Every year, a group of freshly-graduated high school students move out of their homes and spread their wings in different cities and areas. Some go to Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, and Duluth while some move farther afield to Vancouver, Toronto, and Halifax.
It seems that every time this happens, those you expect to return don’t, and those you assume will never come back do. What is it that repels people from Fort Frances and the surrounding areas, or compels them to come back?
Josh Cawston, a first-year business administration student at Seneca College in Toronto, thinks other places just offer more for their residents in general. From entertainment to career opportunities, the possibilities seem endless in places like Toronto.
Since Cawston mainly is interested in breaking into the fashion business or working in magazines and photography, it seems reasonable that he should think this way.
He said unless you are looking to be in a servicing industry, like doing mill work, hydro, health, or teaching, there are limited opportunities to do what you dream locally.
Cawston admitted, however, that even though he can’t see himself returning for good, he would consider visiting briefly for the sake of taking advantage of his lakefront property to catch a little bit of rest and relaxation.
In contrast to a big city, “it’s important to feel the relaxed vibe of a small town,” he said.
Many of the students who have gone out and witnessed what the big cities are like share Cawston’s love for the lake. Gus Hunsperger, Kate Elliott, Tyson Dennis, and Andrew George all cite the area’s geographic location and its residents as reasons for their returns.
Hunsperger said he used to take Emo and Fort Frances for granted and felt like it wasn’t really for him. He sought out Toronto “to find new things and to meet new people.”
But when he got there, he realized the true value of the Fort Frances area.
“I like having my own space . . . where the things are mine,” he remarked. “I [also] like the small-town, close-knit community where everybody seems to be friends with everyone.”
“When a family needs help, because a kid is sick or there’s a fire, people will help out,” explained Dennis. “It’s not like that in a city. [Here], we’re united.
“It’s not like that in a city. You aren’t part of something there like you are here,” he stressed.
Dennis also noted he really likes hunting and fishing, and so the lake and the green space really add to his experience here.
Elliott also expressed her love of the lake and the residents, especially the fact that she can be close to her family, who also reside in the area.
When asked if she would consider moving away to chase an opportunity, she replied, “I love the area, so I wouldn’t like to go too far, maybe Kenora. I would just miss the summers here too much.”
Elliott hopes that when she has completed her history and teaching degrees, Fort Frances will be able to offer her the opportunity to work.
She said her ideal post-graduation situation includes full-time job opportunities for her here so she can take advantage of the characteristics of the area she loves so much.
Many students who leave state the difficulties in obtaining jobs and starting careers in the Fort Frances area, especially in their chosen field. Despite the lake, the people, and everything they love about Fort Frances, they sometimes need to leave to chase a job or to establish themselves in the field they desire.
Hunsperger agreed that sometimes finding job opportunities that correspond with your dream can be an issue, but “luckily I want to be a police officer. Everywhere needs the police, even Emo.”
However, Andrew George, owner of All Good Projects, the town’s newest audio/video company, said people shouldn’t use the fact this is a small town as an excuse to leave.
“Just because no one else is doing it, it doesn’t mean that you can’t,” he argued. “[The fact that no one else is doing it is] probably a better reason that you can and should do it.
“Some people get scared if no one else is doing it and that’s not right,” George stressed.
He said there’s not more or less opportunity in a city, it is just that the city influences and inspires different goals and dreams in people by its very nature.
But if you want to do something and you also want to live in this area, you can make it happen. You don’t have to sacrifice your dreams and goals because of where you live.
George admitted that “one day I may have to leave here to do something like shoot another movie, but so far it has been working out for me.”
The decision to stay or leave rests in what you really want. If you really love Fort Frances and the surrounding area, then you can make it work and you can create your own opportunities if they are not made readily available to you.
But if the city life really is for you, then it is important to fulfill your dreams and to work towards a career in your chosen field.
Sadly, this means we will lose some valuable Fort Frances residents, but it is good to know that the lake will compel these students who have moved on to come back—even if it is just for the lake.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
