The holidays here on Queen’s campus weren’t so happy.
Perhaps it was because you were gone. Perhaps it was because CoGro was closed for break. Or perhaps it was a series of unfortunate events destined by fate. During the latter half of December, Kingston faced a variety of downfalls that proved its resilience and integrity in the face of obstacles. Let’s start with obstacle one.
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1. The Fire
December 17th, 2013. Exams were wrapping up, students were excitedly planning trips home, and disaster struck. At about 2:20PM 663 Princess Street, the vacant apartment building, caught fire, resulting in power outages across the area an a massive evacuation zone. Nearby evacuees included students and Royal Canadian Legion residents alike. However, the fire department fought the flames valiantly and no fatal injuries were reported. Residents outside the evacuation zone opened their doors for the newly homeless and citizens across Kingston conserved water to contribute to the firefighters’ effort to put out the flames. Kingston was faced with a hardship but stood strong. It’s not like things could get worse, right?
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2. The Ice Storm
Is there much to describe more apocalyptic than sharp, hard blocks of ice falling from the sky and blowing in torrential winds at alarming speeds? Add to this a power outage that lasted for several days. It’s as if Mother Nature thought we’d forgotten that climate change was real, and had to surprise us with the freakiest of freak weather. This is what Kingston faced during the week of Christmas, and once again showed its strength and resilience. The residents bundled up, faced the circumstances, and even made the most out of the situation by going ice-skating on the roads. You go, Kingston. You go.
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3. The Polar Vortex
The phenomenon that raised a media storm throughout the United States was kind of a “meh” moment for the citizens of Kingston during early January when the students finally returned. Record low temperatures and vicious gusts of wind, you say? Good thing practically half of us have Canada Goose jackets. Ice on every sidewalk? I’ve seen people slide on their bellies to class. The panic that shut down Western University did not have any impact on class schedules here at Queen’s. The others adopted the cold. Kingston was born in it.
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This Great City
Yes, Kingston was hit with three consecutive “Not Good” moments. But the community stood strong and pulled through. This city is proof that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going, and Kingston ran with every obstacle until it was overcome. So enjoy your time at Queen’s because no matter what bad things might happen, the trilogy of doom has scientifically proven that everything here turns out all right.