“Community Columnist” Michael Schrader

(About local cliques)

Written 06 October 2016

One way to determine if you are in a small town or a big city is by asking directions. When you visit a small town, directions are given by landmarks; a big city, by street names. At the beginning of my sojourn from Michigan last September, I discovered I had moved to a small town, and not a big city, when I asked for directions to the sanitary board.

“Go out the old highway, and turn left at the old ice cream shop.” Of course, not being local, I had no clue which highway was the old highway and where the old ice cream shop was. I asked what the street name was, and drew a blank; it is the street by the old ice cream shop. Knowing the general location of where I needed to be, I wandered about until I found it. It is not very welcoming to outsiders when you are in need of help and spoken to in insider language. If I were an insider, I would not need directions, so it comes across as outsiders are not welcome

Sarnia views itself as a big city. On a recent visit I asked directions. “Follow Exmouth to Cristina. Turn right on Cristina. Follow Cristina to Confederation and turn left.” No old highways or ice cream shops or Aunt Elizabeth’s farm. And the directions were spot on, and I found my destination without having to wander about. And given that unless I am willing to pay for international roaming charges my Google Maps is pretty much useless, without those good directions, I would probably still be wandering about Greater Sarnia.

Port Huron claims it wants to grow. Port Huron claims it wants to be a big city. Yet, it is rather cliquish and hostile to outsiders; if you were not born and raised here, then you are not welcome to join the party. It is personified with the city manager, who I tried to engage in conversation one day not long after he was hired only to be categorically dismissed. I am, after all, just another poor Port Huron scum trying to survive on the meager wages payed by the bulk of the local employers, and, as we all know, if you are working for poverty wages then you are stupid and lazy and your voice, your opinion, is categorically dismissed.

It is not just the city manager. After all, the City Council hired him, so they obviously think that to be cliquish and dismissive to those who are not privileged enough to be part of the power structure is a good thing. It goes beyond that. I have heard many comments about Detroiters; yet carloads of Detroiters paid to park and use our beach. Of course, there are always the rude remarks about the Canadians, even though they contributed handsomely to our local economy. I have seen parents involved in school groups intentionally snub those outside of the “clique”, and then complain that no one wants to help. If you want your city to grow and thrive, you have to be open to new ideas and welcoming to fresh faces.

I had to go to a school sponsored event. When I asked for directions, all I got was “it is at Marysville City Park”. That is all well and good, but Marysville has more than one city park. I am not a local, and the only time I go to Marysville is when I am going through it on the way to Saint Clair. I Googled “Marysville City Park” and there were multiple hits. I checked out various parks on the way searching for the event. By the time I found the correct park, I had no clue as to exactly in the park this event was being held. Needless to say, after my wanderings, I missed the event. There was another who did, too. Also an outsider. I guess we were not invited to the party, being outsiders and all.

Port Huron must decide if it wants to be open for new business. If so, then let’s start making some changes in how we do things.

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