I'm not from Cambridge, I'm from Hespeler!
Found another item of interest in the Comment section of today's National Post, specifically on the Letters Page. The content of J. Hagarty's letter, while interesting enough, is not why I mention it here. I mention it because Mr. Hagarty listed his location as Hespeler, Ont.
Hespeler is my home villiage and, as much as I like it, doesn't technically exist anymore. Sometime in the 1970's the government of Bill Davis in it's infinite wisdom decided that Galt, Preston and Hespeler should be joined together to form Cambridge. Hespelerites have never forgiven or forgotten. The feeling of my fellow villiagers is that our money is still benefiting the rest of the city. We have never accepted the greater entity, still have our own hockey league, still have our own Santa Claus Parade, we even still have our own Mayor - although he is unofficial.
Hespeler is a fair warning for those who think amalgamation is a great urban Panacea. Thirty years on, Hespeler still resents our forced marriage. The Region of Waterloo now talks of merging Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo into a Mega-city. The city of Cambridge balks, and Hespeler laughs: but we are a warning for the empire builders, Hespeler has never really accepted Cambridge and we will certainly reject Kitchenerization, and for once I can speak for all Cambridge!
If you don't believe me, ask J. Hagarty of Hespeler.
Hespeler is my home villiage and, as much as I like it, doesn't technically exist anymore. Sometime in the 1970's the government of Bill Davis in it's infinite wisdom decided that Galt, Preston and Hespeler should be joined together to form Cambridge. Hespelerites have never forgiven or forgotten. The feeling of my fellow villiagers is that our money is still benefiting the rest of the city. We have never accepted the greater entity, still have our own hockey league, still have our own Santa Claus Parade, we even still have our own Mayor - although he is unofficial.
Hespeler is a fair warning for those who think amalgamation is a great urban Panacea. Thirty years on, Hespeler still resents our forced marriage. The Region of Waterloo now talks of merging Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo into a Mega-city. The city of Cambridge balks, and Hespeler laughs: but we are a warning for the empire builders, Hespeler has never really accepted Cambridge and we will certainly reject Kitchenerization, and for once I can speak for all Cambridge!
If you don't believe me, ask J. Hagarty of Hespeler.
posted by Brian at 19:59
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