The Royal City in its entire splendor
Guelph is a beautiful city. It’s just the right combination of urban and agrarian that it has the ability to appeal to almost everyone on the spectrum. However, because of its small size, Guelph is often overlooked for not being as glamorous or exciting as its other Canadian counterparts. Certainly, there’s no way it can compare with the sprawling megapolis of Toronto, the rigid professionalism of Ottawa, or even the hustle and bustle of Montreal. Before one makes any assumptions about its nature, one should visit first to give it a chance.
Founded in 1827 by Scottish novelist, entrepreneur, and social commentator John Galt, Guelph is a medium-sized city of approximately 120,000 people. These are facts and statistics that appeal to my kind of mind, but most people most often ask “What’s there to do in Guelph?”
For those who come for the university, it can be difficult to look at Guelph as anything more than the most beautiful revolving door in Ontario. Starting at the university is important, but equally important is expanding out towards the rest of the city.
Adam Laufer is a third-year Philosophy undergraduate who joined the University of Guelph in 2012. Laufer was a resident of Prairie Hall during his first year. His advice to students is to explore the university at any opportunity.
“As far as getting to know Guelph is concerned, my experience involved becoming familiar with the university campus and then branching out from there,” explained Laufer. “Making sure to not just go to the eateries directly near you and visiting others ones was key, as well as visiting other residence buildings themselves.”
In South Residence, whose structure was designed specifically to facilitate communication, tower-hopping is the act of visiting every neighbouring residence adjacent to one’s own. Instead of meeting students from a single dormitory, tower-hopping allows students to meet people from a wide-range of areas. For those interested in making friends, it’s a chance to meet a large amount of new people very quickly.
“Now that I’m an off campus student, I have more exposure to bike trails and other points of interest that are in less obvious locations,” explained Laufer. “On the other hand, something that anyone can do to familiarize himself or herself with the city is to take a ride on the Guelph bus system. Some friends and I made a point of taking the entire 2 and 3 bus loops as they cover a fairly large area surrounding campus. Of course I personally think it’s best to do this while the weather’s still warm, so students arriving in the fall shouldn’t hesitate until winter to branch out.”
Aaron Awdhan is a Student Program Advisor, Cluster Leader, and a fourth-year human kinetics student. His advice to students wanting to learn more about the university is to ask questions as much as possible.
“It may seem like a fairly easy answer, but do not be afraid to ask questions,” suggested Awdhan. “I notice that a lot of incoming first years feel that they may wasting someone’s time, but people at the university are always willing to help. Some of the best people you can talk to are Residence Advisors and Cluster Leaders because we know a lot of the resources on campus and have the ability to guide you in the right direction.”
Both Laufer and Awdhan suggest volunteering to learn more about the city and the university. Furthermore, getting involved with groups like Interhall Council (for students living on-campus), among countless others, can be a great way to get experience in leadership roles.
“The less publicized ways of getting involved on-campus are taking the chance to get involved in the different student clubs and associations [available] in the university,” explained Awdhan. Students that want to spend time in the Guelph community should [also] consider volunteering. Guelph is an amazing city for volunteering and I feel it’s a great way to learn about the city and the community.”
David J. Knight is a University of Guelph graduate and Guelph-based writer. For students looking for culture, he suggests going to some of the historical sites and parks in the city. Historical sites like The Petrie Building, and the Speed River Trail are great to visit on warm sunny days. Furthermore, for students interested in learning about Guelph, the Civic Museum is a great place to visit.
Guelph might not be the biggest Canadian city, and it certainly might not have the largest population, but it is home to great people and amazing sites. New and old students alike should take it upon themselves to explore Guelph for the endless number of fascinating places to discover.