Live Small and Prosper PT 5: “I love my three-wheeled truck”

Falcon Heights (the hopefully soon-to-be reopened Ford Talbotville plant, once home to Ford Falcons and Crown Vics) is the size of a large village and could easily accommodate two of my wishes on my long and healthy wish list.


["Falcon Heights. The plant is empty... for now."]

One. I wish for a peppy three-wheeled truck, 500cc engine is plenty, mainly for urban use. Made in Canada.

Two. I wish for an enclosed adult tricycle (or funcycle) to fill my main travelling needs inside London. Made in Canada.


["Made in the USA. It gives me an idea!": photo and info link]

Falcon Heights is so big it could also be home to a hundred other useful, sustainable enterprises. (See PT 4, link below)

For example: Recycled plastic could be reused in picnic tables, chairs, benches and dozens of other products built on site.

Most of us know recycling-reusing types of industries can and should be done in every corner of every country.

Here’s one of several benefits I read about recently in You Are There by T.M. Kostigen:

“We can and should accentuate the positive news about recycling efforts. Already, by recycling nearly 7 million tons of metals a year on average, (the US) eliminates greenhouse gas emissions totaling close to 6.5 million metric tons.” pg. 128

Many readers will know my suggestion about making “picnic tables, chairs, benches (etc.)” is not new.

For example, Kostigen mentions that “Brazil generates so much plastic bottle waste that they actually make park benches out of them.”

With unemployment at high levels in both Canada and the US (What’s it like in your area?), new industries established in closed plants could become the heart beat for many laid off workers.

Yesterday I listed several enterprises that could fit under the roof at Falcon Heights and another idea popped into my head (actually two - can you guess what they are?) after reading about the new career path one laid-off Ford worker pursued.

This from www.strathroytoday.ca :

Paul Corriveau has worked at Ford for the past 11 years and will punch in for his last midnight shift this Thursday. He says it's a painful time for everyone.

For Corriveau, the end of the line means he can spend more time developing his company which launched three years ago due to the expected closure, i.e., "Railway City Brewery".

Since it's launch the brewery has garnered some clout winning Gold for its Iron Spike Amber beer and a People’s Choice Award for the Iron Spike Copper at the Ontario Brewing Awards.

[Please click here for the full story.]      

My thot - maybe Corriveau could be persuaded to expand into Falcon Heights or assist another new brewer. That’s idea number one.

Number two. You can’t brew beer without... ... hops.

Falcon Heights is proud owner of fine arable land. Does anyone know how to grow and harvest hops? It would be good, healthy work.

Other ideas have also come to mind for list of ‘Falcon Heights enterprises’:

Bicycles from recycled parts and metals

Second hand clothing store

Flea markets for home crafts

Food markets stocked with homegrown produce

Food vendors selling ready-made meals from local meats and vegetables

Birdhouse Shed, selling wee houses from rescued lumber (I have somebody already in mind for this spot)

Any other ways to make Falcon Heights a productive plant once again?

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Please click here to read Live Small and Prosper PT 4: “I love my three-wheeled truck”

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