Me and the wife were on our way to the town of Lucan, we haven't been there in like two years, it will be nice to see, the weather was beautiful, the wind in our hair, because we have no AC in the car, so we had the windows way down.
While we were driving I recalled going to the old Black Donnellys house with my Uncle and his children when I was about twenty years old, to go find out information about taking a tour of the house. My wife said to me "Your going to tell that story to me again?? and I said "yep I will"
So in case you didn't know Lucan is very well known for The Black Donnellys massacre that happened in the 1880's.
They did a TV series about it in 2007 and there has been several books about it and other movies about this event.
So my Uncle heard where the Donnelly house was, so we took the drive down "Roman Line" just outside of Lucan, as we arrived to the house, I couldn't shake he feeling of unease that had settled over me. The air was thick with a sense of foreboding, I decided, what the heck, I will hop out of the car to smoke a cigarette.
Then out of the Donnelly House came a strange man and his eyes filled with a sinister gleam. And he came right up to me and said "Do you want to die sometime soon? And I responded with "what?" And he said "if you keep on smoking you will die soon" his voice was just sending shivers down my spine.
I told my Uncle that I was leaving this property and to pick me up on the road.
But that was the only negative situation I have had in Lucan, the other times have been great, the wife and I really like going to the Lucan Architectural place, they always have rad pieces of metal art there.
Finally we were almost arriving in Lucan, my wife said "Hey they should have a McDonalds in Lucan, I could use a dollar drink" And I responded "maybee they have one there, we haven't been there in two years"
And then I saw with my eyes the golden arches from a mile away.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the new developments that had sprung up seemingly overnight. The once quiet town now boasted a McDonald's, a Bar Burrito, and even a Dollarama. It was as if every major business chain had decided to set up shop in this small town, transforming it into a bustling hub of commerce.
I couldn't help but wonder what had prompted this sudden influx of businesses. Had Lucan suddenly become a hotspot for tourists? Or perhaps it was part of some larger plan to revitalize the town and attract new residents. Whatever the reason, it was clear that Lucan was no longer the sleepy little town it once was.
I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. It was as if the town had lost its soul, its unique character replaced by the same cookie-cutter businesses you could find in any major city. Where were the quaint little shops run by local artisans? The cozy cafes serving homemade pastries and coffee? It was as if they had been erased from existence, replaced by the sterile uniformity of corporate chains. I was oh no, they better not have replaced the Lucan Architectural place with all these shops.
I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as I realized that this was the future of urban development. The World Economic Forum's vision of 15-minute cities, where everything you could possibly need was within a short walk or drive, had come to fruition in Lucan. But at what cost? Had we sacrificed the charm and individuality of small towns in favor of convenience and efficiency?
Well at any rate we did get a dollar drink from McDonalds and picked up a few things from the dollarama.
After that we continued driving through Lucan and thank God, The Lucan Architectural place was still there!
I got out of my car to take a look around.
After that we took a drive downtown, most of the local businesses I remembered being there were still there. Hopefully they survive.
I saw this lovely art piece of when a NHL game came to this town a few years ago, can you imagine an NHL game in this small little town?
As we drove out of Lucan, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for other towns and cities. Would they too succumb to the homogenizing influence of corporate chains, losing their unique identities in the process? Or was there still hope for a world where local businesses thrived alongside their larger counterparts, offering a diverse and vibrant tapestry of experiences for residents and visitors alike?