St. Marks’ growth is a Catch 22
May 6, 2008 – 9:19 amReporter Julian Pecquet wrote an interesting piece on some possible developments in St. Marks. Upon reading it, I couldn't help but think of the island I used to live on and love almost more than my own home town.
St. Simons is a little island off the coast of Georgia. Like St. Marks, it has a small-town feel mixed with the rich island feel of St. George.
Even in the few years I lived there, I watched the island grow and change. Made up of a series of two-lane roads, I know the St. Simons I once lived on will one day have to expand, and that saddens me.
But I also know that the St. Simons I loved was something I could barely afford to live on.
That's because if you choose to be an island folk, your job choices are limited to rich retiree; poor hardworking waiters/fishers/bartenders/resort workers; or, if you were lucky, business owner.
Your other choice is to drive to work.
The reality of finding work and trying to live a middle-class life was, well, a joke.
Especially for the computer-savvy boyfriend. It's not that there weren't computer jobs, there just weren't good computer jobs for those who were breaking into the job market.
Heck, there weren't good jobs for someone like me, with two years experience in outdoor education and two degrees.
Of course, I'll always dream of living on St. Simons again, but, unless I get rich, want to work as a bartender, or decide to open my own business, my chances of island living are slim.
When I think about the coast here, I can see the same dynamic.
The rich are rich and the poor are poor and the middle class is nonexistent.
Of course, I may be completely wrong. There may be a middle class hidden somewhere that I don't know about.
I'm not saying these coastal towns should become Miami or Destin. One of the things we all love about towns such as St. Marks is the small-town feel.
But maybe a little growth isn't such a bad thing -- as long as it is the right kind of development that brings average people in, not just the rich.
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