My name is Sarah Woloschuk and in 2002 after spending 11 years in the sprawling
metropolis of Los Angeles I bucked the suburban to urban trend and migrated from
Southern California to Southern Ontario. I went from competing for parking spots with
an estimated population of 9.5 million to sharing ample free parking with approximately
24,500 residents of Bradford West Gwillumbury.
Things immediately get more human when you move to a tiny community – for starters I
stopped thinking in terms of population and started thinking in terms of residents, a small
but significant distinction. Daily smog reports were replaced with farm reports (Bradford
is the vegetable basket of Canada,) freeways for highways, and celebrity sightings gave
way to running into people I actually knew (a rarity in LA.) I thought it would take years
to adjust to my new smaller and slower pace of life and yet I quickly and happily fell into
step in no time at all.
This blog was born out of my desire to celebrate living large in a small town. I will focus
on the closeness of community and the pride its residents take in preserving and
maintaining the qualities of life that make small-town living so enjoyable and dare I say,
enviable. I’ll take you shopping on local main streets rather than cookie-cutter box stores
or generic shopping malls, uncovering boutiques, cozy coffee shops, restaurants and
eateries, seasonal festivals, beautiful parks and conservation areas and anything else that
make up a town’s personality. I wish to encourage local pride and inspire community
loyalty.
It’s a well-known fact that living in a small town makes you smarter. Ok, I made that last
line up but something about working and living in a small community, frequenting
locally owned stores and buying local where possible certainly seems like a smart idea.
In no particular order, I will share two to three times weekly, my favorite faces and places
and general joys of small town life, and where possible I will weave in bits about
Canadian products, services and companies that catch my eye and tickle my fancy.
Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to leave any comments, suggestions or questions.
