Living CHQ, Loving Our Lakes

This picture has hung in my living room for twenty-two years. Any time someone new visits, they invariably comment: “Wow, did you have a destination wedding?” “Did you get married on the ocean?!” ...or something of the like.

And I proudly respond, “Nope. That’s Dunkirk, my hometown.”

No doubt, Point Gratiot boasts beach cliffs as gorgeous as any oceanfront view. And all five of our Chautauqua County lakeshores have breathtaking views in their own right. Bear, Cassadaga, Chautauqua, Erie and Findley together comprise one of our community’s greatest assets and deserve our attention, resources and appreciation. As Andrew Nixon, executive director of the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, brilliantly outlines on our front cover, 65% of visitors to our area attribute one of these five lakes as their reason for visiting.

Likewise, the quality-of-life benefits of residing in a county where most locals are no more than a few miles from at least one of these lakes, makes it obvious why “Living CHQ” is a good choice. We have breathtaking views, incredible amenities, beautiful towns and villages and of course, five different lakes to enjoy. Nothing says “Lake Life” like Chautauqua County.

This week, I hope you take advantage of one or more of these incredible waterways and find your own passionate way to “Live CHQ.”

The Chautauqua Gazette is proud to quote with permission, and applaud with enthusiasm, the special “Live CHQ” marketing effort that makes loving our lakes case and point. Live CHQ is a joint marketing campaign launched by the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency and the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth in 2024 to assist with talent attraction and retention efforts across Chautauqua County, NY. The overall goal of the campaign is to help raise awareness of Chautauqua County as a viable place for individuals and families to live by speaking to the sensibilities, desires, and expectations of people who are considering the county as their primary residence. For more information, visit www.LiveCHQ.com.