The Local Hotspots of Norwich - James Doig
by James Doig
  • August 14, 2024
  • 6 mins story
1. What is your favorite memory of growing up and/or living in Chenango County? This can be from your childhood, the past month, or anything in between.

[0:00]

I first moved here in 1975 after I graduated from college to get a job with NBT Bank. And I spent a few years here, then I spent a few years in different parts of Chenango County and even a little bit outside the county, working for different branches. But then I moved back here after that. And even though I worked in Sidney for the last 20-some years, I have lived here right in Norwich the whole time. 

[0:22]

I came to town primarily for work, but ended up going and joining the YMCA because it became a very important part of my social life because that’s where I played basketball, lifted weights, and I got to know a lot of new people at the Y. And I'm still meeting new people at the Y. 

[0:39]

Well some of my favorite things to do are to golf, which I’ve done this morning and I’m going to go out to do again this afternoon. But I also enjoy the YMCA in particular, as I've noted earlier. I joined there just for extra things to do and for some exercise and I'm still finding things to do there. I’ve become a fairly regular pickleball player and I still play basketball once in a while and still go upstairs and lift some weights now and then. 

[1:03]

Oh a lot of good memories, we’ve had a lot of good times with different things, with Commerce Chenango, with BID [Business Improvement District], different organizations in town. I have been a member of the hospice, I’ve been a member of the United Way, I’ve been a member of the - what did I just mention? - the Chamber of Commerce. So a lot of different organizations that I’ve been involved in. A lot of very active organizations that really kind of bring the community together. 

[1:34]

Probably Nina’s. That’s probably one of the biggest hot spots in town. ‘Cause they’ve got good Italian food plus other different types of food that are good too. I used to enjoy the Wild Owl when it was here, but of course that has been recently sold. And so, I haven’t been there with the new owners yet. Bohemian Moon is a good place to go. I love to go up to Lewis’s Restaurant up in Sherburne. And a couple of different places in Chenango County also. 

[2:00]

I’m kind of a homebody for the most part, but you know, the golf that I mentioned, the YMCA, that’s my number one hot spot and it seems to be a good community focus for a lot of different things. Whether you’re just a little toddler or whether you’re a senior ready to retire or have already retired. 

[2:18]

What drew me to Norwich originally was because I grew up in a very, very small town, much smaller than Norwich. It’s called Sharon Springs up on Route 20. Okay, a tiny little town. We had 38 people in our graduating class; they’re down to like 17 or 18 in the graduating class now. But the whole point is Norwich offered more than what was available in Sharon Springs. But I really didn’t care about living in a large city. So, they have a movie theater here, they have choices of grocery stores here, they have the arts council here. Several different things that can keep you interested and busy and kinda continue your education and just keep you involved in the community.

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