I walked around my place, unsure what to do. My contract had ended unexpectedly right before Christmas. It was about the worst time to look for work, and I had surgery in two months further complicating the job search.
I immediately went to Halifax. Never been. Always wanted to go. A friend met me there and I had a great time. Once back, I was a bit at a loss.
I had a “no buy” policy to save money; so pretty much all outings were out. My extended friend network didn’t really do stuff together anymore as we aged; instead favoring the intimacy of their home and partners. My closest friends were at work and school. Winter had come and I only had a bus pass to get around. I got into a routine: yoga on YouTube, good coffee, job search, walking to the library / around, reading, video games.
I was bored out of my mind. I yearned to be around people. Where can you hang out without expectations of paying in downtown Ottawa during winter? It’s really just the library.
I ended up getting a job, at least for now, but I still dream of common spaces. Big venues in the center of the city, with a large library, free concerts, poetry shows, communal gardens, free chili/tea, work spaces, maker spaces, and green spaces to lay down for picnics, with plenty of natural light. Where everyone, from affluent urban parents with young children, to the elderly, to those with significant visible mental health issues, to those who experience great levels of poverty, are all able to feel safe and enjoy and use the space equally.