The Community
Antigonish is a family-friendly, creative, university community where the hospital is walkable and cyclable from the town centre, townofantigonish.ca. Housing is affordable and can be a short a commute, with no traffic congestion. The County of Antigonish, surrounding the town, boasts spectacular natural beauty, and also has a wide range of affordable housing, antigonishcounty.ns.ca. An agricultural base results in a wonderful farmers’ market and easy access to local foods, antigonishfarmersmarket.ca, while local fishers offer their catch at several wharves and community locations in season.
In winter you can easily ski or snow shoe on local trails or at the golf course, with groomed trails. Indoor community recreational sports, including hockey, curling, skating, volleyball and racquet sports (yes, we have pickle ball!) are also available. There are 3 ice surfaces and 2 artificial turf fields in town. In summer, swimming, kayaking and sailing in the Northumberland Strait, the mildest ocean water north of Washington, DC, is irresistible! A university-based rowing club on a local lake offers community lessons. There are numerous local public beaches and swimming holes, spectacular hiking trails, an 18-hole golf course, a boating club, great fishing spots, tennis courts, cycling on little-trafficked back roads and a racetrack. There is mountain biking and disc golf on Keppoch Mountain, thekeppoch.ca, and a newly organized Kan Jam league. You’ll be surprised at how few people are in the midst of such immense natural beauty!
You’ll also find a wide range of fitness and sports programs for all ages, often mentored by local university athletes and coaches. In addition to traditional gyms, a new crossfit gym has recently opened its doors. The local St. Francis Xavier University, stfx.ca, has superb recreational facilities, with a gym, rinks, a track, courts and a 25 m pool, all within the town. St.FX also hosts an impressive line up of guest speakers, films, arts, music and theatre events throughout the year, all open to the community.
Antigonish boasts a vibrant arts and culture community where theatre, documentary films, concerts, readings, lectures, visual arts and art fairs, abound, antigonishculturealive.ca. There is ample opportunity to participate, with community choirs and community theatre productions. This strong creative community has partnered with folks in health care and education to create the first community-based arts-health initiative in Canada, artshealthantigonish.org. An award-winning library serves as a flourishing community gathering space, parl.ns.ca/locations/antigonish.php. There is always lots going on in our well-engaged community - the challenge is deciding where to be! visitantigonish.ca
French-language schools and Acadian, Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian communities are near town. Antigonish’s growing community of newcomers is bringing welcome diversity to a historically Scottish region, contributing to a burgeoning celebration of ethnic culture and food. Antigonish is home to the famous ‘Peace by Chocolate’, peacebychocolate.ca owned by a family of Syrian entrepreneurs and peace ambassadors. Day and residential programs integrate individuals with diverse abilities into community activities through L’Arche Antigonish, larcheantigonish.ca. Two new retirement residences have recently opened. A wide range of service organizations and activist coalitions will welcome you as a volunteer. Halifax, Cape Breton, New Brunswick, PEI, and numerous festivals are accessible for weekend or day trips. The Halifax Stanfield International Airport is a 1-hour, 45-minute drive away.
If you are interested in speaking to a physician about practice and life in Antigonish, please contact St Martha’s Regional Hospital physician succession planning workgroup: welcome2stmarthas@gmail.com. If you would like to learn more about spousal employment, housing, schools and more, please contact Sarah O’Toole, Community Navigator: (902) 863 - 8570 or sarah@antigonishliving.com