As an import to this quirky little town, I have loved this beautiful and wild place since the day I followed my sweetheart home. But since COVID has hit and the world has been left stumbling and scrambling to find its feet, I have felt even more blessed and immensely privileged to call Deep River home.

This community is such an anomaly!!!

All the perks of small town living, without almost any of the typical rural drawbacks.

I have yet to come across a community of this size with so many different languages spoken, so many different ethnicities, beliefs and backgrounds to be found.

We have a mosque!! We welcome newcomers!!

Do you know how rare it is for a small rural town to be so inclusive?? How needed and necessary and uplifting that is??!!

Scientists and physicists and engineers from all over the world settle here. There is so much intellect and ideas floating around, so many cool conversations and discussions being had.

We have a Symphony Orchestra! Guys, we live in a town of 4500 people and we have the THEOP!! Most small towns this size are lucky to have a gas station nearby, but we have theatre and art and creative expression to celebrate and enjoy.

Our library!!!! OMG, its so lovely and sweet and beautiful. Overlooking the gorgeous river. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and helpful and we have access to an abundance of amazing books and free programming. We are so00 lucky for this place.

Our grocery store is amazing!!! It honestly makes me happy every single time I walk into Jan’s. It’s clean and bright and FULL of incredible food. All the healthy and delicious fruits and vegetables we could ever possibly need or want. The staff is always so friendly and lovely and even thru a pandemic, they have shown so much grace and gumption and I am deeply humbled by all of them.

Okay, whoa. Our beaches!! We have the best beaches in Ontario. And we have THREE OF THEM. Not only is the sand immaculate, the water deep and clean, with no garbage floating along the shoreline…but they are also QUIET AND EMPTY. Calm and serene. Usually not a soul in sight. People pay millions of dollars to live close to and fight for space on terrible beaches just a few hours from here. How insanely blessed are we???

It’s unbelievably safe. We have our own police department, our own fire department, our own hospital and paramedics. It’s easy to take these services for granted if you live in the city, but for a town this size to have all these supports, we are sooooo fortunate.

Our clubs!! The Yacht and Tennis Club. Tai Chi. Squash and Curling. Hockey. Karate. Swimming. Pottery. Woodworking. And on and on and on.

So many people are active and healthy!!! Folks are always walking around, skiing on the trails, biking in the woods, running along the waterfront. Its cool and inspiring to see such a small community getting outside and prioritizing their health and wellness.

Downhill skiing!! Say what??? How cute and awesome and charming is Mount Martin???

Our wild spaces are astonishingly beautiful. The Four Seasons Trails are INSANE. Every season, those trails are groomed and gorgeous and accessible to everyone. Walk 5 minutes from your doorstep and you are in the woods, breathing pristine fresh air. No crowds. No garbage. Just Mama Nature in all her glory.

We look out for each other. The man at the marina is my sons teacher. The woman beside us on the beach is my daughters tutor. The lady we pass while walking at night works at the post office. The woman who runs past my house every day is a cashier at the grocery store. We all say hello, we all recognize each other and I believe, we all look out for one another, too.

Is it perfect here? Hell no. Show me a place that is.

But we are all so incredibly blessed.

Like, more fortunate than 95% of the world’s population.

Clean water, fresh air, real food.

I’d love to hear why you love our little town too!!!!

xoxo