Specifically, the renaissance which is taking place in downtown Brantford, as noted in today's Expositor by Tim Philp. Philp is best known to this blog for being compared to Hitler by perennial election loser John Turmel.
But Philp, much like Hitler, is eloquent - and what's more, he's bang on the money. It's been nearly two and a half years since my first visit to downtown Brantford, and even in that short time, I notice that there's been changes. Even during the summer, when the student population is at its lowest ebb, the people walking around are normal people enjoying their 9-to-5 lives, not the people who contributed to former mayor Chris Friel calling it "Canada's worst downtown".
One of my professors once mentioned that "you [meaning the students] are all here because you're part of a big experiment to revitalize Brantford's downtown." At the time, I took it rather cynically, thinking that it was a pretty stupid reason for me to be forking over tens of thousands of dollars.
After giving it some more thought recently, I realized that it's just the opposite. Had I gone to Toronto or Ottawa, I'd still be spending the money, but I wouldn't be making a tangible difference. In Brantford, every single person who buys a juice at Stir It Up, goes for a skate at Harmony Square, eats a burger at Admirals (because I had to pick one that included me)...they're all making a difference. The downtown is improving, and it's because of every individual person who is down there, be it as a student, an employee, or an ordinary citizen wanting to pick something up at the farmer's market, using a bank, and staying for lunch.
I'm kind of proud to be a part of that.
--Ryan
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