LEAMINGTON VOTED #1 PLACE TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY
Town Called a "Well-Kept Secret"
Dalson Chen, Windsor Star
Published: Saturday, April 08, 2006
Even Leamington's mayor is surprised a national business publication has named his town the No. 1 place to live in the country. In an article that appears in the April 2006 edition of MoneySense magazine , the Tomato Capital of Canada beat out a field of 108 communities across the nation to be named the absolute best place to take up residence. "I mean, I don't travel a whole lot," said Mayor John Adams, 61. Always surprised, "But you're always surprised when a national magazine says that you're the No. 1 choice."
MoneySense came to their conclusion after ranking Leamington and other communities in seven categories that
included weather, income, population growth, house prices, economic diversity, unemployment rate, and the percentage of people who walk to work. Described as a "tiny gem" and a "well-kept secret," Leamington earned its praise for both money factors and climate considerations. The 29,000-person community earned its best marks in the areas of weather and low unemployment, and it also had strong showings in population growth and household income. These scores, at least, were no surprise to Adams, who pointed to the municipality's mild winters, comfortable summers and vibrant agriculture. "If people want to work, Leamington is a great place to do that," he said. "Leamington has always had very steady growth. We don't really see the real high-highs and low-lows. I think that's what makes Leamington such an attractive place to live and work in."
Local writer Bill Sherk's favourite things about Leamington have to do with its people. "It still feels like the town I grew up in," said the 62-year-old with a chuckle. "It's a very well-knit community. You can see your friends on a regular basis, just bumping into people you know." The one category that Leamington didn't do well in was pedestrian traffic, with the majority of residents choosing to drive to work rather than walk. Sherk said he must be an exception, because he doesn't even own an automobile. "It's very easy to get around in Leamington. I walk everywhere," he said. "But I know a lot of people in Leamington are married to their car. I guess I'm a bit of an oddball."
Adams said the municipality is the best combination of city amenities and small town atmosphere, plus access to
larger urban centres. "You still get that comfy, cozy feeling that you're in a very safe community. Many times, I would say people don't even lock their doors or take their keys out of their vehicle." But 17-year-old Stephanie Hines, who works at the popular Erie Street North coffee shop Blondes Confectionary, was a little puzzled by the magazine's ranking. "There's nothing really to do here," said Hines, who's in Grade 11 at Leamington District Secondary School. "There's not much stuff for kids. It's boring." Hines said that she personally wouldn't say Leamington is the best place to live in the country. But she supposes it's better than other places. "I'd rather live here than in Kingsville or Wheatley," she said.