Tons of North American cities were named after their British counterparts. Often, the shadow doesn’t loom so large. Birmingham, Alabama, for instance, can easily hang with its namesake, as can the hypereducated Cambridge, Massachusetts. And in some cases—New York being a prime example—student can even surpass teacher. But when it comes to London, Ontario…ouch! That said, because I’m forever an advocate of the underappreciated city, it must be known that the Canadian London is…okay.
Located in southern Ontario, otherwise known as the warmish part of Canada, the London region boasts a not-negligible population that in recent times has exceeded half a million. That figure places it in the same company as several metropolitan areas with enviable brands—the likes of Huntsville, Alabama; Youngstown, Ohio; and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Nestled between two cutting-edge American metropolises—Buffalo and Detroit—London is known for providing its residents with countless day trip options. Within painless driving distance are the must-see Canadian cities of Hamilton, Brantford, Windsor, and Sarnia. Also easily accessible are the world-class beaches of Lake Huron and Lake Erie. Once the latter are reached, Londoners are only a boat ride away from one of the continent’s finest vacation destinations—Cleveland.
As shown in this video, the Ohio city has been wholeheartedly endorsed by several former NBA players.
The weather in London is comfortable year round—January boasts a daily mean temperature of 22°F—and the city has gained acclaim for having had the most serial killers per capita in the world during a 25-year period in the 20th century.
Famous people once lived here—Justin Bieber, Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, and Eric Lindros may ring a bell. They could have moved to relatively nearby Toronto, but they probably went to the US instead. In doing so, they left behind a big-time sports team—the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League—and an international airport that shares few similarities with Heathrow beyond being called an airport.
London does offer its remaining residents a rather desirable quality of life. It is, after all, located on the Thames River (see below), providing just one of many opportunities to experience the great outdoors.
The area has a host of schools and some surprisingly large institutions of higher learning, including the University of Western Ontario and Fanshawe College. The culture of education also comes with a focus on research, perhaps explaining why the idea of insulin was conceived here.
A quick look around reveals all sorts of amenities—parks, theaters, restaurants, museums, malls, highways, and a smattering of festivals. The orchestra went bankrupt, but a few residents still play the violin from time to time.
Throw in an abundance of affordable and nondescript suburbs, and it’s no wonder that 1.4 percent of Canadians and 0.09 percent of North Americans have chosen to call London home.
It’s enough to make you want to dance in the river.
So while your friends might brag about their fancy trips to London, England, it’ll be our secret that the real action is on the other side of the Atlantic. In fact, as of today, the oft-forgotten stepchild has a new slogan:
London, Ontario. It’s a place.
