Is it the many festivals and events, the colorful buildings, the history or the mild weather? Reasons abound for Ottawa to be known as an appealing place for people to spend their retirement years, according to a nationally circulated magazine.

CNNMoney Magazine recently named Ottawa as one of the top 25 best small towns to retire to for 2012. Ottawa was chosen, the article states, for its relatively low income tax rate, activity variety and location. But some residents think there are many more reasons than just those listed.

Is it the many festivals and events, the colorful buildings, the history or the mild weather? Reasons abound for Ottawa to be known as an appealing place for people to spend their retirement years, according to a nationally circulated magazine.

CNNMoney Magazine recently named Ottawa as one of the top 25 best small towns to retire to for 2012. Ottawa was chosen, the article states, for its relatively low income tax rate, activity variety and location. But some residents think there are many more reasons than just those listed.

“A slice of Americana” is how Blake Jorgenson describes the town in which he currently serves as mayor.

The honor of being named one of the top places to retire is well deserved, he said.

“I think it’s a great thing,” Jorgenson said. “I feel Ottawa is a great place to live and being recognized by a major organization like CNNMoney is kind of like icing on the cake.”

Ottawa has its own identity, he said, which is a major draw for retirees. Add to that, Jorgenson said, the defined downtown district, more than 50 restaurants and great medical facilities, and Ottawa likely will be on his own list of places to retire when the time comes — though that time is at least 20 years away, he joked.

With a population of about 13,000, Ottawa joins other small towns like Danville, Ky., Prescott, Ariz., and Fort Payne, Ala., on the CNNMoney list. Citing Ottawa’s architecturally rich buildings and more than 200 miles of nearby converted rail trails, CNNMoney’s article emphasizes the various means of visual and physical stimulation retirees can find in town.

The recognition comes not long after Ottawa was named as a finalist in the American Paint Institute’s Prettiest Places in America contest, the results of which are said to be announced soon. National recognition like this helps give Ottawa good publicity, Kristi Lee, president of the Franklin County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said. The bureau already is making plans to add the CNNMoney recognition to its visitors pamphlets and website.

“The whole location here I think is pretty phenomenal, so I think that means a lot to the retirement aspect of it,” she said.

Not named on the CNNMoney’s list, but more than likely a positive for retirees, Lee said, is the active church community, an important factor for the older generation.

“I think the church community in this area is pretty strong, and I think the retirees respect that and really enjoy belonging to their church communities,” Lee said. “For that generation, it’s still very ingrained, and I think our church communities are very active.”

In addition, with a low tax base and low cost of living, coupled with the community itself, Ottawa is a good place for retirees, Lee said. The various festivals, like the Power of the Past antique tractor show and Ol’ Marais River Run car show also offer retired people the opportunity to get out and stay active without having to fight big-city crowds, she said.

“I think most of the festivals that go on in Franklin County lend themselves to that age group just for the fact that they don’t have to travel to the city or deal with the traffic or deal with the overcrowding or stuff like that,” Lee said.

David Hood, who retired from the Ottawa Fire Department in 2000, said the idea of moving away after his retirement never crossed his mind.

“I’ve lived here all my life. ... Our kids are all here and everything so we didn’t want to be gone,” Hood said.

The father of two grown daughters and a sitting county commissioner, Hood travels occasionally with his wife, Helen, but they typically stay close to home, he said. Why? He simply describes his hometown as a “nice” place to live, well deserving of recognition.

“We have a low crime rate, a lot of activities and it’s getting better with the colleges where everybody is working together,” Hood said. “It’s a nice town. It’s just home to us.”

A complete list of the cities on CNNMoney’s list is at www.cnnmoney.com