Rise and attempt to shine!
You know when you get up in the morning and can't bear look in the mirror because you just know you will never be able to get this face and this hair organized ever again so across the crowded room is totally out forever and instead you head straight for the coffee? First things first?
That's Baker Street now. Getting out of its snowy-white bed into yet another dull day at the end of winter because spring hasn't sprung - possibly won't climate-change and all. Make mine a double latte please!
It's the time for Baker to be seen as it really is: dingy old buildings; awnings with a life all their own; faded paint-jobs; empty store-fronts; litter-bins with a skin-disease; trees without life.
Gutters and raised flowerbeds filled with all the cigarette butts in the world!
This then is also the time to be reminded and acknowledge that since the mid-80s
City Council/Staff
Chamber of Commerce
Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism (more recent)
Downtown Business Association
have done very little to give Nelson's face - Baker - any kind of beauty treatment except for the (today in every town obligatory) hanging flower-baskets much later and still we must be grateful for small blessings. And the trees when/if they come back to life and remain thus - Kevin Cormack, chainsaw at the ready!
Butting Out!
Usually owners sweep the stretch of sidewalk in front of their shops - butts and whatever. Sweeping to them means never mind disposing of stuff appropriately but right into the gutter. Somewhat covered by snow when we have it - but we don't now! So there they are: mega butts of all winter plus more every day! Then there were/are drivers emptying their cars' ashtrays onto the street while parked. Open door - dump - close door!
Raised flowerbeds are convenient ashtrays and we must be grateful for these people's conscious effort not to litter indiscriminately!
Anything for the tourists (money), no?
They - spending time and money on Baker - may wonder what's with virginal snow above and ignorant hicks below. That and what's with gluten-free tree-huggers they've heard about and all this smoking-filth on the streets. And in the air!
Eh, Council, how about you and all the above-mentioned getting brooms and sweeping Baker! Organizing new waste-bins with a butting/butt box on top. Writing about it in the Star's Council Column - something for once original, for once worth communicating. Educating us ignorant hicks by example!
Gotta light?
Butts:
Mark Sykes
Mark Williamson
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