LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME. ALL THE RESTAURANTS LISTED BELOW ARE ACTUALLY WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM OUR VICTORIAN VILLAGE COMMUNITY BY PREVIN COURT HOMES IN ALLISTON.

BISTRO BURGER JOINT  – 70 Victoria St East, Alliston 705-250-1016

Hands down one of best burger places to go. Local succulent beef so very tasty.  Also to try is the Trout Burger.  Absolutely delicious and a favourite!  This is not from a can, this is fresh and  beautifully done, love it. Poutine fries also great.

BISTRO 77  – 77 Victoria St East, Alliston 705-435-7177

 Fresh Local and Organic Ingredients. Bistro style food at it’s best.   Set in a turn of the century home filled with old world charm but with up-to-date bistro food.  Perfect for a romantic dining experience or group function.

ALBA LISA MEXICAN – 527 Victorian St. East, Alliston 705- 435-0009

Authentic Mexican food, fresh local ingredients, GMO and preservative free from tasty salads, vegan soups, tortillas …A must to try!  They have just added a lunch menu as well as adding more items to their dinner menu.  Now open Mondays as well.

SPRING BASIL – 214 Victoria St East, Alliston 705-435-2000

Ambience is simple but it is the food that is the main attraction.  Flavourful Asian cuisine Try the Mango shrimp and Chicken curry, Fried Chicken dumplings… oh and the Pineapple rice.

INDIAN FLAMES – 33 Paris St (off Victorian St), Alliston 705-435-3393

Tandora is wonderful as is the Chana… Butter Salmon with Naan too. Very friendly staff as well.

THE WELL – 81 Victoria St, Alliston 705-250-9355

What a lovely, quaint atmosphere. The Well offers an array of baked goods plus gluten free baked goods as well.  They also serve organic coffees.  Hurry in for candy cane hot chocolate  yummy!

MALIKAI BISTRO – 3 Church St (off Victoria St), Alliston 705-434-1688

Great place for lunches  and treats.  Try the Tortilla soup, the scrumptious Hamburger wrap,Sticky Asian drumstick, Chicken paprikash… After lunch have one of their many desserts such as home made apple pie.  Malikai also carry gluten free treats too.

YUKI SUSHI – 16 Paris St (off Victoria St) Alliston 705-250-6254

A hidden gem in Alliston. Extensive choices on the menu.  If you are not too sure what to order, have the Yuki Bento, it has a little of everything from sushi, sashimi,soup, salad…fresh and wonderful.

Of course there are the stand-by favourites: East side Mario’s, Crabby Joe’s, Shoeless Joe’s, CW Coops, Pita Pit, Swiss Chalet, Dairy Queen, Pita Pit, Subway…all great too! AGAIN ALL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM OUR VICTORIAN VILLAGE COMMUNITY BY PREVIN COURT HOMES. NO NEED TO MAKE LENGTHY DRIVES, SO LEAVE THE BEAST AT HOME, and I am not speaking about your mother in-law!

(705) 250-6254

We, at Previn Court Homes are excited to announce the release of 3 New Spectacular Designs to add to our 32′ Collection.  These homes will a have 16′ Wide Garage with One Large Steel Insulated Garage Door, Choice of Elevation at No extra cost, Double 8′ High Front Doors with Choice of Decorative 3/4 Glass Insert, 9′ Ceilings, Rounded Corners…and of course our Standard Brick and Stone. The Yorkshire being 2070 sq ft 3 bedroom with computer/office area on the second floor $394,900. The Kingston is 2130 sq ft 3 bedroom home with large master bedroom with retreat/office/den $394,900. Our final New Design is 3000+ sq ft. It is called The Sutton. The Sutton is a 3 story, has 4 bedrooms all with walk-in closets, 3.5 Bathrooms, 2nd floor Sunken Family Room…superbly ideal for the growing family.  They also come with $5,000 Décor dollars to use towards, perhaps upgrading tiles, cabinets…you decide.  Closings for these amazing designs would be Fall 2015 – January 2016.  

