Final Chapter

General Forums Prince Rupert Forum
1

Well, it’s been two years…nearly. Yet it feels like ten years. Words from a ex-Prince Rupert tax-payer (residential & commercial) now living the life in Victoria I should have heeded:

“Don’t move back to Rupert…You’re making a big mistake.”

Almost half the professionals (non-Rupertities) I work with have left town in less than one year (nearly 20). More are looking for a way out. They aren’t being replaced.

Rupert municipal gov’t is…need I say more? I fear the truth might be confused with defamation and a libel suit. I’m still pissed by the missing $5 million. Any other city’s citizens would have shaken City Hall to the foundations. What’s $5 million Rupert dollars in Vancouver money?

The local paper is the most biased, cowardly, propaganda rag I’ve read. I’ll never forget the article about July 1st overpriced boiled hotdogs and Rupert being the best place on earth. If it wasn’t so tragic, it would be comedy.

Rupert has no infrastructure.

Local house prices and rents are totally inflated and out of sync with the north’s reality.

Our community celebrates the opening of another dollar store. What does this say about the economic condition of our people?

And the weather…regardless of the port’s success, the potash, Skeena re-opening, the salmon coming back with good prices, a new dollar store, or whatever…the weather here is frustrating, unhealthy, and extreme. It isn’t normal to get rained on everyday. The reason why Rupert will always be 2nd world is the weather. If the weather was better, people in Rupert wouldn’t have to hope. These grand dreams would be a reality. It’s always going to rain and rot here.

The only thing Rupert has going for it are the people.

Besides the people, there’s nothing keeping my family here.

People isn’t enough.

My child needs opportunity and the sun. So do I.

Come spring, we are leaving this “big mistake” for better climate, infrastructure, opportunity, lifestyle, culture, food, and so on…

Good-bye and farewell.

P.Lao

2

I hear you, man!  The weather can at times be depressing here, but, I’ve found that the best way to combat the blues is to have interesting hobbies and a social support network outside of your work life.  I wish you the very best when you re-locate to sunnier climes!

3

I moved to rupert 20 years ago, and never ever thought about leaving; Like Hitest said I have hobbies that keep me busy, I dont care to much about the weather, if you waited to have a nice day you might wait months…LOL… I love Prince Rupert, I love the People, and I love the wildlife on my back door…

4

The old adage … the grass is always greener , well you may post in here after 6 months in the big city. Yes we have issues, like every other place in the world but I for one am happy here. If you are not happy then only YOU can make yourself happy ( or lots of happy pills LOL) not a move or a new job etc can do that for you. I wish you well, but really just leave we don’t need you in here to trash Rupert.

5

Everyone stays or leaves for a reason…while I’m in agreement that Rupert does have a lot of challenges facing it, I don’t think trashing the place when you were the one to chose to move back up there is the right thing to do. It’s a fair bet it was the prospect of monetary gain that lured you back-did it not get delivered??  I have a lot of respect for those people who move up there and make a new life for themselves and are happy about it, obviously you are not one of them but now that you’ve gotten this off your chest, are you a happier individual for it? Did you truly think that things were going to be all sweetness and light up there? Rupert is never going to be a truly perfect place for everyone, it’s just too isolated and at the mercies of the weather and changes in the economy caused by outside forces to ever be a fantastic place to live but for those who thrive on the outdoors and what the place does have to offer, it does work well for them.

Anyhow, the grass might be greener but it’s always at some kind of cost. It just depends on how much you are willing to pay for it is all…

6

Well-said, astrothug:-)  Our town isn’t perfect, but, it is my home.  I have a good life here. :smile:

7

Clean air, clean water, lush greenery, no crowding, no traffic, uplifting scenery, wilderness adventure, great people, cheap housing, outweigh lots of the downsides to our temperate rainforest climate - sounds like you would have benefited from investing in a good Gore-tex raincoat and a sunlamp to combat your Seasonal Affective Disorder!  Bye bye!

8

Mwahahahaha - the built-in culling mechanism has worked again.

Another one who cannot hack the weather - gone!!

All the best in your efforts P.LAO. I hope the heat doesn’t get to you down south.

Me - you could not BLAST me out of the North Coast.

9

I’m with Pedrico.

Rupert has some great qualities but it lacks alot.  People didnt move here for the weather when this city was established…they moved here for opportunity and the chance to make a buck.  Although our city still remains most of the opportunity does not. Whether you like the rain or not one cannot deny that it can be a difficult place to live.  Everyone gets tired of the rain every now and again.

Moving forward, the residents here are burdened with high taxes and having to fund an infrastructure that is falling apart literally, reduced employment and income opportunities, a lack of organized sports and activities for children and services that have been reduced. This is not a great place to raise a family.  There are worse places for sure but there are definitely alot better communities with more to offer. This town has industrialized the entire waterfront so the opprtunity to capitalize on that for park space is gone. Other than Mariners and Moose Tot parks, the other municipal parks have all been partially or completely cleaned out.
Anyone who thinks that Rupert being a tough place to live is all about the rain needs to get out of here a little more often and check out the world around us.

10

I hear what you na-Sayers are saying about Rupert,I do; but here is the things its not just Prince Rupert a fishing town by its very nature, the Province Of B.C is hurting all over.
Victoria, the island and Vancouver, and Prince George. people in those town are also hurting and the standerd of living is even higher down south leaving very few to buy a house let alone rent.

