Funny thing about businesses.  They’re a little like relationships.  Shops; restaurants; professional offices — there are a lot of them in Roncy, and a lot of good ones.  As in relationships – and voting – if we want a thriving environment we need to  figure out which ones we value and want to have in our lives.  When we do, we need to shop.

Yes, I said shop.  Buy wonderful fresh fish from de la Mer; eat at The Blue Plate or Domani or The Butler’s Pantry; have Sunday brunch at Cardinal Rule and all-day breakfast at Aris.  Enjoy exquisite locally made ice cream and chocolate at Chocolateria; see movies at The Revue, get your eyes checked by Dr. Galek and so on.   We could take them all for granted, or realize they are an important element in  how we live our lives.

As a practical person, I tend to analyze everything from our lifestyle to our community, and figure out what matters — including the day-to-day “materialistic” stuff. In my case, I want to be able to walk to as many of my life needs as possible, rather than using wheels – mine or anyone else’s.

My personal reward for supporting these businesses goes far beyond having the village available to me.  I’ve also been enriched by countless conversations, with business owners, servers, and others, who really contribute to my understanding of what’s happening economically, socially and even politically.

I figure that heading into my old age, this will become even more important.   Living in this perfectly constituted “village” will keep me fitter and younger and happier – the alternative being to live life in fragmented ways – buying groceries by car, out in the suburbs; buying clothes or ‘specialty’ items in north Toronto or the Beaches – heaven forbid! – and then becoming increasingly dependent on others as I get old.

We see it all the time in suburban families: the grandmother ends up alone in the home where she raised her children, and when she becomes frail enough, there’s no place to go but a home for the elderly. But in a village like this, in the end we can even walk to the hospital!

All we need now is to make Roncesvalles Village  more affordable.