Please contact us Sharon and Giovanna and we will gladly send you information. previncourt_alliston98@rogers.com   

Oct 30 – Nov 16                                                                                                                          Catch a hilarious play at the South Simcoe Theatre Dirty Rotten Scoundrels based on the comedy movie written by Dale Launer.  box office 705-458-4432 www.southsimcoetheatre.com

Nov 15 – 16                                                                                                                                  The 31st Annual Sugar Plum Fair Craft Show and Sale at the Nottawasaga Inn in Alliston. Crafters who will showcase there unique handmade specialties from food to crafts.  Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday 10 am – 4 pm. Adults $4 children under 12 free.

Nov 22   Alliston’s Annual Santa Claus Parade                

Nov 27 – Dec 7                                                                                                                          South Simcoe Theatres wonderful production of A Christmas Carol

box office 705-458-4432 www.southsimcoetheatre.com

Nov 29 – Dec 21  All aboard The Santa Claus Express departing from The Tottenham train station.          

                                                          Reservations and ticket prices are available online        www.steamtrain.ca                                                                        

Buying a home is a big step in the right direction. However, if you’re buying a home in Alliston, you should follow the ten steps below to make sure you’re ready to buy the perfect home.

1. Get your money and credit situation together before you do anything else

A big part of buying a home in Alliston is being able to pay for it in the first place; unless you have a massive hoard of cash sitting around, you will need a mortgage.

In order to increase your chances of getting approved — and to get lower rates — you need to maximize your credit rating and show some stability for your personal finances (this means refraining from moving your money around too much).

2. Get a pre-approval before you shop

Knowing how much a lender will loan you in the first place will help you establish a concrete budget that will clearly define what homes you can afford.

3. Make sure that your property lines are clearly defined

You don’t want a dispute with your neighbors over ill-defined property lines, so make sure that you find out exactly where they are.

4. Understand that ‘timing the market’ does not work

The real estate market does not have ‘optimal shopping periods.’ That is a myth (you cannot anticipate when and how the market is going to change) so don’t bother waiting around for a specific time frame to shop.

5. Assess what you will have to pay in addition to your mortgage

HOA fees, condo fees and property taxes can blindside an unsuspecting homeowner. Make sure that you find out what these are and see if they will fit your monthly budget.

6. Don’t make an emotional purchase

It is easy to fall in love with a house for reasons that you cannot fully understand. Do not make the mistake of purchasing a home based on these feelings, because once that romanticized view fades, you will discover that the purchase wasn’t very practical.

7. Have a look around the neighborhood

When buying a home in Alliston, you aren’t just moving into a house. You are becoming a part of a community, so make sure that you will feel comfortable living in the area.

8. Get your home professionally inspected

A home that is cosmetically perfect can have some serious underlying issues; the only way to find out is to have it inspected by a professional.

9. Don’t go for more than what you really need

Many home buyers make the mistake of purchasing a home because it has a lot of square footage with plenty of extra amenities. However, if you are not using those amenities, you will regret spending the extra tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars they costed.

10. Make an offer based on the facts

An offer should be based on two factors: your budget and how much you think the house is worth. Do not let anything else influence your decision.

Most of our buyers are from the south. Why?  Our Price and Superior Location with schools, trails and amenities just steps away. Plus, we are the only builder that offers Brick and Stone consistently throughout  our subdivision.  Our buyers come to shop in our boutique style Victorian Village site, because we are unique. That is the key difference.  We stay away from that typical ‘cookie cutter’ subdivision look.  We are an elegant looking community.  One just has to drive through to see the unbelievable difference.

With Alliston being the next ‘it’ place to live, with lower prices and country feel community we expect to see more and more families from the south.  Some escaping the crazy prices, some escaping the crazy life style that they don’t want their children exposed to.  With Toronto being about an hour commute, Brampton about 45 minutes, Bolton 30 minutes for work, it really is a no brainer.  I would rather commute and raise my children in smaller, friendly, laid back neighbourhood  than a hostile, toxic environment.  What wouldn’t we do for our kids. After all, they are our little loves of our lives.

