When you hear the word ?sanctuary? what immediately comes to mind? Bet your answer is?birds.



Fair enough. But did you know that Guelph ? good Guelph ? has a donkey sanctuary tucked in somewhere a place called Puslinch Concession 4? It sounds like a military camp, doesn't it?

It's Guelph's popular donkey sanctuary, probably the very few that Canada can lay claim to. It's the ideal spot for taking restless youngsters on a cross-Canadian tour, or if you're in Guelph for just a day, a visit may remind you to take it easy.

Guelph is a community of 100,000 people. Don't let that small population fool you, though. It has as much to offer visitors and residents; it's a dynamic business centre with a myriad of manufacturing, service and high technology concerns, making the region one of Canada's most progressive cities.

Going for the Green

One must-see area is Riverside Park. It's one of Guelph's largest recreational green spaces and the floral clock does keep track of time! Gardens string the park like a long, lovely necklace and a musical carousel will put verve in your stride as you walk along and watch the paddle boats and the Riverside Express (a miniature train) snake its way through. A picnic should be in order, next to the river. Call 519-837-5626 for details.

Breathe in the soul of Guelph by taking the orange and purple walking tours. These take you to some of the breathtaking architectural and historical dimensions of the city, not to mention the many parks and trails that make it a truly colourful enclave to outsiders.

For beer lovers, Guelph is home to four breweries. The city's hard water artesian wells make it the perfect spot for a brew; this is where Sleeman started in 1800, becoming a brewing giant over the decades.

The women will run amok over the shops ? visitors have farmers? markets, antique shops, modern malls and sidewalk sales. Select from any of the following: downtown, Old Quebec Street, Rockwood and Area, Stone Road Mall, or Willow West Mall. Scottish settlers came to Guelph and its sister-city, Wellington, in the early 1800s. They left ?fingerprints? of the Scottish culture and these are mirrored in the limestone used for building houses. These architectural gems remain the focal point for the area's cities, towns and villages.

In fact, the Guelph Civic Museum is a three-story building constructed of limestone (circa 1850) and relates the history from pre-settlement days to the present. More history awaits you in McCrae House, located along Speed River, named in honour of John McCrae who was a physician, fighter and writer of ?In Flanders Field.?

Speaking of history, a piece of trivia on the city's web site says that 75% of the streets bear the names of people who died in the local war. The city logo signifies the death of a municipal employee while a poppy signifies the loss of a prominent community member.

In spite of the 100,000 population, Guelph has tons of accommodation ranging from hotels, motels, B&Bs, hostels and campsites.

So when you visit, take it real slow?and take your time'As their web site puts it, Guelph ? so much, so close.

Copyright 2006 Jason Seib