Why I live where I do
Revolving fake lawn houses,
Housing all your fears,
Desensitized by TV,
overbearing advertising,
God of consumerism,
And all your crooked pictures,
Looking good, mirrorism,
Filtering information,
For the public eye,
Designed for profiteering,
Your neighbor, what a guy.- System of a Down
I was recently accused by suburban internet poster of “slumming” by living in a low rent / low quality apartment (it is low rent, and the frequent pipe issues, drafty windows and small size might make it qualify as lower quality) in the south end.
To contemplate this, I took a walk in the rain. While less poetic than Trudeau’s walk in the snow, I find taking the heel-toe express through my neighbourhood therapeutic.
I don’t think I’m slumming it. There are a few reasons I live where I live:
- I like walking to work
- I like not dumping too much money into my living accommodations
- I like the feeling of walking to local stores, walking to my friends’ places and volunteering in the neighbourhood
- I like walking to a night on the town
- I dig the history of the area. I can stop and read architecture and imagine what has been and what may be.
The central peninsula offers this sort of life style, so I’m here.
10 comments:
I agree with your comment. I also live and work uptown, and have two children as well. We are perfectly happy in the South End and see no reason to move.
For a suburban resident to accuse you of slumming for living in a certain area is ridiculous. Just because you choose to be fiscally prudent and spend your money how you see fit doesn't make it slumming.
So many of the residents of especially the KV don't seem to think they are "slumming it" because they have their fancy little vinyl sided bungalow, just like all of their neighbours. The fact is that so many of those people who think they are so successful are just scraping by. One missed paycheque and they are screwed. Who is really slumming it?
I still don't understand how living in suburbia with two cars and generic homes ever became the picture of success.
We own a house here in the uptown. We agree, the vinyl coated suburbs are not for us, not at the moment at least. I enjoy walking to work and using my car as an option rather then a necessity. Stats show that walking cities are friendlier cities. Saint John has a bias for the car (a la 1952) but with cruise people and other's walking its on its way to be a great place to live, most certainly not a slum.
To be clear.
My "slumming" comment was in response to your glib response regarding what demographic chooses to live in areas of high poverty and poor housing standards.
While someone of your economic stature can choose to live in an area, such as the Central Peninsula of Saint John (and clearly, my family and myself had chosen the same for 18 years), many, if not most, do not have the option of choice.
Be responsible in your comments, and do not belittle the hardships and challenges of those who lack alternatives.
There is a serious problem here... a 47% poverty rate is a ghetto... higher concentrations rates are unacceptable... anywhere.
- H. LaBillois
To get perspective and the context read the on-line comments:
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/816004&p=2
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/816004&p=2
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/816004&p=1
"http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/816004&p=1"
"http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/816004&p=2"
I am 27 years old.Grew up in the suburbs of Grand Bay for 18 years of my life.I saw more trouble & got into more BS in that little town they I ever could in the city.The city in general gets looked down upon by people in Quispamsis,Grand Bay etc..what's so bad about it? It's good enough for you to come in here & play hockey,baseball,go to movies,shop for your daily needs,use the malls,the Aquatic Center, go to school & socialize with your friends & family, but not to live?I am renting right now & by no mean's am I slumming it.I never have.
I enjoy the people & the shops & the cheap living.If somehow I don't like where I am, I can up & move & don't have to worry about putting a house on the market in tough economic times.
I agree with the anonymous comment about some people just struggling to get by...My Mom used to say that to me, like yea that house is nice, but I bet it's empty inside & then you look at the 10 to 15 year old vehicle there driving.
I might get jumped on because of this, but in most cases poverty is a choice! We happen to live in a place where you can get free just about everything if you take the initiative to better yourself.If your having a rough time you can get cheap housing, cheap schooling & lot's of other things.A lot of people just don't want to change, they are happy how they live.I walk around the South End & Uptown I don't see poverty.I see historic homes that are worth more money than any of us have in our pockets.I live in Grand Bay as i stated earlier & actually volunteered at the food bank, you think people aren't struggling out there too? Well they are, I saw it with my own 2 eyes.If you want to better yourself, there are many options & programs for the people to do so, but like anything in this life you need to give yourself the boot in the ass to get going & get it done.
Saint John & any city can't be fixed in one day, anyone who has lived here for even the past 10-15 years can see there has been a lot of positives.It can't all be fixed in one day.
Might be a few spelling mistakes, I was in a rush...but you get my point..lol
I live on the top of the hill, and must say the aura they are trying to project, street wise, is hard to back up on a lot of the buildings.
I'm lucky to have a secretly sweet apartment, as is the story with most buildings. There is a mixed income building near by, which is a big plus, and an idea of how to position future developments. Not in a design sense, but just housing in general. Any "slum" type situation, is usually a lack of subsidised housing, or municipal ignorance. One usually leading the other. With more, big breath here, Human infrastructure like this it will remove any term pertaining to "slum" in the city. Thus nulling the desire of suburbia, for most.
I too share the badge of south-ender, brand new though. I grew up in suburbia of a bigger city elswhere, and have lived in several, be it through schooling or service, and find Saint John to be the most comfortable to live. It can be more than what it is now, without losing that relaxed attitude. The arts are deffinately alive here, as well as sports. We are generally become a destinaition for many along the US Eastern Seaboard, and abroad.
"I walk around the South End & Uptown I don't see poverty.I see historic homes that are worth more money than any of us have in our pockets."
There are some lovely historic homes in the South End but there are just as many buildings which are disgraceful. Take a walk down St James street or lower Waterloo. The landlords, and the city, should be ashamed at the condition many of the rental properties are in.
I want to be very clear: I do not think living in the Uptown or the South End is slumming it. I lived on Pitt Street when I first moved to Saint John because I wanted to be within walking distance of work. Some of my dearest friends own historic homes uptown. I do think it is a vastly different experience depending on your income level. When the building I was living in became infested with mice, it was relatively easy for me to pick up and move. Not everyone in the South End has that luxury.
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