I have lived up this way since 1996.  I remember first living here, thinking, where am I going to shop?  I need a mall! Help!  As time went on, the mall trips became less frequent, I have it down to maybe once a year, even then I resent that I have to go.  I have discovered local shopping.  I have also discovered a lot of quaint towns within about 50 km radius, where I won’t find the same thing I would find in a mall, plus the different restaurants instead of the boring chain restaurants.  I like to make a day of it.  Walk a lovely down town, stop for a locally brewed coffee, with perhaps a pastry.  Continue on my shopping trek, stop at quaint restaurant for lunch and back out I go. My friends love coming for a visit and we venture out for the day like this.  Everyone becomes in different state of mind, calm.

With our Victorian Village site, I am encountering more and more purchasers who are feeling the same way, and are following  what I had discovered.  They are also now saying they can’t imagine living any where else.  The only regret they have, is not moving here sooner!

Summer is the best time for relaxing and finding fun and entertainment.

Discover all the exciting and fun events occurring on the shores of Lake St. Claire in Tecumseh and Alliston. You will not want to miss out on all the hubbub. So continue reading on for more extended information about just a few of these great events in Tecumseh.

The Art of Eating Festival:
The Art of Eating Festival in Lakewood Park in Tecumseh, Ontario is scheduled for June twentieth and twenty-first of this year.

There will be plenty of beer and more than twenty varieties of locally made delicious wines. As well as an eclectic variety of delicious cuisine available from the many local and diverse restaurants of this area. Wine tasting and food sampling pair nicely with live entertainment, like:

• The Blue Stones
• Jackson Jill Rock Band
• Transeo
• Suzie McNeil
• The Modern Hearts and many more singers

This event is for adults only.

Potato Fest:
The Alliston Potato Festival is very well known and has been going on for more than forty years now. This fun and exciting festival is sponsored by numerous local contributors such as the Alliston Lion’s Club, Alliston Rotory Club and many more.

Proceeds are routinely and generously contributed to organizations such as:

• Alliston Relay for Life
• South Simcoe Pioneer Museum
• Community Living for South Simcoe, just to name a few

This is a very large event happening on August eighth, ninth and tenth this year.

It includes:

• A fun parade
• Many concerts in the park
• Poker tournaments
• Bike stunt performances
• A magic show
• A cute baby show contest
• A cupcake eating contest
• Lumberjack shows
• Bed races and much more

Tecumseh Corn Festival
At the Tecumseh Corn Festival happening August 21st to the 24th this year, you will find plenty of fun things to do and delicious food to eat also.

This festival is located in the lovely Lacasse Park. It boasts:

• A fun classic car show with plenty of beautiful old time vehicles
• A creative coloring contest for the kids to show off their talents
• A photo contest that you will not want to miss

There will be a fun and exciting parade, live entertainment, a Miss Tecumseh Pageant, and a whole lot more to entertain you and your family. All walking distance from our Victorian Village Site

When potential purchasers come through our homes, we always get asked if we offer a sense of community, with conveniences close by…We always answer “absolutely! We have the best location in the town of Alliston” and we do have the best location in town. Our Victorian Village site is surrounded by amenities galore. We have 2 schools that are at our subdivision, it will take your children a few minute walk or 1 minute bike ride to school, they do not have to take a bus or walk a long distance. Your family can walk or ride their bikes everywhere. We are surrounded by restaurants (East Side Marios, Shoeless Joess, Pita Pit, Dairy Queen, Subway, Swiss Chalet, Organic Bistro Burger, fabulous Thai, Indian restaurants…) Shopping (Zehrs, Sobeys, Butcher Shop, Dollar Rama, Canadian Tire, L.C.B.O.,Home Hardware, Barb’s Clothes Closet, Details House Ware…) Earl Rowe Provincial park a few km away, where you can camp or stay for the day and swim in the man made beach or 1 acre pool, canoe, hike, picnic. Rotary park and pool near by.We have the beautiful Gibson Hills – a 100 acre walking trail right across from out site. New Tecumseth Recreation Centre is just around the corner from us, it has 2 indoor arenas, indoor soccer, the second floor has a fitness facility, walking track, even a pub. We are the perfect family friendly neighborhood with everything at your doorstep.

Alliston, a popular settlement within Simcoe County, is home to the annual Potato Festival, which celebrates the area’s popular cash crop, and the picturesque Riverdale Park, situated to the north of the Boyne River, and PPG Park to the South.

