closed. “That first year’s gross turnover equalled the 1987 cost for a carload of ply­ wood,”- he says. Manning saw the agricultural connection as an important years Farmers literally (not truck) their cattle for miles into town to train station stockyards. There were four drovers who bought for Toronto compa­ nies and railline employed a foreman and three linesmen. “The railroad provided employment and incentive for peo­ ple to come to town,” Manning. That depend­ ence on rail for transportation became apparent Manning during the winter of 1947. He had come home from Hamilton by train and was told to continue on to Goderich from Clinton because the road from Blyth was closed due to snow. Disembarking in Goderich, the trip back took three hours. In those days, round-abouts (alternate routes) were created so that traffic would not have to tra­ verse steep hills in bad weather. There were two between Goderich and Blyth and each foot gained had to be shoveled, he says. The train in Blyth was snowed in for several days and when the weather finally broke, it took 100 men to dig it out. The driving capa­ bility of one of the steam engines was nearly destroyed on the trip to Goderich for the tum around. Manning smiles when he says they had to reach down to touch the telephone lines, as an indication of the height of the drifts. Today, while the winter weather seems far less severe, the equipment available to keep things moving is also much more effective. Population Trends Over the years, King says there has been a shift in the type of resi­ dents which populate small commu­ nities. When he was younger, the major­ ity of the people attending their church were farmers. Today, say his wife Joanne King, that number has dropped to less than 10 per cent. He talks of an influx which began about 15 years ago, with Kitchener residents moving to Brussels and area. The people may beliving in the community, but they did not have community connections, he says. “Brussels is used as their residence, but business is done elsewhere.” And of these new residents, King says he knows very few, noting he has a neighbour of two years to whom he has spoken once. This change in social interaction is in rural areas as well as urban, says King. “Farmers don’t work with neighbours any more. We used to cut wood, thresh and spread manure together. Now people work on their own more. There are big farms with big equipment.” Sense of Community Robin Dunbar, who moved to Grey Twp. as a full-time resident in the 1970s, has seen other changes to the rural communities while they still have a sense of their past. Though he was not raised on the family farm, he visited the area every summer. “I am the last Dunbar to try farming, he says.” Dunbar sees the biggest change to how small rural communities oper­ ate as due to communication and transportation advances. “The attitude and world experi­ ence is very different now,” he says. A trip to Toronto is a common occurrence. Kids can spend three months in France and shop in altered the people see community, Dunbar. Kitchener. Shopping has become a recre­ ational activity.” “Radio and tel­ evision have given people a common denomi­ nator. Everyone gets the same world view of the news.” In the past, news was relayed by word-of- mouth, local newspapers and eventually radio. The downside of the world view, says Dunbar as a local politician, is that residents know more about national and inter­ national events then they do local ones. That widening view of the world has way their says “They have a larger view of their community than just where they live. It is also where they work, do business, and shop. That could be in several municipalities.” This ability to function in a larg­ er “community” has resulted in weaker loyalties to local business­ es. Scrimgeour also sees a contin­ ued loss of busi­ ness in smaller communities as shopping trends change. “Everyone is mobile and can go to regional cen­ tres. More shopping will be done on­ line and it will be convenient for many,” he says suggesting the advantage for stay-at home parents to get the shopping done without having to take the children to stores. As a sports enthusiast, King spent a lot of time at the park where peo­ ple gathered for activities. Today he sees far less of this casual activity. While still seeing a lot of local activities, Dunbar sees a change in those involved in recent years. At one time, it was always the mothers volunteering for school functions. As farm wives, their work schedule was more flexible, he says. Dunbar says with two parents working or single-parent families, there seems to be less time to volun­ teer. However, on the plus side, there are more fathers helping with activi­ ties such as school trips. Politics of Change On the political front, Dunbar says there have been several changes in what councils must deal with. Road and drain issues were once the focus, says Dunbar. However, with provincial government down­ loading, the range of responsibilities has widened. “For 40 or so years, municipal politics was fairly stable. It was well-defined as to its role. The dynamics of the relationship have changed over the last 10 years.” Dunbar says there has also been an increase in the amount of written material of which councillors are expected to keep abreast. “We have to be aware of what is going on. We are no longer isolated, a little community that can get on by itself. We are more a part of the provincial government and what they do impacts us horrendously. We have to learn what is their intent. We have less autonomy and fewer deci­ sions over what happens,” he says. “We are creatures of the province.” Looking to the future With the changing political and economic landscapes, Dunbar is not encouraged for the retail future of many small centres. The global and international econ­ omy along with big box stores will determine where shopping centres will be, he says. It will be up to communities such as Brussels, Blyth and Seaforth to look at other options. Their success may lie in providing a comfortable environment for older people or young families as bedroom commu­ nities, says Dunbar. “Villages may have to change from economic cen­ tres to residential.” In providing those services, Dunbar says, “Small communities will need to provide a friendly envi­ ronment and meeting places such as libraries and coffee shops where there are no membership fees and people can come and go. As social creatures, people seek that.” He also notes physical attractive­ ness of a community will be neces­ sary. “If it is poor or looks poor, peo­ ple don’t want to live there.” For Scrimgeour, the keys Jo main­ taining vital communities are two­ fold through value-added products and marketing small economics such as trails and theatre. Producers need to not only grow the good, but refine it and package it, he says. By producing jobs for young people it will help keep them in the communities. Features like theatre and trails allow people to socialize as they once did. With early retirement, peo­ ple living longer and more disposal income for some, there is a market for leisure activities. Focusing on these new growth industries, Scrimgeour believes vil­ lages will have the opportunity to maintain their identity, particularly with restructuring. “It may be a boost to community , spirit without municipal boundaries. The boundaries may be gone but the community doesn’t have to be. Look at Belgrave’s community suppers (which attracts thousands each year).” “Communities will have to look at new ways to bring people in,” says Scrimgeour. “We need a change of focus and that is how we will win.”