Letters to the Editor 5/28/15

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Photo by Kerri Westenberg

Photo by Kerri Westenberg

AN OUTSIDERS’ PERSPECTIVE

As someone who has come to know Springfield a little over recent months, I wonder if folks here might like to know how it seems from the outside. These are times when there is a lot of discontent expressed in various quarters, and it seems to be the norm to express negativity or outrage, readily and often. My experience is a positive one, so perhaps this will offer a brief respite.

Every few months I come here from Scotland on business, spending a few weeks and up to two months from time to time. I acknowledge this comes with the privilege of a steady income and material comforts, so I suppose I may be seeing mostly up-sides. Nevertheless, here goes. I came here thinking it might be a desert. How wrong I was. Springfield has a disproportionate level of cultural life for a city this size. Every interest conceivable seems to be accommodated.

Modern art, performance art, fine art, art galleries, museums. Painting, pottery and pastels. Theater and dance. Rock, jazz, folk, classical, alternative, blues, contemporary and country music: coming out of… no, into, your ears! Bird watching, historical talks, guided walks and star gazing. Cycle-ways, water sports, spectator sports, archery and angling. There is no shortage of things to do.

But it is people that give a place its ethos.

I have found that people here are friendly, helpful and courteous. While cycling between Chatham and Springfield I dropped my cellphone by the cycle-way. Back at my accommodation, I used Skype to call the folks at home to let them know I might be difficult to reach. A woman, out with her kids, had already found the phone, sussed out what numbers I called most frequently, and called my wife with a number for me to call her, so that she could deliver the phone back to me. This all happened within about two hours.

On another occasion, cycling several miles west of Chatham, I had a puncture. It turned out to be unrepairable, so, in fading light, I set off, walking the bike home. Two cars heading out of town stopped to check if I was OK and one woman offered the use of her car puncture repair foam. A little later, an SUV leaving a driveway ahead of me stopped and reversed to offer a ride. The bike safely stowed in the back, I was driven to my front door.

These little things characterize my experience here; the encouragement to read at the Poets and Writers in Robbie’s, invitations to sail and friendships forged at the Island Bay Yacht Club, the camaraderie of the Vintage Iron Riders Motorcycle Club, the haven that is the Springfield Art Association workshop on a Monday night, heart stirring Pipe Band practice on Thursday or the soul food at Springfield Bible Church on Sunday morning.

I think you have a city here that you can take pride in.

Sandy MacDonald
Scotland
 

CITY WORKER RESIDENCY

The mayor, the city aldermen, businesses, unions and the citizens of Springfield should embrace a residency requirement for city employees. During the white rampage of 1908, the city’s non-white population was estimated to have been 5 percent. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the non-white population of Springfield is about 25 percent. At both times the white population controlled the political, educational, business and labor institutions. A vote for residency is a vote that says time for a change. Let’s stop being and justifying the same Springfield that we have already been. When we say things such as, “We only want the best person for the job,” and then insist that we must look beyond the 25 percent non-white city out to the 95 percent white county suburbs, our message is clear. We whites want to stick with our own kind and live in communities where we control the educational, political, business and labor institutions. No. The time for change was about 400 years ago, so let’s not put this off. Support the residency requirement as a way of saying we are committed to looking within the city to create a city government that reflects and fairly represents the Springfield that we are.

Tom Hutchison
Springfield