As for weather the rest of the year, Tillsonburg had 121 days with temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius last year— providing plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. “Tillsonburg has always been an active community,” says Molnar. “As a municipality, we’ve made significant investments in our recreational amenities in recent years—including 15 km of walking/cycling trails.” “Tillsonburg also appeals to golfers,” adds Panschow. “Not only are there challenging courses locally, but eleven of the Top 100 courses in Canada are located within an hour’s drive of here.” Location is always a key part of Panschow’s marketing pitch, whether talking to business investors or potential residents. “Tillsonburg is located firmly in the heart of southwestern Ontario,” he explains. “We’re within an easy drive of multiple border crossings, international airports, and post-secondary institutions—everything, really.” Health care is undoubtedly one of the most important considerations at any age. “The Maclean’s research team looked at data points like the number of family doctors, specialists and doctor’s offices per 100,000 residents, as well as the proximity of a hospital,” says Pan- schow. “Tillsonburg scored better than 93 per cent of communities in southwestern Ontario.” Tillsonburg also scored well on the severity of crime index, with fewer serious crimes per capita than other communities in the region.
Overall, Tillsonburg can be considered yet another example of a Maclean’s calls “supercharged small towns.” “Contrary to the popular im- age of the struggling small town, communities like Tillsonburg are prospering because residents
don’t have to compromise—they offer access to the same amenities a suburb might offer, the natural splendour of a rural area and the opportunities of an urban centre,” says Panschow. “All in all, it’s good news for Tillsonburg.”
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