Chatham
Chatham is the largest urban centre in Chatham-Kent, with a population 45,282. With the Thames River running through the core, Chatham’s beautiful, historic downtown features a vast selection of fine boutiques, stores and services housed in beautifully restored buildings. Chatham is also one of the stops on the African Canadian Heritage Tour.
There are two interchanges from Highway 401 into Chatham. Chatham is the central retail district for Chatham-Kent with 2.6 million sq. ft. of commercial businesses. Chatham has a diverse array of rich agricultural lands and a bustling urban centre.
St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology-Thames Campus offers post-secondary education and training programs for students, business and industry. The main campus of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is located in Chatham.
Chatham is home to the Chatham Cultural Centre, a unique facility hosting a live theatre, art gallery and museum under one roof. There are four golf courses in and around Chatham ranging from a challenging private club to a 9 hole par three executive course.
Recent retail additions to the community include Home Depot, Futureshop, to name a few. Opportunities abound for other retail services, specialty restaurants and other manufacturing businesses. Many skilled manufacturers reside in Chatham (developed by decades of the presence of automotive industry in the region).
Union Gas Limited (a Spectra Energy Company) and Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (a DuPont Company) both have their Canadian head offices in Chatham. The community is also home to a vibrant Contact Centre Industry including YA Canada and Transcom.
Chatham is always undergoing improvement to even further improve the quality of life within the community. Current projects include the new YMCA, enhancement to the Kingston Park to include a water park, expansion of the St. Clair College, and several others. Recently concluded projects include the Skate Park, which is a popular attraction for the young and old alike.
Chatham is surrounded by many smaller communities, like North Buxton, steeped in African-Canadian heritage (and one of the stops of the Underground Railroad), and Pain Court, a thriving French-Canadian community rich in culture.