15 Minute Walk

15 Minute Walk – Historic Saint Andrews by the Sea

By John G. Kelly
B.Com., D.PIR., LL.B.,M.S.Sc., M.A. (Jud.Admin.), F.CIS.

john@activeretirement.ca ; www.johngkelly.ca

One of the idyllic livable pluses in small town intergenerational age-friendly communities is the “15-minute walk” along a traditional main street hub with neighbourhood stores and amenities owned and operated by local merchants who always have time to say “hello, how are you today”.  This is the main street that so many suburbanites wish they had as they watch those “Hallmark” romance movies where that big city visitor meets the love of his or her life in a small town and decides to live life to the fullest by making it their hometown.

That 15-minute walk is not just a dream for me. I live in historic Saint Andrews by the Sea on the Bay of Fundy. Water Street, adjacent to you guessed it, the Bayshore doesn’t have any chain stores. It’s a retail hub of two-story buildings, many of which have official heritage status, that contains all manner and sorts of locally owned and operated neighbourhood businesses. All of the shops I frequent have owners and clerks who know my name. After all, they’re not just merchants. They’re my neighbours and neighbours get to know your name and chat with you. It all makes for shopping to be a pleasurable experience and not just a chore.

During the high point of the summer tourist season, all of us who are full-time residents mingle with tourists who spend an enjoyable day just strolling up and down Water Street chatting about how friendly all of this is. And what they do find pleasantly surprising is just how easy it is to cross from one side of the street to the other. If you even look as though you’re thinking of crossing the street drivers will stop their cars smile and wave you across the street. You’re a real live person and people and should always have the right of way in a community. Yes, you’ve guessed it. There are no traffic lights in Saint Andrews; just stop signs at intersections. That’s all that’s needed.

Now there are two sort-of chain stores in the heart of the hub that are a. must. The government-owned and operated liquor store is located at the edge of Water Street and Joey’s Independent grocer, a Loblaws franchise at the other end. But they aren’t self-serve. There are real cashiers who are always available to have a quick chat. Interestingly, there’s the beginning of a reverse strategy with some of the big supermarket chains that are realizing that self-serve is self-serving their profits while inducing customers to stop shopping in person and to grocery shop online

Cashier checkouts are being reinstalled.

Go to your local library or online and get a copy of the April 5^th issue of Canadian Geographic. The article “How Canadian Cities are reinventing their shopping malls” by Abbie Hayward explains how major suburban shopping centres are being redesigned to resemble idyllic “15-minute walk”  idyllic shopping hubs. You can drive 30-60 minutes on a jam packed four land highway, park your car in a football field-sized parking lot and then walk into a different make-believe world that unfortunately is filled with chain store boutiques and part-time help.

Or you can have a real live experience in the everyday course of your life like I do and live life to the fullest in an intergenerational small town active community like Saint Andrews. Think about it.