Top 5 Reasons to Live in Toledo
Toledo is great, not the best, not the worst, but pretty awesome. Here are my top 5 reasons why I like living in Toledo.
It is a city….. ok, maybe it isn’t the biggest city, but it does have many of the amenities that a city has. It has a few buildings downtown that are tall (like tje 29 story One Seagate). Not many but looking at the skyline it does look somewhat like a city, especially if you grew up in a place where a 4 story building was tall. It has some sort of public transportation (though I have never actually ridden TARTA - the bus system). It has suburbs (Sylvania and Maumee) and a city center. So I think it ticks the city boxes.
The cost of living is low - You can afford to live in Toledo (especially artists - see 5 below). The cost of housing is very cheap, especially if you are willing to do some remodeling and fix up one of the gems in the city (the Landbank always has real fixer uppers). Sure you may pay a bit more for water than in other areas and the cost of internet is not great (I miss LUS Fiber). But if I told you what I paid for my house, you would be shocked. Beyond this, restaurants do not charge city prices for a night out. Entertainment is not too expensive. And even gas prices are not too bad. Overall, it is one of the cheapest places I have lived in the US.
Parks - Toledo and the surroundings has city, regional, and state parks that offer a place to get out in nature. The City of Toledo parks, like Ottawa Park, are not always in the best shape, but they often have places for kids to play and older kids (i.e., adults) to play. The Toledo Metropark system, our regional parks, has made it their mission to have a park within 5 miles of every resident of the county; they have succeeded. Some of the outdoor spaces have trails for kayaks and walkers, camping, a botanical garden, and soon, because the voters passed legislation to fund it, will include a riverside park by the Maumee River. I would be remiss if I forgot the Maumee Bay State Park on lake Erie. Have I mentioned that all of these parks are free.
Culture - Toledo is a city because of the art scene, specifically all the cultural institutions that often go hand-in-hand with being a city. We have the Toledo Symphony, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Opera, and Toledo Museum of Art. I am a member/subscriber to two of these organizations, though if I had more money, I would regularly support all of them. We also have two large spaces which sometimes have Broadway shows/special events: The Valentine Theatre, Stranahan Theater & Great Hall, and the Toledo Art Museum has the Peristyle for performances.
Arts - On a smaller scale - To me, Toledo is arts. From poetry readings, galleries with local artists, small theater productions, and music of different genres in bars and even houses, Toledo is full of artists and arts, many supported by the Arts Commission, but many without formal support. There is always something to see or do related to arts in every neighborhood in the city. I love the murals on the buildings and sculptures that are located randomly around town. Everywhere you look (or listen) you will experience arts - often for free.
Bonus - Community - Toledo has a bunch of different communities that make up the city and region, but maybe because it is in the Midwest, people are welcome to become part of one or make their own. It is smaller city, so with just a little work, you can get to know the players in the city and rub elbows with the shakers and makers. Or, if that is not your scene, you can connect with the artists (see 5 above) or activists. Or still too much, how about connect with some of the neighborhood associations throughout the city. There is a community for everyone in Toledo. Take a look.
In future blogs, I will talk about these places in more depth, but now you know my top 5 (or 6) reasons for loving Toledo