The Town of Oakville has three heritage districts as designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. 

• Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District
• Trafalgar Road Heritage Conservation District
• First and Second Street Heritage Conservation District

 Map of Oakville's 3 Heritage Districts

These three districts are all located in the real estate area called Old Oakville.  Each individual neighbourhood is situated within walking distance of Oakville's vibrant downtown core, Lake Ontario and the Oakville Harbour. Many homes on Trafalgar Road back onto the 16 Mile Creek.

All three very desireable neighbourhoods are located on leafy tree lined streets.  Stately century old homes sit amongst new custom built homes and upscale townhomes and condos.  Some of the newer townhomes even offer elevators. Many of the historic homes have been updated carefully to retain it's original charm and integrity.  Many proudly display historic plaques with the date and original owner's name.  The Oakville Historical Society is a wonderful source of information not only for homeowners who purchase historical homes but also for anyone interested in Oakville's rich history, all stemming from our beautiful harbour at the mouth of the 16 Mile Creek. 

Living in Old Oakville has it's benefits. Upscale Restaurants, Cafes, Boutique Shopping, Performing Arts Centre, Library, Lakefront walking trails, Oakville Club, Curling Club, Tennis Clubs, Boating Clubs and more are all within walking distance of the Heritage Districts.

Century old Churches also grace the downtown core.  The Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital has resided on Reynolds Street for over 60 years.  Construction has begun on the new hospital on Third Line and Dundas Street in North Oakville and it will open it's doors in 2015.  Other medical arts buildings and many other professional offices are located on and near Lakeshore Road.

Residents in the heritage areas are in close proximity to Fortinos on Lakeshore Road and Whole Foods on Cornwall and Trafalgar for all their shopping needs.  Many area residents walk to the GO Station daily to ride the commuter train to Toronto to work.

Old Oakville and the heritage districts are not generally known as  first time buyer areas.  Smaller starter homes in these areas rarely come on the market for under $600,000.  Some buyers are paying up to $1,000,000. for properties, only to demolish the present home and build large custom estates.  Some townhomes sell for over $1,000,000.  Estates on Lakeshore Road or fronting on to Lake Ontario sell for well into the millions. 

You don't have to live in the historical districts of Oakville to enjoy what this area has to offer.  The Towne Square in the middle of Oakville's downtown is a gathering place for those out with their kids or dogs, or those looking for a great spot to enjoy a coffee or ice cream cone.

  Oakville really is a wonderful community to call home.

Bill and Sue** are a typical young Oakville couple.  They both have great but demanding  jobs and they love to spend their spare time enjoying Oakville restaurants and theatre with their friends. 

When they bought their fixer upper home, Bill and Sue had some great renovation ideas, but Bill just didn't have the time necessary to complete all of their "projects."

Sue is becoming a tad impatient and she is tired of waiting for Bill to repair even the simplest tasks like the leaky taps.  Sue has the bug.  She knows there are some great new homes being built in Oakville with all the bells and whistles  that she could move right into.

Sue knows that with a newer home there will be no major maintenance issues for many years to come.  She adores her century character home but it just doesn't suit their lifestyle anymore.

So Bill and Sue have contacted me to help them with their next move.  I look forward to showing them some great new listings in Oakville in the hopes of finding their next "perfect" home.

I will sit down with the couple and show them what the market is doing in their area and what they need to do to make their home more saleable.  A comparative market analysis will give us an indication of the current value of their property.

My internet marketing plan will definitely help to get their home the exposure it needs to sell quickly.  I plan to work hard for Bill and Sue so that they will be willing to refer my name on to their friends and relatives.

Thanks so much Bill and Sue for allowing me to be your partner in real estate.

**Bill and Sue are a fictional couple but I look forward to working with Oakville couples just like them.

Oakville, Ontario is located in an enviable geographic position.  Sitting on the shores of Lake Ontario, and centrally located between the large cities of Toronto and Hamilton, the Town of Oakville with a population of approximately 175,000 still retains a small town community feel.

