Mr Lee

Any of you lot live there?

Was there earlier this week on our "where to live" tour and it looked rather nice.

Any opinions?

finallygotout

Everywhere looks nice though, when you are just driving by, and comparing it to where you are thinking of leaving.

Mr Lee

Gee, that's helpful...

Anyone got anything constructive to add?

ozinca

We visited Fergus during the summer, a beautiful small town. It only took about 10 mins to walk up and down the main street. People from Toronto sometimes drive to the area on weekends as the scenery is very nice and there are plenty of cafes and antique shops in the area. I am more of a city person myself, but if you like quiet, small town living, then you would like it.

I think I remember seeing on the news that a large part of Fergus was devastated by a tornado a fews months ago.

Ozinca

gtrvox1

Nice town, not too far from Guelph-KW-Cambridge which is a fairly large urban area. Gives you the advantages of a small town and you're not too far from more intense action, should you desire it. Fergus is also pretty close to Elora which has a great music festival and other attractions, as well as St. Jacobs - a picturesque village with good shopping. Hope this helps

GTR

dbd33

Note that St. Jacobs is the center of the area of Mennonite farms, that means horses and carts on the road, summer sausage, women in dresses and bonnets and lots of drugs.

It seems the founder of the Mennonite religion banned use of all "new fangled gadgets" existing at that time, so Mennonites cannot drive cars or plough with tractors. They can, however, use things not specifically banned. The women seem to love powered weed whackers.

finallygotout

You see horses and carts, but not loads of them anyway. We have been out that way since we've been here, for the saturday market, it was more of a curiousity thing, as everyone we know has mentioned st jacobs.

The menonites also have some of the best furniture stores, beds and all that, made from solid wood, but the prices ain't cheap. Someone mentioned Elora above, there is also GORGE there, where people go tubing during the summer. There is also the town of Elmira nearby, where am told they have some of the best pancake celebrations

Mr Lee

Yeah - we went to Elora Gorge last time we were in Ontario - my partner's from K-W so she used to go swimming there in the quarry. We saw more horses and buggies out this time, but then again, we did drive to Kincardine via Listowel and the area around there has dozens of Mennonite farms.

My other half has emailed a realtor in the area asking about renting in Fergus while we decide whether we want to live there or not.

How long does it take to drive to Guelph from there - any ideas? We "sauntered" back, so have no real idea of how long a commute would take. How snowed in does it get in winter? Any more input from anybody?

flashman

They are very environmentally friendly but you have to be careful not to step in the exhaust.

macadian

Fishing in the Credit River is 1st class! What better reason to go there...

macadian

Was informed they cannot use Hydro from the system...but...they can if they use their own generator?

Confused? I am

dbd33

You'd do better for furniture in North Carolina. It's a haul to get there but good stuff is really cheap and there's a nice coast so a good break can be made of the trip.

dbd33

Weed whackers are gas powered, like chain saws. I don't know the theology of it all but we go down there once a month or so to buy stuff from a farm and it amuses me that, in the field a man will be ploughing with horses while, next to the road, a woman in old time clothes whacks weeds.

Don't get me wrong, the presence of Mennonites would attract me to a place, not put me off. As a community they have some problems but they offer quality fresh food at sensible prices.

nivlad

It can got badly cut off in the winter but I still like it. Where is Stockport are you, I lived in Hazel Grove and Marple for a good few years. I still support Stockport County all be it in spirit (and the internet)

finallygotout

When we went there from Toronto, we took the guelph exit via the 401, and from Guelph to there, I'll say the drive is about 20-25 mins.