
Talk about a time of juxtaposition.
As a petition circulates in the Bothwell area advocating for separating the community from Chatham-Kent, more than three dozen volunteer firefighters from various parts of C-K team up to battle a large fire in that community’s downtown.
A $3 million fire broke out Friday in the early morning hours. By the time it was doused hours later, three downtown Bothwell buildings were essentially wiped out.
Little remains of the Bothwell Diner, Mrs. A’s General Store and the post office.
About 40 volunteer firefighters from Bothwell, Thamesville, Highgate and Ridgetown worked together to battle the fire.
This at a time when a group of citizens is sending a petition around Bothwell seeking to leave C-K and join Lambton County.
It’s been nearly three decades since the Mike Harris government forced amalgamation on Kent County and all its communities. It was a rough ride initially, and everyone has complaints, but we have come a long way in 27 years.
Bothwell stands on the edge of Chatham-Kent, and is a gem of a community, much like many others of its kind here. The people look out for one another, support each other and local events with a passion.
To see that community character leave the municipality would be sad. But surely discussion can help prevent the process from occurring?
At issue, according to dissidents, is a perception the municipality does not care about Bothwell.
The reality is people in every community or former township have something about which to complain. Chatham does not have its fair representation around the council table, at least based on population, for example. Bridge replacements on lightly travelled rural roads cost people who never drive on them. Funds spent in Wallaceburg for municipal improvements are paid for by us all.
In other words, it takes a collection of all of us to make C-K work. It’s not a perfect municipality; in fact, there is no such thing. The uniqueness of every Chatham-Kent community is what helps the heart of C-K beat.
Improving one area can help all of us. Ignoring one area, however, can ultimately hurt us all too.
So too can listening to false statements over facts.