The GO commuter trains are full every morning with Oakville residents travelling to their jobs in downtown Toronto.  Luckily, the Town of Oakville has a number of large employers, allowing many residents to live and work in close proximity.

Here is a list of Oakville's Top Ten Employers

1. Halton District School Board  - 4000

2. Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd. - 3491

3. Regional Municipality of Halton - 1650

4. Halton Healthcare Services Corp. - 1600  (Hospital)

5. Sheridan College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning - 1500

6. Tim Hortons - TDL Group Corp. - 761 (Franchisers, warehouse & head office for coffee & baked goods)

7. Corporation of the Town of Oakville - 690

8. Goodrich Landing Gear / Goodrich Aerospace Canada Ltd. - 600

9. Omron Dualtec Auto Electronics Inc. - 600

10. G.E. Water & Process Technologies - 550

Many people are under the assumption that Oakville is not an affordable community to live in.  While it is true that Oakville is an affluent community and many neighbourhoods boast high end homes, there are many areas where home prices are still very affordable.

Most of the recent growth in Oakville has taken place north of the Queen Elizabeth Highway.  Builders began developing subdivions in the early 1980's and the new home construction continues today.  While the older sections of Oakville boast large lots and century old homes and  trees, these newer areas appeal to buyers for many reasons. Parks, trails, community centres, shopping, new schools, sports fields are all readily available to enjoy.

Oakville has it's share of shopping plazas and malls.  One of the major reasons, despite being the size of a city, that  it retains it's small town vibe is due to  the downtown district.  Oakville's downtown is welcoming and attracts residents and visitors to annual festivities such as Midnight Madness, Jazz Festival, Sidewalk Sale, Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, plus much more.

There are pancake breakfasts, tiny tot parades, bathtub races, big bike ride for Heart and Stroke, just to name a few more events and activities.

First time buyers in Oakville can still find condo apartments for under $200,000.  Condo townhomes range from $250,000 up, and freehold townhomes and  semi detached homes can still be purchased in the  $300,000's.

Older detached bungalows are also available under $400,000, many with great sized yards.  Fixer uppers are also available for the handyman.  Many keen renovators have been able to turn a profit on reno projects here. We are findiing that many of today's buyers are looking for turnkey homes, as not everyone has the time or energy to do their own renovations.

Larger executive style homes can be purchased for $500,000 and up.  Custom built homes and estates are also available over $1,000,000.

 For more information on what Oakville has to offer please check out www.oakvillepropertiesforsale.com

Shakespeare Conservation Area is a quiet little spot great for picnics, hikes in the forest, fishing, or just reading and watching the geese and great blue heron. 

It is located just north of Shakespeare, also known as one of Ontario's antique hot spots between Kitchener-Waterloo & Stratford. 

If you haven't heard of Shakespeare, I'm sure it's neighbour to the west, Stratford is more of a household name.  Perhaps due to the famous Stratford Shakespeare Festival, or perhaps for being the home of one Justin Bieber.

But getting back to the Conservation Area, on a recent visit I noticed that all of the picnic tables had been repaired, with new boards.  That was nice to see.  I was disappointed however that the boardwalks were all grown over with weeds and it made for a tricky hike around the perimeter of the lake/reservoir.

That didn't stop my dog Lola and I from enjoying the late summer sunshine and snapping some photos.  I hope these photos will inspire you all to get out and enjoy nature now that the fall season is upon us.

Perhaps next time Justin Bieber is home and needs a bit of downtime he can check out the Shakespeare Conservation Area.

Do you use a tagline for your business?  Is it part of your branding or do you change it up every so often when the mood strikes?  Is it catchy, humorous, clever?  Is it truthful?

Are you an expert, a specialist, number 1?  I know lots of you are.  Do you have the facts to back up your statements?  Be careful if you don't or you may be taken to task. 

 I was leafing through a local real estate magazine today, and made note of different REALTORS® taglines.

