An Open Letter to Andre Ramshaw,
I’m writing in response to Mr. Ramshaw’s piece, “How I survived a walk down Hamilton’s Barton Street”, published in the Hamilton Spectator earlier this week.
I’ll admit, my response to Andre Ramshaw’s opinion is a little biased. Maybe it’s because I live beside the corner that was featured in a photo at the top of his article. Maybe it’s because I feel like I’m part of the community he’s calling a cavity.
I’ll describe the neighbourhood from my perspective. I’m writing this on my laptop, sprawled out in the backyard that I share with 4 other tenants. To me this feels like a huge luxury because I’ve been living in apartments for most of my adult life. The sun is shining. It’s a beautiful spring day. I can see the yards of neighbours on either side of me. Most of the properties around here don’t have 6 foot walls separating our back yards. We all know each others’ business. Right now, I’m blaring my music a bit, but I think my neighbours don’t really mind too much. Sometimes they blare their music, too. They always see me out in the back puttering around, gardening, trying to improve the property in my own tiny ways.
I have the privilege of spending one afternoon a week working with the children in my neighbourhood, helping them to improve their S.T.E.M. skills. How do you feel about sharing your article with them? Because I can guarantee you they are talking about it. You must think they enjoy being told that they and their families are rot. Or maybe you just don’t think about them at all. Should I tell them that there are people in this city who wish they’d just disappear, so that shiny new condo developments can rise up in their place? The real problem is that I don’t have to tell them that. They’re already pretty familiar with this opinion of yours.
Sorry Mr. Ramshaw, but I tell them the exact opposite. I tell them they are incredibly resilient, savvy, and brave just the way they are. I see them exude more energy and perseverance in one afternoon than you’ve seen in a lifetime. I tell them that I am incredibly proud to play a small part in their lives. You should be so lucky, Mr. Ramshaw.
You can’t take any short-cuts to building a community. It’s also not the kind of thing you can throw money at. (Take a walk down the streets of Ancaster and you will also find yourself alone.) You can only do it one generation at a time. Kids grow up here, and then raise their children here because they’ve helped to build a home they can be proud of. Maybe you can’t see it, but we’ve got that in droves in our community.
I don’t see any rot here. I see a diverse, thriving, residential neighbourhood. This is our community and we’ll build it as we see fit, thank you very much.