|
April 2000
Examining The Options
At a public information meeting held on April 27
in Musquodoboit Harbour to consider the Development Application
by Sobeys for a commercial development called the "Village Centre",
a lot of positive feelings were expressed encouraging the expansion
and development of a news Sobeys shopping center in the area, but
much dismay was expressed by area residents concerning the scale
and esthetics of the so called "progress". It appeared that what
is lacking is a comprehensive and co-ordinated "Vision" for our
Village of Musquodoboit Harbour.
The word "Village" comes from the word "ville"
meaning city and the word ville derives from the word "vie" or "vita"
meaning life! So Village means a place in which people live which
is smaller than a town or city. Our Village of Musquodoboit Harbour
is such a place - a smaller place where people live and work and
interact with one another and have common interests which bring
them together. Webster's Dictionary describes "community"as " a
group of people living together as a smaller social unit within
a larger one, and having intrerests, work, etc., in common".
Since the "Great Amalgamation" this idea of identifying
ourselves as a smaller social unit within a larger one has never
been more needed or more threatened. All of this should lead us
to the conclusion that a "Village Centre" is the centre of the life
of a community.
When one thinks about the words "Centre" and "Life"
and "Community" and "village" what comes to mind? Probably many
different things to many different people; but what is important
to note is that there are some things which we as residents of the
Musquodoboit harbour Area all hold in common - some concepts and
ideas of village life which we all find to be desireable and which
are the reasons why we live here.
Such things as a quieter pace, friendly hospitable
people, familiar faces and places, the countryside close at hand,
recreational opportunities such as The Musquodoboit Trailway, the
Ball Field, the Exercise Gymn, Martinique Beach and the Musquodoboit
River, the advantages of having our neighbours operating a Post
Office, Bank,Library, Restauarants, Drug Stores, Shops etc. in close
proximity; the convenience of having Elementary Schools, the High
School, the Community Centre, Hockey Rink, the Railway Museum, and
the Churches; the security given to the community by the presence
of the Police Station, the Volunteer Fire Department, the Twin Oaks
Hospital and the Birches Seniors Centre; - these are some of the
things that we like about our village.
There are a number of things that we all hold as
desireable developments for the future - things that would make
our village an even better place in which to live if and when they
come about. All of these things which we hold in common are the
essence of our "community". In other words the things that we like
about our community NOW and the things that we would like to see
in our community in the FUTURE are the very things that make us
a community.
It is always easy to look at what we've got now
and see what we like and dislike about it, but it is when we try
to look into the future that our community of thought seems to begin
to unravel. What is needed is a vision for the future of our own
community.
What are the options?
Let's get together and pool our resources and ideas
and determine what WE want for our Village Centre. We owe it to
ourselves and to our future generations to plan and develop our
own community along guidelines which would protect what we like
so much about our village life at present, diminish or eliminate
the things that we find to be undesireable, and develop a Village
Community Centre that would make us even more pleased and proud
to be a part of Musquodoboit harbour and Area.
We should not be against "progress" for its own
sake.... real progress is a very desireable thing. But progress
need not always carry a high price in destruction of what is and
has been our way of life in a rural community. There are alternatives....for
instance let's re-design and re-develop the present Sobeys Store
in Jeddore....build the Sobey's Centre where it will enhance and
encourage development of the entire area...and also lessen the detrimental
effects of such a develoment on the Village.
The village needs a shot in the arm.... let's re-design
it, dress it up and revitalize our village life in the process without
destroying its essential small town rural and historic character.
We have had enough of leaving it to others......
Let's do it! Let's do it NOW!
(by Adrien Blanchette)
What do you think? Write to us
|
