​The Barrie Family Hospice of Elgin officially opened the doors to its residential hospice, lovingly known as The Cottage, a year ago, right here in St. Thomas. One year of no-cost, compassionate, 24/7 end-of-life care for local Elgin County and St. Thomas families. One year of life-changing interactions, powerful connections, and final memories which will be felt for generations. One year of community impact that is hard to summarize but means more than any words could ever explain.

On the night of September 15, 1885, a freight train rounded a curve just outside St. Thomas, Ontario, and changed history in ways nobody standing on those tracks could have imagined. The elephant that died there that night was already world-famous. What nobody knew yet was that his name was about to outlive him by centuries.
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You already know Jumbo’s story. If you want the full account of his life, his years at the London Zoo, his arrival in Barnum’s circus, and the strange and disputed circumstances of his death right here in Railway City, Railway City Tourism has you covered. What we want to talk about is what happened next. Not just in St. Thomas. Not just in North America. Everywhere.

Avi Silver will tell you, pretty cheerfully, that they never want to write a trilogy again.

Then they'll tell you how proud they are of this one. Both things are true, and it seems to me that’s likely a pretty common emotion for an author to feel.

Avi, a speculative fiction author and self-described "noted menace," moved to St. Thomas in January 2025 with their partner, fellow author Sienna Tristen. Not long after, they finished One Morning Sun, the final book of the Sãoni Cycle trilogy.

Four years in the making, written through a pandemic, grief, and a whole lot of doubt, the book is out in the world now and has been nominated for the 2026 Aurora Awards. 

After opening the doors to the human side of Animal Services in Part One—where compassion, teamwork, and community connection shape every day at the shelter—it’s time to look ahead to the physical future of that work. The current facility has served its purpose well beyond its years, but as the city continues to grow, so too must the space that supports its animals and the people who care for them. In this next chapter, we’ll explore the plans, challenges, and community efforts behind the construction of St. Thomas’s new animal shelter—a long-awaited project built on the same heart and dedication that drive the team inside it.

Nestled on the upper level of the Joe Thornton Community Centre is the St. Thomas Wall of Fame, where photographs and brief bios of St. Thomas teams and individuals are displayed and celebrated for their impacts and achievements. Join us as we dive deeper into the stories and people behind the photographs.

Joe Thornton is a globally recognized name throughout all levels of professional hockey and an incredible local legend who we are #stthomasproud of. From his impressive time with the St. Thomas Stars to the OHL's Soo Greyhounds, to being drafted first overall in the 1997 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins, "Jumbo Joe" has earned his place in many hockey fans' hearts. ​

When you think of a community hero, your mind might not immediately go to an animal shelter. But at St. Thomas Animal Services, their work for animals and their people is nothing short of extraordinary. From reuniting lost pets with frantic owners to caring for wildlife in need, this team is the heartbeat of animal welfare in our city.

With a new shelter on the horizon for St. Thomas, fundraising efforts are in full swing to support the construction and effective outfitting of the new facility. We wanted to step into the current facility to learn more about what the team at Animal Services does, their current limitations, and glimpse what the future holds for the furry residents of our community.

The City of St. Thomas has been a designated Bee City since 2023, but our Parks and Forestry department has been working on bringing bees and other pollinators back to the forefront in the city for more than a decade. With 43 parks and over 700 acres of parkland, our Parks and Forestry department's work is vital in creating and maintaining sustainable urban planning where people, pollinators, and nature can live together and live well!