LOOKING BACK - Goodbye to small road-side businesses

50 cartoons published in the St. Croix Courier 25 years ago tell us how far we have advanced. This is cartoon 2 in the series. by Art MacKay

This cartoon appeared in the St. Croix Courier, St. Stephen, NB about 25 years ago. At that time the Trans-Canada Highway was upgraded to make a faster and straighter route across southern New Brunswick. At the time. there was considerable concern about the impact of the highway by-passing communities along the way. And it was well-founded. Until that time, old-timers will remember, the highway passed through or near virtually every coastal village between the border and Saint John and it was indeed a long day trip. But most communities benefited from the drive-through traffic and some, like St. George, depended in very large measure on the folks who passed through their town. Slowing down to cross the bridge and round the corner with the town pump and horse trough still in the middle, many travellers opted to pause to eat, get gas for their vehicle or just take a short break. The downtown had a good assortment of retail business to service these visitors. Today, like many small towns, the downtown is a jumble of closed buildings and uncoordinated establishments. The new Trans-Canada by-pass brought commerce in these communities to a virtual standstill and St. George approached a serious state until the government managed to bring in a pulp mill at Lake

Utopia (Imagine that ... a polluting mill on a lake with the name Utopia!). This led to all sorts of problems for Letang residents and economic losses for the fishery there. But that is another story. Twenty-five years ago, this highway by-pass disrupted the local economy throughout coastal Charlotte County and closed many businesses. Today the new, straighter, quicker highway will undoubted do the same and we will see the end of many remaining rural businesses. Ive been driving the new highway a few times lately and frankly the lack of waypoints makes it unappealing and perhaps somewhat dangerous after dark ... it could be anywhere. But more particularly many of the businesses along the way will, I submit, be compelled to move or close. The famous Ozzies lunch at Bethel, Smiths and Comeaus restaurants at Pennfield will experience a huge drop in customers and even the Irving restaurant with its captive trucker clientele is doomed I think. And why not, with the exception of a desperation sign on an Irving trailer, there are really no signs that tell you where Pennfield is and what it has to offer. Coming from Saint John the turnoff to the western entrance is properly marked, but this is not preceded by any signs that indicate available services. At the eastern entrance there is a sign indicating services, but there is no mention of Pennfield ... only Blacks Harbour, Grand Manan, and Lake Utopia! So who would know? And out ludicrous sign laws will add another death stroke except, perhaps, for the more wealthy among us. Follow the highway and make your own judgements. The entrances to St. Andrews and St. George are poorly marked and confusing. Oak Bay, Bethel, Pennfield, and Lepreau are now off the map. The local losses will be high and the rural communities will be the poorer. Destination marketing has always been the key. But it seems less and less likely that New Brunswick knows how to effectively compete with Anne of Green Gables. But we are providing a great road for folks to get to see her faster. Hmmm ... maybe they will get us all to move to a city in the end? The more things change, the more they stay the same. Thats how I see it today. Art -30******************************
About Art MacKay Forced to choose between his interest in art and natural history, Art chose the latter for his university studies and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, N.B. Canada in 1961 and carried out graduate studies at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec for 3 years. He taught at McGill University, the University of Victoria, and the University of New Brunswick before establishing a biological supply and consulting business on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick in 1964. His work has included the collection and supply of living marine organisms for schools, universities and research establishments around the world. His consulting activities have been broad and range from the primary development of marine inventories from Newfoundland to Maine, environmental monitoring and mitigation for nuclear power plants, oil refineries, gas pipelines and other industrial developments. He is credited with establishing the first successful commercial Atlantic salmon sea farms in New Brunswick and Maine. His professional work has taken him to the United States, Canada, Norway, Thailand and India.

Art has an extensive background in publishing, printing, graphic design and display construction. He has sold numerous paintings and illustrations and has had several shows of his works. Currently Art makes his many articles and stories available through http://www.scribd.com/artmackay. Check the Looking Back Collection. This article contains approximately 620 words and one cartoon. Unless otherwise noted, contents and images are Art MacKay 2012 and one-time rights may be purchased by publishers. Additional information and images can be provided on request. Email art @ bayoffundy.ca.