Why Ridgetown Calls Itself the Friendliest Town in Ontario

Every small town claims to be friendly. Ridgetown actually put it on the sign.

"The Friendliest Town in Ontario" isn't just a slogan here, it's the kind of thing locals will bring up unprompted, usually while telling you about a neighbour who shoveled their driveway or a Rotary Club fundraiser that raised more than anyone expected. Whether or not it's technically the friendliest town in the province, it's certainly trying.

The Victorian streets

Ridgetown was incorporated back in 1875, and a lot of that era's architecture is still standing. Wander the older residential streets and you'll see well-kept Victorian homes with wide porches and mature trees overhead, the kind of housing stock that doesn't get built anymore.

A university in a town of 3,500

The University of Guelph's Ridgetown Campus sits right in town, specializing in applied agriculture and environmental research. It brings in students from across Canada and abroad every fall, which gives a small town an energy you wouldn't necessarily expect.

Trails, gardens, and a farmers market

The TREES Memorial Trail winds through a stand of Carolinian forest and tall-grass prairie just outside town, and it's a genuinely lovely walk any time of year. Add in the Horticultural Society's public gardens, the Ridgetown Farmers' Market, and easy access to Rondeau Provincial Park, and you've got a town that punches above its weight for outdoor life.

What it means for buyers

Ridgetown tends to be one of the more affordable options in Chatham-Kent, which, paired with the character housing stock and the university anchor, makes it a strong option for buyers who want more house for their money without giving up small-town charm. It's also quick access to Chatham for anything the town itself doesn't have.