What makes Chautauqua stand out among Niagara-on-the-Lake’s neighbourhoods?
Some might point to its leafy tree canopy, pocket-sized parks, beach access or the famous sunsets at Ryerson Park.
But ask the people who live there and the answer is clear: community.
Chautauqua won the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s inaugural Neighbourhood of the Year contest and residents marked the honour with a celebration at Chautauqua Park on Saturday, where the town provided cake, refreshments and snacks.
It was a modest gathering, one that felt more like a family picnic than an awards ceremony.
Asked what makes Chautauqua worthy of the title, longtime resident Brian Crow did not hesitate.
“The people, our residents,” he said.
“We come together, we help each other. That’s gone on for years and years and years.”
Crow said the neighbourhood has a strong sense of connection, supported by an active residents’ association, a community newsletter and traditions that have brought neighbours together for decades, including the annual corn roast and carol singing in the park.
He gives a lot of the credit to Chautauqua’s dogs, which bring their owners together on the streets every day.
Crow attended the celebration with Zack, his “mostly Bichon” companion. And all around people were with their furry companions.
Chautauqua Residents Association president Weston Miller, who is also running for town council, offered a similar assessment.
“For me, I think it just comes down to community. I mean, Chautauqua, you know, visually, physically, is a great unique area and neighbourhood of town, obviously, and we’ve got such a proud history. But above all, I think what makes a neighbourhood a ‘neighbourhood of the year’ is the community and the fact that everyone is just so intertwined with each other, happy to help each other out, friendly. We know everyone’s name. It truly feels like a community within a community in Niagara-on-the-Lake,” Miller said.
Miller is a third-generation Chautauqua resident. His grandparents, Roger and Carol Miller, honeymooned in the area in the 1960s before buying the iconic log cabin near the end of Shakespeare Avenue.
“They honeymooned in Niagara Falls, as you did back in the 60s, and they had a rental car and they drove down from Niagara Falls down the Parkway, down Queen Street, around the bend by Ryerson Park, and there was a for sale sign in front of the log cabin. Bought it in ‘68, and haven’t left since. So my father grew up on Shakespeare. I grew up on Shakespeare.”
His family’s story is not unusual in Chautauqua.
Miller pointed to families such as the Davidsons, who have also lived in the neighbourhood for three generations.
“That’s what I think speaks wonders about the neighbourhood, is there’s a lot of people who have been here for that long, and raised families, and been here for multi-generations. I mean, you look at the Peak Inn even — it’s been in the same family since it was built back in the 1800s. Truly, it’s a special area, and I think people realize that.”
For Lee Chan, who moved to Chautauqua five years ago, the warmth of the neighbourhood was immediately apparent.
“It’s just the camaraderie, the camaraderie of the folks around the neighbourhood, and everyone says hello to everyone. It’s a it’s a good relief from where I used to live, which is in the GTA or Markham, which everyone is so cold. I hate to say, but when I moved here, it was just a breath of fresh air.”
Since moving to Chautauqua, Chan said, he has developed genuine friendships with his neighbours.
“It’s not superficial. You really know your neighbours, and it’s almost like a family.”
The area’s natural beauty is another part of its appeal.
Chan praised Chautauqua residents Holmes Hooke and Leslie Frankish, who started a project to plant native oak trees throughout the neighbourhood using saplings grown from Chautauqua acorns.
He said it is an example of the kinds of grassroots projects residents undertake and embrace to protect the character of their community.
Then, of course, there are the sunsets.
“I go there almost every night, to be honest, with my dog. And it’s almost it’s every sunset is different. I mean, I’m not exaggerating. Every time I go there, it’s a different type of vibe, type of feel because the clouds are different, people are different, and you can have a windy day or have a very cloudy day, or just a clear day. The sunsets are just to kill for.”
Margaret Walker, who bought her Chautauqua home in 1979, said residents are united not only by their love of the neighbourhood, but by their willingness to protect it.
“We’re such a together community. We have the best residents’ association. We do things together. We look out for each other. We care for each other as neighbours. We care about our trees. We fight for our neighbourhood. We love it. I mean, what else can I say?”
Even when neighbours disagree, Walker said, they generally do so respectfully.
“I mean, we can we can even agree to disagree.”
The neighbourhood’s natural beauty “obviously doesn’t hurt,” she added.
Robin Patterson, who moved to Chautauqua in 1976, said its architectural character also sets it apart. The neighbourhood is home to an eclectic mix of cottages, modest bungalows and larger family homes, rather than the uniform streetscapes found in many newer communities.
The celebration may have been small, with some residents away on vacation and others unaware it was happening.
But those who gathered in Chautauqua Park made clear why the neighbourhood earned the town’s first Neighbourhood of the Year title.
Its trees, cottages, beach and sunsets may give Chautauqua its character. Its people give it life.