Here are a few that I came across:

The First Name In Real Estate

Making Real Estate Easy

Moving You Home

Experience the "Difference" Of Real Estate

Bringing Home Results

Exceptional Service Guaranteed

Experience.Integrity.Results

Service - Above And Beyond Your Expectations

Moving You Forward

Bringinig People And Homes Together

Your Real Estate Consultant For Life

Passionate About Your Home

A Caring Combination

Your Community Expert

Your #1 Choice For Real Estate

What branding slogans have you used for your marketing?  Do you feel they've been effective?  I think most of us are always on the lookout for something new and fresh.  Time to share your marketing secrets with us.

A year ago we happened to be driving through Woodstock, Ontario on Easter Sunday, on our way to visit my sister in nearby Shakespeare, Ontario for Easter dinner.  We ended up taking a wrong turn in Woodstock and came across what was left of a beautiful turn of the century Church.

Only the front wall was still standing in what had been St. Mary's Catholic Church.  After doing a little research I found out the property had been sold and the front of the Church had been preserved and was to be incorporated into a senior's home to be built on the property.

Little did I know at the time that a year later I would be living only 15 minutes away from Woodstock, in Tavistock.  I recently drove around Woodstock trying to locate the property again and to see if there had been any further progress on the site.

Nothing had changed since my last visit.  The beautiful facade remains with perhaps a bit of deterioration.  The fence around the Church remains but there is no sign of activity.

I felt very sad when I came across a photo of the whole Church as it looked prior to demolition.  A fellow member of Flickr had taken some shots of the abandoned Church before demolition occurred.  I've included that photo by Phrenzee below. 

I have a hard time seeing historic buildings destroyed.  While I applaud the intent of the retirement home to incorporate the front of St. Mary's into their plans, I wonder when this will ever happen.  The longer the structure sits as is, the more it will deteriorate, perhaps to the point that the developer may nix their original plans.

This is all speculation on my part as I have no information to prove me right or wrong, only that over a year has gone by since I noticed this grand old structure and I have no idea how long before that, it had been demolished.

Today I'd just like to share the beauty of this once fine gathering place and I hope that it does survive in another form to be enjoyed and admired.

St. Mary's Church - Woodstock, Ontario - Photo by Phrenzee - Before demolition

All that remains of St. Mary's Church - Front shot

St. Mary's Church from the back - All that remains of a grand old Lady

 -

It's been awhile since I've posted to the Name That Photo group created a couple of years ago by Liz Moras.  It is a fun group to post to, one where you submit a photo with or without a clue and let AR members guess what the subject in the photo is.

Sometimes the subject in the  photo is relatively easy to determine but more often than not, there is some pretty wild guessing going on. 

I was out an about yesterday and noticed this reflection on the water and it made me think of the Name That Photo group.  We all know Active Rain members are extremely intelligent people so this may be way too easy for you to guess what the reflection is of.

I'm not giving any clues at this point as I'd love to let your imaginations run wild, and get those creative juices flowing.

So guess away.

The City of Stratford, Ontario will be hosting their annual Heritage Weekend on June 3rd - 5th.  I have already checked off the events that I'm interested in attending. 

I am a history nut so that's part of the reason that so many of the weekend events appeal to me.  Here is how the www.welcometostratford.com  website describes the weekend festiviities.

"Come celebrate the rich heritage of Stratford, St. Marys and Shakespeare on June 3-5 at the Stratford Spring Heritage Weekend with an antiques fair; special guided walks of antique shops and carriage tours of Stratford's heritage district; St. Marys "Once Upon the Thames" Storytelling Festival; a railway heritage show and exhibitions of costumes and the Doors of Perth County.

Stratford, St. Marys and Shakespeare have some of the best conserved 19th century heritage districts in Ontario. Shakespeare is renown for its quality antique shops and informed dealers. St. Marys, has a unique 19th century limestone architectural character unique in English speaking Canada. While Stratford's heritage district stretches for miles, filled with some of the finest 19th century homes, churches, commercial buildings and civic buildings in Canada.

The Heritage Weekend is filled with lots to see and do. Check out the calendar of events."

OK well my dog didn't really eat my blog, but my brand new Playbook did.  I was doing so well with the 31 days of May Blogging Challenge and hadn't missed a day yet.  It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

My husband has been working in Toronto for the last few days so I had the opportunity to spend the night at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel with him last night.  I didn't arrive until after 9:00 p.m.  and realized I hadn't written my daily post yet, so I sat down to write a little ditty.

