Escape from the city
After 15 years of apartment living in Kitchener, Alicia Becker and Cliff Pynn made the move to Clifford – but a common name isn’t the only thing that drew them to Minto
Tell us about your family.
“We’ve been married for six years. Alicia works from home, and Cliff commutes to his job in Guelph that he has held for over 10 years. We moved to Clifford in August 2021.”
Where did you move from and why did you decide to Move to Minto?
“We lived in an apartment for 15 years in Kitchener, between two busy roads. Alicia’s family lives in Hanover so she was looking to move closer. We wanted a single detached home with a yard and found the perfect house in Clifford. The stars aligned, it’s a great town.
“It’s worth noting that Cliff’s full name is Clifford. He now lives in Clifford… and yes, he took a photo of himself on the Clifford the Dog bench!
“Now that we live in Clifford, we’re central to the city and beaches on Lake Huron. A lot of our friends and family are able to stop in and visit us on their way to their cottages, which wouldn’t happen if we weren’t located here.”
“Minto’s three towns are close together, and it’s easy to do activities in all three.”
What are some of your favourite ways to spend time in Minto?
“We moved during Covid, so we are looking forward to exploring more and participating in the Clifford Truck Show, community dinners/BBQs, and events. We love walking the trails.
We love the Christmas lights in Old Rotary Park and downtown. We are so proud of our little community of Clifford.”
Do you have a favourite local business or place to shop?
“We always remember the Cedar Rail in Harriston as a place to stop and eat. Our friends and family joked that we moved to Minto to be close to the Cedar Rail!
We also enjoy shopping at Leonard’s General Store in Clifford (he has great fireworks!), and since Cliff is from Newfoundland he enjoys Beyond the Rock Newfoundland General Store in Harriston.”
What has surprised you about living here?
“The speed of the internet is actually better than the city, which is great for Alicia working from home. Clifford is so nice and quiet, and we love seeing Amish and Mennonite horse and buggies in town.”
What would you tell someone who was interested in moving to Minto?
“Minto’s three towns are close together, and it’s easy to do activities in all three. People are so friendly – even during Covid we were able to meet our neighbours and other community members, who made us feel welcome!”
