Town Welcomed 9 Percent More U-Haul Arrivals Year-Over-Year
Algonquin Theatre in Huntsville. Credit: Tom Thompson, Town of Huntsville.
This city may be using its deserved status as the Muskoka Region’s perfect getaway to capture the hearts of visitors and turn some of them into new residents.
Huntsville has received the No. 4 ranking among the U-Haul Top 10 Canadian Growth Cities for 2015. Growth rankings are determined by the net gain of incoming one-way U-Haul truck rentals versus outgoing rentals for the past calendar year.
“Huntsville is internationally recognized as one of the best summer tourist destinations in North America,” Mayor Scott Aitchison said. “We have worked hard to continue to cultivate this image but have focused on leveraging this recognition of the community and promoting Huntsville as a year-round destination.”
Plan Ahead: Reserve a Truck in Advance for Your Summer Move
U-Haul locations in Huntsville saw 63.8 percent of truck rental customers coming into the city as opposed leaving in 2015. This city welcomed 9 percent more U-Haul arrivals year-over-year, while its departures dropped 8 percent over the same period.
While U-Haul migration trends don’t correlate directly to population or economic growth, the growth cities data is a strong gauge of how well cities are attracting and keeping residents.
Huntsville is a relatively rural location tucked away 215 km north of Toronto in the middle of the Canadian Shield, dotted with hills, steep
roadways and several bodies of water.
“I believe people move to Huntsville for the lifestyle,” said Bob Stone, chair of the Huntsville Economic Development Committee. “We seem to attract sports and arts enthusiasts, in particular. We’re located in the heart of Muskoka Cottage Country, two hours north of Toronto and 30 minutes from Algonquin Park. All I can say is, ‘Who wouldn’t want to live here?’”
This city is the fourth of five Ontario destinations to make the Top 10 Growth Cities list for 2015. Continue following the countdown on myuhaulstory.com each weekday through March 4 to see the No. 1 city revealed.
Additional Photo Credit: Aerial shot of Huntsville (featured image) and ice skating (thumbnail image) by Town of Huntsville.
More of Huntsville
- Arrowhead Provincial Park is the go-to nature attraction here. People come from all over to visit for the tranquility and fun. The park offers a variety of outdoor activities for both the summer and winter months.
- Downtown is home to the Algonquin Theatre, equipped with an acoustically renowned performance hall that offers productions throughout the year.
- Customers can find moving equipment at U-Haul neighborhood dealer Edwards Towing at 39 West Road in Huntsville. U-Haul is in the process of adding another dealer location in the area.
Quotable
- “Huntsville is part of Muskoka and is scenic, beautiful, cottage country living. It has been a No. 1 tourist attraction for years with many celebrities purchasing million-dollar cottages in the area. Recently, they have built retirement communities beside the lakes and parks.” — Wayne Curtis, U-Haul Company of Central Ontario president
- “Huntsville is one of the most beautiful places in Canada. We take pride in valuing and preserving the naturally beauty that surrounds us, as evidenced by the numerous initiatives we have undertaken to reduce the environmental footprint of Huntsville.” — Scott Aitchison, Mayor of Huntsville
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