What?  The hotel wanted $16.95 for internet service for 24 hours.  I was only going to be there for barely 12 hours and most of that time I would be sleeping.  I had just paid $25.00 to park my car for heaven sakes and I just wasn't prepared to pay that much for internet access.

Aha, I had my secret weapon with me.  My shiny new (well except for the fingerprint smudges) Blackberry Playbook.  I figured this would be a good opportunity to write my first post on my new business tool/toy and since it was tethered by bluetooth to my Blackberry, it would be a no brainer.

Well I'm afraid I'm used to a 17 inch laptop screen so at 7 inches my Playbook's size was a little on the shorter side.  But I ventured on.  Logged on to AR.  Wrote my post, and was feeling  pretty proud of myself until I pressed something.  I'm not sure what I pressed but I lost my post. Unfortunately I hadn't finished filling out which groups I wanted to send it to so I hadn't totally finished the post enough to submit.

No worries I thought.  I will just log back on to AR and find it under saved drafts.  AR is better now at saving drafts, because I always see "Draft auto-saved" at the top of my posts when I'm writing.

Oops, no such luck.  My post had gone astray.  I was a dead duck.  There would be no post from me on May 27th.  I was sitting in a beautiful hotel room overlooking Lake Ontario watching the ferries go back and forth to Toronto Island and I was heartsick that I couldn't even complete the simple? task of blogging every day for the whole month of May.

What is wrong with me?  In any event, I do plan to finish up the month with the final 4 posts.  I know I won't get the extra points because I messed up but I have had fun reconnecting with many blogging friends here and I've met some new members also.

I feel like my mind has become more creative, I've been out taking more photos and I've spent more time here reading some really great stuff.  This challenge has shown me that it really isn't all that difficult to post on a daily basis but you have to allow for obstacles that may interfere with your journey to complete your task.

My decision not to put another $16.95 in the hotel's coffers cost me some points and knocked me out of the competition.  But no matter, we are all winners here at Active Rain.

It's been 4 months now since  we pulled up roots in Oakville, Ontario and drove an hour and a bit in a south western direction to Tavistock, Ontario.

Oakville - Population 175,000 - Tavistock - Population - 2,400

Oakville is a fairly well known name.  It's an upscale community on the shores of Lake Ontario midway between the metropolitan cities of Toronto and Hamilton.

Tavistock, not so much.  Tavistock's claim to fame is playing host to the annual World Crokinole Championship.  This year the games are being held June 4th.  Tavistock only has one stoplight but it controls a wonky 5 way intersection.

When people were asking me where I was moving to I often told them Stratford, Ontario.  Stratford is a much more recognizable name, famous for the Shakespeare Festival, and, oh yeah, Justin Bieber.

I zip down the backroads in 15 minutes to Stratford on an almost daily basis.  My RE/MAX office is there as are my parents  and major stores and restaurants.   Tavistock offers a local grocery store, drug store, a couple of restaurants, a liquor store, 3 hardware stores, Tim Hortons coffee shop, two gas stations, a couple variety stores and a number of other service providers.

The owners of the furniture store also operate the funeral home on the other side of the street. There are also a couple of feed mills and I'm getting used to the different smells eminating from those mills.  It often smells like a brewery here actually.

Tavistock also offers a quieter environment, and a peaceful setting amongst some of the richest agricultural land in Ontario. Townsfolk wave to you even if they don't know who you are. 

When I'd tell people in Oakville I was moving to Tavistock, I'd see the blank stare on their faces.  So it was just as easy to say Stratford.  I've also told people I live in the Stratford area.  Now that we've moved, if people in Stratford ask me where I live they know where Tavistock is.

In fact many say "oh you live in Tavi".  Yup, Tavistock has a nickname.  Right now I'm just getting used to saying I live in Tavistock.   

I'm not sure when (or if) I will be able to call my community Tavi.  I guess if that word ever does slip off my tongue, I will know I'm here for the long haul.