Alliston’s popularity has been increasing especially among young families, whose foremost concern is their children’s education.  The good news is that schools in Alliston have a very favorable reputation, and are known for providing exemplary education to the town’s young population.

Pre-schools in Alliston

Creative Kids is a licensed non-profit school that has been serving the community since 1991, catering to children 2.5 to 5 years old. Creative Kids Pre School of Alliston, located at located at 9 Evans Rd, Alliston, ON L9R 1M1, is famous for its safe and stimulating environment and staffed by a qualified group of stimulating teachers. The school’s program incorporates theme-based circle time, crafts, nutritious snacks and plenty of outdoor play as long as the weather cooperates.  The preschool operates from September to June, and is only 2.5 km from the Allistton community. Find out more about this preschool at the school’s website: http://creative-kids-preschool.ca/.

Public Elementary Schools

Ernest Cumberland, located at  160 Eighth Avenue in Alliston, ON  L9R 1A6, and only 700 m from the Alliston Community holds approximately 700 students from Junior Kindergarten all the way through 8th grade.  The school operates on a modified school-year calendar, and it begins its session in Mid-August, with extra weeks off in both October and May. More information can be found online by visiting: http://ernestcumberland.edublogs.org/

Alliston Union Public School is currently in the process of building an impressive new facility, which is expected to open in September 2014, complete with a new library and energy-efficient building features. Alliston Union Public School now holds an enrollment of approximately 500 students.  The school is currently located at 25 Albert St W, Alliston, ON L9R 1H2, 1.7 km from the Alliston Community. You can find more information on their website: http://alu.scdsb.on.ca/.

High Schools in Alliston

Banting Memorial High School, located at 203 Victoria Street East Alliston, ON, L9R 1G5,  is part of the Simcoe County School District, and has a current student population of approximately 1800 students. The school is 2.8 km from the Alliston community. The high school opened in 1951 and  is named in honor of Sir Frederick Grant Banting, a pivotal member of the Canadian scientific team, who was born in Alliston,  and discovered how to extract and use insulin for the treatment of diabetes. The high school is widely known for its Cross Country Team.

The school’s departments include the following:

• Art (Drama, Music, Visual Art)
• Business
• Canada & World Studies – History/Geography
• English
• Health and Physical Education
• Information Technology
• Languages
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Sciences & Humanities
• Technology

Perhaps most exciting is Banting Memorial’s commitment to enriching the lives of its students through clubs and various extra curricular activities. A full list of clubs currently offered at the school is as follows:

• Aid for AIDS
• Announcement Club
• Athletic Society
• Band
• Badminton Club
• BSAID
• Choir
• Computers Club
• Dance Team
• Dragonboat Team
• Drama Club
• Fine Arts Council
• Habitat for Humanity
• Highland Dance Team
• Interact
• Math Club
• Peer Mediation
• Spanish Club

If you intend do move to Alliston, you can rest assured that your kids will get the best possible education. Similarly, there are colleges in Ontario that they can enroll in once they graduate from high school.

Alliston is not only the best potato-growing town in Canada, but also the birthplace of some of the most influential people in the world. From politicians to sports stars, this charming settlement in Simcoe County has born, bred and been home to famous and notable people. If you are considering moving to this bustling Canadian province, you can look forward to rich agriculture, buzzing social culture and possibly joining the league of the greatest minds in the country. Some of the famous residents of Alliston include the following:

Sir Frederick Grant Banting

Born in a farm house in 1981, Sir Frederick Grant Banting grew to make some of the biggest contributions in the history of Medicine. After being rejected by the military for having poor vision, the legendary scientist and doctor opted for a career in Medicine. His work was so revolutionary that it earned him a government lifetime annuity for his research.

Banting was credited as one of the discoverers of insulin and was awarded the Nobel Prize in the Medicine category. He spent his life studying and making new findings in the field of diabetes and has officially been named one of the Greatest Canadians that ever lived.

Margaret Eleanor Atwood

It is hard to find a library collection without this famous poet’s work. Margaret Atwood is a prolific novelist, poet and literary critic who has won numerous awards, including the coveted Booker Prize. With a line of bestselling novels and 15 poetry books, she is one of the most celebrated writers in the world.

