Today’s walk: errands. Through slushy streets, along icy sidewalks. To the post office to send packages. To Spafford Books to buy a copy of the second volume of The Literary History of Saskatchewan and to chat with Robin and pet Oxford the dog. Then home.
The frost is gone, melted in the mild temperatures. Nearly zero, just below. The sun is bright and warm. I see a coffee shop and consider stopping for a minute, but it’s closed. Downtown on a Saturday: not much happening. A few people skating on the rink in Victoria Park. A handful of pedestrians. Lots of cars driving past, but nobody stopping. It’s difficult for a small city like this one to keep its downtown alive. The lure of big-box stores and free parking, of Costco and Best Buy–that’s what people want. But I’m not sure this city is trying very hard to bring life downtown. A hockey rink next to the downtown library won’t do the trick. Fewer empty storefronts, more open businesses: that’s more likely to be successful. I’m sure our city council would disagree with me, but I’m just as certain they’d be wrong.
My hometown of Moncton and its mayor and council are the exact opposite. I have watched them, over more than a decade, commit to and deliver on revitalising the downtown. I am proud of them.
I wish the city here was as forward-thinking.