People love ripping on Sackville. Even a lot of people from Sackville love ripping on Sackville. Over the last year or so, I would bet that nobody has read more articles about and tweets from people from Sackville than I have. I’ve noticed unfair comments that pop up whenever an incident takes place in this community. We get reports of a car thief or vandalism or worse and all I see on Twitter is “Only in Sackville” or “Stay Classy Sackville.” And that is a crock. Almost daily, we see news reports from the rest of HRM of stabbings, gun violence, attempted dirty needle pokings…and I never read “Only in Dartmouth” or “Only in Halifax.” Where did this rep come from? Is it The Trailer Park Boys Effect? The show did start out in Sackville…and I won’t lie, I have seen some of the goings-ons from that show take place here in real life. Let’s call that a highly exaggerated version of some aspects of Sackville. Is it because we have no super expensive neighbourhoods like Eaglewood in Bedford or Schwarzwald in Fall River?
Is it because of decades of shenanigans on our infamous bus route, the Shady 80, which has long been called The Party Bus, supposedly filled with “mouthy Sackville kids.” Hey, the 80 did not get a bullethole last week!
I know that we have our share of D-Bags and punks. I have lived in Sackville for about 90 percent of my life and I certainly was no angel myself when I was a bored young whippersnapper. Was I out partying in the woods making a racket with buddies? Sure. Did my buddies and I get in the odd scrap now and again? Of course we did. But I don’t think we have an unusual number of rabble-rousers living around here.
Mostly, Sackville is quirky, kinda boring and filled with a lot of houses filled with hard-working people. We are a bit different than a lot of places because there is an interesting mix of hickishness, hip-hoppiness and everyday run-of-the-mill suburbanites.
I acknowledge that some of us embrace our rough rep—note “Sackvillans,” which I find catchy and hilarious—but our rough reputation is more myth than reality.
Listen, nobody enjoys poking fun of Sackville (and myself) more than I do, but the outright hostility, “ghetto” and “you are all poor” comments that I read and hear are totally unfair.
Roughly a year ago, I started my blog and Twitter account as a joke/experiment. I quickly found out that many Sackvillans were pleased to see someone writing about Sackville and joking around about it as well. We were feeling a little ignored and left out. The response has been a bit overwhelming at times. I receive many pictures, news tips and questions daily, and I love it.
Since I have started my blog sack-vegas.com and tweeting as @sack_vegas I have beenreally looking around my town. I have talked to artists, rappers, a circus performer, amazing singers, volunteers— you name it, we have it here in the ‘Sack. I am more proud to live in Sackville now, having met so many caring, down-to-earth and hilarious people of all ages. There is a growing online and “real life” community around here that is sharing info, helping solve problems and watching each others’ back when needed. This group also includes many school age residents who are often the target of outside criticism with the “dummies and trashy girls” comments which infuriate me.
I see a lot of growing Sackville pride out there and many people who are proud Sackvillans, but are shy to admit it! Make no mistake, we don’t lose any sleep over our unfair rep.
So, to the rest of HRM and anywhere else that likes to trash the ‘Sack, I suggest they take a peek in their own back yards before judging us. Don’t make us Go Sackville on you. Oops, did I just write that out loud?
Jeff Nielsen is a husband, dad and online clown. His blog is sack-vegas.com and he tweets as @sack_vegas.
Send your essay ideas for consideration to voice@thecoast.ca
This article appears in Feb 14-20, 2013.
I’ve only lived in HRM for 11 years and I had no idea that Sackville’s rep was so “bad”. I never had an attitude about the place. And honestly, I do see “only in Dartmouth” comments a lot too. Anyway, nice article Jeff!
Oh and PS: Sackville has a yarn store!
I have lived in Sackville all my life and really love it. There is no place like home 🙂
Thanks Jeff
Lived here a long time, and I didn’t know about the Sackville bad rap.
I have a feeling that if you interviewed people from any neighborhood in Sackville, Bedford, Dartmouth, or Halifax they would say that; the region just has an ingrained inferiority complex.
I did not write this for something to do. Denying it is fine if that is what you want to believe. People are not going to say it to your face…I notice the “Golocal” name you used. That is part of the problem….ignoring issues and possible image problems by politicians and business groups gets us nowhere.
I am not delusional, I know what I read.
Again, this is not a huge issue…I always write with a bit of tongue in cheek sprinkled in. It’s just something that I felt needed to be said and there are many who have written to me outside of this site who feel better about being a resident after reading this.
I am happy that you have never seen or heard any negativity.
Nice article Jeff, I dont think sackville is near as trashy as some people perceive it…but I am glad that a lot of the buildings on sackville drive have been getting much needed facelifts, or some of the old ones are gettin torn down and replaced ( smell ya later downs view motel!)
Great submission Jeff.. read this the other night on the good ol’ 80 bus. Did you know that this bus also has a rep for being a hookup/singles scene for gay males to meet in HRM?
I thought that was funny, and so for two weeks after I heard it, I took the bus several evenings, in and back out, just to people watch. It really did seem to be an accurate rumour! I watched many young men get on the bus in singles and pairs.. and then .. mingle, basically.
Talk and flirt with this one for a few minutes.. move down the bus and chat/flirt with another. It was kinda cute actually. Well, it is a pretty long route I guess, so it’s the perfect place for a little speed dating, if you think about it! I had taken the bus my whole life, but never noticed, what with my nose always stuck in a book or a newspaper!
When I was a young teen, and starting to branch out of my own community, I definitely did come across this Sack-town prejudice a few times. Guys seemed to think a girl from Sack-town was easy and/or crazy. Girls seemed to think a girl from Sack-town would fuck you up.
Fights were picked because of where I was from more than once. .. I couldn’t ever figure out where that attitude came from. Glad that someone finally voiced this publicly.
I agree, that Sackville doesn’t deserve it’s bad rap at all – I mean, most of the people that I grew up with are still here! If it was so bad, we wouldn’t be keeping generations of families, would we? I live in Beaverbank now, but Sackville is and always will be home. Good thing too, since Woodbine people aren’t “Beaverbank-ers” according to some!
Keep on what you’re doing Jeff – any notice we can get people to make of our little town, (that’s not a town) can only help.
Why is that anyway? I have long thought that we should really become a town in our own right.. we’re certainly large enough!
Beaver Bank
I live in Sackville and have my whole life. I now have my own family, and couldn’t imagine moving elsewhere in HRM. The only thing I dislike is the name Sackvegas – it drives me nuts and I think it’s dumb. Just my personal opinion, but it’s the only thing trashy about Sackville right now. If people like it then great, keep saying it. If not (like me), then don’t say it. I won’t. Good article Jeff.