"A Place Of Some Importance"

Description

It's a cool Autumn night and I'm at a friend's birthday party in the restaurant at the top of the CN Tower in Toronto. To the west, my friends and I can see the lights of Oakville in the distance. Founded by William Chisholm in 1827, it has blossomed from 960 acres and a handful of citizens to over 130 square kilometres and more than 170,000 people. Yet for its size, it still manages to retain its small town feel. How, you may ask? Oakville is a town that has an abundance of community spirit, stoked by municipally sponsored actitivies that draw 1.4 million tourists year round. These range from summertime events like the Waterfront Festival and the Midnight Madness sidewalk sale to the Haunted House walk and the Christmas House Tour later in the year. Oakville also includes a plethora of old majestic homes and historical attractions in its downtown core, in excess of 2400 acres of park space, and over 400 shops and restaurants. My favourite among the latter is the Green Bean in the Towne Square. I'm a real coffee enthusiast, so having such an amazing coffeehouse so close to my house keeps me caffeinated and my taste buds happy! I dare you to disagree with me after trying their many coffee drinks, such as the London Fog. Another highlight for me is being so close to the waters of Lake Ontario on a daily basis. I'm an avid kayaker, so having the shores of Lake Ontario and Oakville Harbour in such close proximity is a real treat! There is also a great trail along the lakeshore, which caters to my other athletic passion; cycling. My dogs love the abundant park spaces too, especially the leash-free parks. I'm very proud to have lived in this great community for over 17 years with my family. I'm sure if William Chisholm were alive today and could have seen the results of his labours, he'd be pretty proud too.