Some of her famous works include The Blind Assassin and Oryx and Crake. Apart from her long lists of titles, she was also the co-founder of the Writers’ Trust of Canada and an important environmental activist.

James Lafazanos

A recognizable face across the globe, James Lafazanos is another Ontario resident that went on to make waves in the film and television industry. Most fans know him as Wraith in the popular series Stargate Atlantis. He has also made his mark in films such as Personal Effects and Ties That Bind.

Theodore Loblaws

Thousands of Canadians are very familiar with the popular Loblaws grocery stores. However, some might not know that these stores were the brainchild of the Alliston-born Theodore Loblaws. This ambitious Ontario resident was born in 1872. In his adult years, he was the co-manager of a local grocery outlet until he decided to open a chain of stores with UFCC.

Unfortunately, his first attempt was not successful. After the failed attempt, he decided to open a chain under his own name. This time, his efforts were rewarded and today, Loblaws grocery stores have evolved into an empire that is loved nationwide.

Zelda McCague

Recorded as one of the oldest people in the world, Zelda McCague was born in 1888. She married a local farmer as a young woman and lived until she was 113 years old. This Canadian treasure attributed her long life to a healthy, clean diet and is survived by many descendants who aspire to beat her record.

Joyce Trimmer

Joyce Trimmer was a celebrated Canadian politician, partly because she was the first woman to be elected as mayor of Scarborough. An environmentalist at heart, she fought to preserve natural resources and sights in Ontario and earned her place as one of the most memorable candidates in the region.

Locals born in the region find it difficult to leave and those that have migrated cannot wait to return. Between being part of a warm community to the area’s clean, healthy environment, there is much to love about Alliston, Ontario.

Alliston is a beautiful and charming settlement in Ontario, Canada. Alliston holds many other significant historical marks. Though it may not be vast in population, Alliston’s history is founded on the familial bond of three brothers.

How It Began

The majority of the land was purchased by William, John, and Dickson Fletcher. The three Fletcher brothers were dissatisfied with their life in England. They came to Toronto and later began scouting locations to build a mill. Finally, in 1853, a grist mill was built by the Fletchers near the Boyne River. Three years later, Orange Lodge was built, and the members decided to name the village Alliston. Though some may disagree on the origin of the name, it is widely believed that Alliston was James Banting’s birthplace in Yorkshire.

The Town Prospers

As time passed, the town grew. More and more of the Fletcher family began to thrive in Alliston. The family began to stimulate the town economy by starting more businesses in the area. A post office was built. George Fletcher became the town postmaster. George started the town newspaper, “The Alliston Star,” which later changed its name to “Alliston Herald.” George also became the reeve when the town was formally incorporated in 1874.

A year later, in 1875, the town was approached by the North Simcoe Railway. The railroad expressed interest in building tracks through Alliston and wanted Alliston to join the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway. Though this particular venture did not materialize, the railroad later proved to be a successful venture for the town of Alliston.  The organization set up to look into the potential of the railway later turned into the Hamilton and North-Western Railway. The town of Alliston successfully raised its portion of the funds. With expansion and blooming business, Alliston was upgraded from the status of “village” to “town” in 1981.

The Economy

The charming town has a lot to offer its residence. A small town feel and caring neighbors are everywhere. The town population of just over fifteen thousand people provides newcomers with a welcome feeling and gives residence a sense of closeness and community.

Potatoes are still a major commodity and provide stability for the town economy. About a third of the town works at the Honda manufacturing plants. The two plants were brought to Alliston in the 1980s and employ approximately 4,600 workers between the two facilities. The plants produce both vehicles and parts for the Americas.

Alliston is home to many thriving businesses. After the initial railroad ventures, a new line of the Canadian Pacific Railway reached Alliston in 1905. Alliston used to have its own electric company, Alliston Electric. Due to its success, Alliston Electric was merged into Ontario Hydro in May 24, 1918.

Alliston has a lot to offer its residents and visitors. There are two beautiful parks for people to enjoy. The Riverdale Park runs along the Boyne River and is to the north of the town. The PPG Park is to the south of the town of Alliston, near the local fire department. Most residential areas are to the north and south. However, in the mid-1990s, developments expanded to the northwest and southwest of the town.