In late February, Erin McQueen, sister to Treehouse Village Ecohousing member Caitlin Stonham, joined her family on a weekend in Bridgewater while they attended Treehouse Village meetings. Here, Erin shares some of the highlights of the town, from a visitor’s perspective.  

When my entire family said they were going to Bridgewater for a weekend of Treehouse Village meetings and suggested I come along for the adventure, some of my friends were skeptical. How was I possibly going to amuse myself in Bridgewater for a whole weekend, they asked? I figured I’d better go to prove them wrong! Also, if my nearest and dearest are about to call this town home, I need to get acquainted with it!

Amazingly, this hub is within walking distance of the Treehouse Village property, and that is where the group was headed next. I stayed behind, wondering what I should do. I was prepared for swimming in the aquatics centre, but a sudden deluge of snowflakes surrounded the building, causing me to rethink spending the rest of the day with damp hair. So I perused the library where I found a chock-a-block notice board telling me about all manner of great activities from workshops on story-telling for adults to book clubs and yoga (presumably not in the library). It seems every day of the week boasted an exciting club to partake in at the LCLC, for adults and children alike. But, alas, as I am not personally moving to Bridgewater, I thought it best not to join any clubs, so I carried on with my reconnaissance.

To my surprise, there was an entire hockey tournament happening, so I gleefully sat and watched a game… or perhaps a portion of one. I don’t know the rules of hockey, I was just enjoying the spectacle.

With the LCLC thoroughly explored, I thought it was time for a snack break (it should be noted there are two cafes in the building but I wanted to go further afield). I made my way to Fancy Pants Cafe via two bakeries, a farmer’s market and a CrossFit gym (I got lost). While it may be Bridgewater’s only cafe, Fancy Pants sets the bar high. My latte with housemade syrup was delicious and the cupcake was divine!! Another mark of a good establishment: great tunes and a loyal customer base. Fancy Pants has both. Three regulars came in during my visit.

I also found another noticeboard brimming with announcements: the Treehouse Village weekend, the Waldorf School’s magical storytelling hour, and a concert that night at FirkinStein Brewery! Fully caffeinated, I went for a stroll through downtown Bridgewater. Just a note for any future adventurers: if you’re in Fancy Pants, you do not need to re-enter your vehicle to make it downtown. And if you do, DO NOT turn left. I felt like a fool when 25 minutes after my departure, I pulled into the same parking spot, utterly confused, turned RIGHT, wandered 100 metres and found a large mural declaring I had reached the downtown hub.

It being an off-season weekend, not much was open, but there was a well stocked florist and a community craft room (more activities!), and when I found FirkinStein Brewery, I discovered that the night’s gig was already sold out! I also came across a very well painted sign telling me to “Keep Off The Roof” (?) and an orthodontist’s office with a mini lighthouse outside.

There were also a great number of waterfront parks, piers, and green spaces that I would have been quite content to sit and read on, had the aforementioned flurry not happened.
Other highlights of my weekend include The Barn Coffee & Social House (Mahone Bay), Dots and Loops (Lunenburg), and many-a scenic drive along the beautiful shores.