The fishing industry is on its last legs, believe it or not.
the forestry industry and by the way a renewable industry is also hurting, look at how many pulp mills and saw mills have shut down in BC.

our high dollar is also hurting BC tourism industry, very few Americans are coming north.

So to those people who have to leave because of work I really feel for you, but unless you have Profession  that people will be knocking on your door, you will be making ends meat…

to those people who are looking at Prince Rupert as their new home, Prince Rupert has a lot to offer, the people are second to none. The ocean; the mountains and the rivers hold some of the most spectacular scenery you will ever see.

don’t believe check out some local photographers and videographers website to see and view nature the way its suppose  to be seen wild, raw and in your face.

flickr.com/photos/zpaperboyz/

flickr.com/photos/evanspellman/

flickr.com/photos/astrothug/

and for videos

I LOVE MY TOWN

11

I’d like to elaborate a little more on my previous post.  Prince Rupert is a great place.  I love the nature that surrounds us and the people are terrific.  Without even talking about the weather there are some drawbacks in being here.

Municipal taxes are extreme and even if the so-called boom arrives it will be a long time, if ever, that local residents will see any relief.  There is so much work to do to repair our infrastructure and to bring certain things like sewage disposal and treatment up to standards that it is going to take millions upon millions of dollars that aren’t even close to being on the city’s radar yet.

So with that, when does it become a priority to spend some money to improve services and facilities?  Replacing a children’s playground, depending on the type of equipment would probably cost $100,000 per park.  Many of the trails and green space are not maintained or mowed.  Activities like little league ball no longer exist.  Sure there are actvities and facilities here but they pale in comparison to many similar sized communities.

In addition to that, there are many social problems here.  Drug use and alcoholism is high.  Having spent part of my teen years here I can tell you that my experience in Rupert was different than in the other communities in which I lived.  A kid here is more likely to hole himself up somewhere with his buddies and get liquored or stoned than other places where they could get out and get some sun, go to the lake or participate in some other outdoor activity.  Other communities have social problems and substance abuse issues as well but living here definitely poses some unique challenges. 

As a parent I want to provide my children with the best opportunity for them to live a happy and prosperous life.  Although growing up here may result in their success and happiness I definitely want to give them as much exposure to life outside of Rupert. My hope is that on those depressing and rainy days they know that at some point they will have the ability to make a choice to stay or leave to a better place rather than just getting into a rut here like so many others have

12

I agree with you, but the drug and alcohol factor is the same as any town in the province, its just we see it more in the small town as we all see each other every day, I’m sure statistically  Prince Rupert alcohol and drug use is the same as any other town.

I also agree that Prince Rupert will never be a boon town even if the contanour port reaches is full potential. we will never reach the numbers thrown around by those people who are trying to promote our small town, do I think we will see 75 thousand people here. NOPE…50 thousand people nope maybe 20 to 25 thousand people, but with that we will see more violence, drug and alcohol use and organized crime.

my observation about this town over the last 20 years is that the people we keep electing except for a few are self serving and only interested in their needs and not those of this community. Also the Peter Lester era are over and dead, Its time to move on, there is no great white hope like the pulp mill its time this town promote what we have and what we can offer. During those years(peter Lester era)  the old boys club who ran Prince Rupert kept everything out of Prince Rupert except the pulp mill…

Its time for a change…
I want more Playgrounds I want lower taxes, I want our children to be safe in this community, I want more of a Police present.

But I still Love Prince Rupert… :smiley:

13

I keep hearing about all these ‘good people’. What the dealio? A little exaggeration. They’re not THAT great. You can find good people anywhere.

The nature is nice. Not nice to us, but it looks good when it’s sunny. Then again, lots of things look good when it’s sunny. It also happens more in other places. Winters are the worst thing ever.

Not much to do around town. Go to school, walk around in the rain. What a drag. Who’s got the vodka?

It’s my home, and it gets the respect for raising me and allowing me to meet the cool people I have met. It’s in a pretty location. I guess I can give it that.

Side note, what’s with the Hays statue? We’re honoring a guy who was GOING to do something. But never actually did. Really grasping for straws there.

14

He had a dream about Prince Rupert that wasn’t realized in its entirety, but he still founded the place.

15

Perhaps, but in our community there are less options for kids or anyone else for that matter to stay busy.  My experiences living in other communities show different habits among many residents.  Take it for what its worth but that’s my experience.

16

agreed  :smiley:

17

We have a HUGE (400 ft to 1 inch) map of Prince Rupert framed and hanging in a place of honour in our home, it was issued on March 22nd, 1909 by the Grand Trunk Pacific Town and Development Co. Ltd, which was basically Charles Hays’ baby and featured most every street that has ultimately made up your fair town, with the exception of a few off of Prince Rupert Blvd and there are a few streets that never got made thanks to the rough terrain (Circuit Road,Justin and Egypt streets,etc)…Rupert was most definitely a vision that Hays was working on before he died on the Titanic and while most of it never did end up happening for a variety of reasons, he saw a potential many others probably scoffed at.
Thus the statue, eh?

18

I believe it was the visionary Charles Hays that said, “A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.”

19

,

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20

LMAO :smiley: