Communities

Ottawa is one of Canada’s fastest growing cities. As Realtors, it is increasingly difficult to be an expert in all the neighbourhoods of the city. As a result, many agents choose to specialize in specific communities where they feel connected, often where they live. The benefits of this specialization to any client is that the agent usually develops lasting relationships with community members and maintains an ongoing knowledge of the political, social, physical and economic features that affect this territory, including sales trends and potential listings.

To this end, Natalie and her team concentrate on working with buyers and sellers in Ottawa’s urban core. Having grown up in Old Ottawa South, attended Glebe High School, lived in Sandy Hill as well as having built two infill developments in the Golden Triangle and Centertown, Natalie knows her way around the inner City and has always been a fan and advocate of it. Marc LaFontaine has been a resident of Manor Park himself for many years and has owned businesses in New Edinburgh and Westboro.

We understand the schools and their programs, the community amenities and the fabric of each of these special places to live. Contact us to discuss YOUR community of choice!

Yet, it is only 10 minutes from downtown. Manor Park is surrounded by bike paths, green space and is home to its very own swimming hole, “The Pond”. It is a 20-minute walk to Beechwood Avenue or Montreal Road shopping and the Foreign Affairs Building (DFAIT).

Over the years, this community has evolved and its once very simple, modest homes have been transformed. It is a neighbourhood of roots, elders, and family values. Many young adults who have grown up here come back to raise their own families. It has also been my family’s home for the last 13 or so years. Find out more at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYFdXCJbW7s

Visit: www.manorparkliving.com and www.manorpark.ca,

Very popular with diplomats due to its close proximity to the DFAIT headquarters, (Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada) this neighbourhood is also home to many embassies and consulates from all over the world.

The contrast of Victorian era heritage homes and ultra modern infill developments gives it a real flair. With relatively low traffic streets, amazing green spaces, and access to Ottawa’s best schools, New Edinburgh continues to attract urban dwellers.

OC Transpo offers bus service in the area and O-Train service is also nearby.

This enclave with tidy single homes on modest lots, intimate "squares" and cul-de-sacs is a wonderful, low traffic, family community close to a fantastic, well utilized community centre, parks, tennis courts, access to some of Ottawa’s best public and private schools, Beechwood Avenue shopping, bike paths, parkways, the Governor General’s grounds and just a twenty minute walk to the Byward Market.  For more information on the history of Lindenlea visit www.lindenlea.ca/history.       

There are traditional 2 storey homes as well as modern multi level units. This oasis is bordered to the north by the Macoun Marsh area of the Beechwood Cemetery, the Notre Dame Cemetery to the south and St Laurent Boulevard to the east.

Dunbarton Court enjoys easy pedestrian access to the Richelieu Centre Community Hall, the charming Vanier Public Library, and North America’s only urban “Sugar Shack” in the woods of the White Fathers Park. This enclave of homes boasts a strong community association as well a connection with the Manor Park community nearby.

Getting downtown is a breeze with several OC Transpo routes at the door such as the numbers 5, 7 and 2.

The housing stock is mixed and dates back to the turn of the century to the 1950s, but also boasts some newer infill homes. Residents have been renovating and improving the area and people are taking note.

This area offers the same amenities as its neighbours to the north at a more affordable price. Shopping on Beechwood is accessible, as well as DFAIT and downtown, by foot or on bike. It is well serviced by bus routes such as the 7, 5 and 3. As well, this community is close to the Rideau River, bike paths and parks, as well as The Pond, Stanley Park and le parc des Pères Blancs boasting North America’s only urban sugar bush.

Recent to the area is availability of the Steiner-Waldorf pedagogy at the French Public School “Le Trillium”. Visit www.trilledesbois.com for more information.            

The development at 100 Landry Street will bring an impressive 800 housing units to the neighbourhood. Construction got underway during the summer of 2008.

Another news making development is Le Saint Denis, a fabulous infill development boasting 19 elegant townhomes and 49 loft condominium units in a once abandoned school. Visit www.lestdenis.ca for complete details.

There are many interesting features, such as the yearly Sugar Festival, the Muséoparc at the Centre Richelieu, and the murals that have been painted by local artists and installed to represent the community’s history - see the article in the Ottawa Citizen: Vanier's history in pictures.

Ottawa University is in the heart of this lively community. It is very well serviced by the transitway and has excellent Queensway access. Sandy Hill also enjoys excellent schooling as it is in the Lisgar High School catchment area, as well as that of Rockcliffe Park School which offers French Immersion, and is home to a top notch French school: Francojeunesse.

Located northeast of downtown Ottawa, it sits on the southern Banks of the Ottawa River. Neighbouring Vincent Alexander Park, Mason Park, Lindenlea and New Edinburgh provide some commercial entities that aren’t available in the purely residential Rockcliffe. McKay Lake is on the east side of the community, while the Ottawa Rockery, a large rock garden maintained by the NCC is also available for residents to enjoy.

Rockcliffe is home to many embassies, ambassadors, dignitaries and more recently, leaders of the high tech industry. If school rankings are important to you, it’s interesting to note that Rockcliffe Park is home to two of Ottawa’s most prestigious private schools: Elmwood School and Ashbury College.

A large community hall and library complex was initially privately funded by Rockcliffe residents, but is now a branch of the Ottawa Public Library, the only one in the city with a special collection of art related books.

Visit: www.rockcliffeliving.com

Alta Vista is made up of a number of smaller neighbourhoods including: Applewood Acres, Billings Bridge, Canterbury, Elmvale Acres, Faircrest, Guildwood Estates, Playfair Park, Rideau Park, Urbandale, and Urbandale Acres. Bordered by the Rideau River along the west, the neighbourhood has beautiful views and unique green spaces.

Beacon Hill is a primarily residential area, built in the 1960's and 70's. It consists of two parts, Beacon Hill North and Beacon Hill South, divided by Montreal Road. It includes the Robert O. Pickard sewage treatment plant and three high schools, Colonel By, Gloucester H.S., and Lester B. Pearson Catholic High School. It is bounded on the east by the Greenbelt, including Green's Creek ravine area, on the south by Highway 174, and on the west by the older neighbourhoods of Cardinal Heights (south of Montreal Road) and Rothwell Heights (north of Montreal Road).

It is most likely that the community drew its name from a lighthouse in the Ottawa River, downstream from Duck Island. It is thought that the light from the river could be seen from Naskapi Drive (the top of the hill), hence Beacon Hill. Though the lighthouse is no longer in use, its foundation is still visible from the bike path. One of the key hangouts among young people in Beacon Hill is “secret park”, located behind T.D. McGee Catholic School.

The area has great access to the Champlain Centre Community Hall, the Vanier Library with its excellent collection of French works, playing fields, a wooded area and walking paths, as well as easy access to transit via OC Transpo route 5 bus. DFAIT is no more than a 20 minute walk and Parliament Hill can be reached in 45 minutes by foot. Beechwood Avenue’s Bridgehead Coffee Shop is a quick 10 minute stroll from here.

Here is an area worth taking a look at!

A very charming yet mixed neighbourhood with very affluent residents living alongside some of Ottawa’s most destitute, the area closest to Rideau Street is being redeveloped with many new and upscale condominium towers while the northern streets are still quiet, mostly single home enclaves.

It is a popular area for those who like “action” and who do not want to be car dependent. The entire central business district is an easy walk away.

In the east end of Ottawa, this friendly neighbourhood contains much in the way of community and recreational facilities like Cardinal Heights Elementary School and Cardinal Heights Middle School, Rothwell United Church, Dominion Outreach Centre, Fairfield Park, Elmridge Park and Appleford Park.

This lovely neighbourhood also has ample access to public transportation to all parts of the city.

A quiet, mature neighbourhood, Carson Grove is a perfect place for families to live.

Carson Grove has everything close at hand, including the Montfort Hospital. It features ample green space and park access. The St. Laurent Centre is a quick trip away, as are many of the unique shops and restaurants in Vanier, further north. Several schools, churches, and restaurants are all within reach. For everything beyond, OC Transpo has several routes that service the neighbourhood.

Centertown is marked by a mix of residential and commercial properties. The main streets such as Bank Street and Elgin Street are largely commercial, while the smaller ones, notably Maclaren and Gladstone are more residential.

Much of the area still consists of original single family homes, but there are newer infill and town house developments and low-rise and high-rise apartment buildings. A construction boom which began in the late nineties (and which, as of early 2007, is just beginning to slow) significantly increased the number of condominiums and other residential and commercial high-rise buildings north of Cooper Street.

Orleans is comprised of many neighbourhoods including: Avalon, Beacon Hill, Beaconwood, Blackburn Hamlet, Cardinal Heights, Carlsbad Springs, Carson Grove, Chapel Hill, Chateauneuf, Convent Glen, Cyrville, Fallingbrook, Hiawatha Park, Orleans Wood, Rothwell Heights and Terra Nova Estates.

The community is thought to have been named by its first postmaster, Théodore Besserer, after his place of birth, the Île d'Orléans near Quebec City. Orléans was an incorporated police village from 1922 to 1974 and was known as St. Joseph d'Orléans.

Orleans has a large French speaking population, and has many French based schools.  There are two secondary schools and seven grade schools located in the community. As well there are many recreational facilities in Orleans, including a YMCA, a movie theatre, skating rinks and lots of bike paths.

Orleans is just a short drive from downtown Ottawa. Place d'Orleans, a substantial shopping centre, is at the centre of Orleans and is easily accessible off the 417 (Queensway).

A suburb of Greater Orleans, Beacon Hill contains many schools including: Le Phare Elementary, Robert Hopkins Elementary, Henry Munro Middle School, Colonel By Secondary School, école élementaire publique La Verendrye, école élémentaire publique Séraphin -Marion, and finally, Thomas D’Arcy McGee Catholic School. (See the more detailed description in the Beacon Hill section above.)

Blackburn Hamlet: This neighbourhood was independent until the amalgamation with the city of Gloucester in 2001. It remains a partially rural area, with older areas divided among several newer developments.

The Golden Triangle is ideal for downtown living, with many of Ottawa's finest restaurants, convenience stores, schools, shopping and churches at your front door. Only a short walk to Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal, The Golden Triangle is an ideal Ottawa location.

Public transit conveniently runs along Elgin Street, with connections to every corner of the city.

Public transit is readily available and includes many OC Transpo bus routes, which run through the neighbourhood. Great access to efficient and convenient public transportation and an ideal Ottawa location are some of the things residents of Highland Park enjoy in this tightly knit community.

Located to the west of downtown Ottawa, Hintonburg’s eastern boundary is marked by O-Train tracks, with the neighbourhood of Centretown West beyond. To the west is Holland Avenue, to the south, the Queensway (Hwy 417), while the northern periphery of the Transitway, or the old CPRail mainline is shared with the Mechanicsville neighbourhood.

Maintaining much of its working class character, this dynamic and historical neighbourhood is often voted one of Ottawa's best. Southern Hintonburg adjoins the Civic Hospital area, and is largely middle to upper-middle class residential.

Five schools and a public library are the pride of the active community association, who help support this artful and historical community.

A well-established neighbourhood located in the central west of Ottawa, Island Park offers stately homes on mature treed lots. Families with children will enjoy Elmdale Public School, from JK to grade 6. Wellington Street with its many shops and restaurants is within easy walking distance.

This diverse community is home to Preston Street, or ‘Corso Italia’ which contains many small businesses and Italian restaurants, thus the name “Little Italy.”

The area contains lots of parkland, mainly Dows Lake and the NCC trail system. The neighbourhood is also well-serviced by the OC Transpo bus system.

A very charming yet mixed neighbourhood with very affluent residents living alongside some of Ottawa’s most destitute, the area closest to Rideau Street is being redeveloped with many new and upscale condominium towers while the northern streets are still quiet, mostly single home enclaves.

It is a popular area for those who like “action” and who do not want to be car dependent. The entire central business district is an easy walk away.

It was originally settled in 1814 by British and American settlers, and is today a neighbourhood full of rich history, great character and charm. Primarily a middle-class neighbourhood, the houses are mostly in the Craftsman style. Residents enjoy taking in shows at the Mayfair Theatre, which opened its doors in 1932, and browsing Antique Row, where they can purchase some great historical items.

The Rideau River is the defining feature of Old Ottawa South’s heritage. From the tumultuous cascade at Hog's Back down past the Billings Islands to the stills before its sheer drop into the Ottawa River, the Rideau bounds and dictates the geography of this neighbourhood. It has been reported that it was used for millennia as a trade route between First Nations people of Lake Simcoe and those of the Ottawa.

This small neighbourhood was originally the suburban community of Archville that was incorporated as the village of Ottawa East in 1888. In 1907 it was amalgamated with the growing community of Ottawa. Running through the centre of the neighbourhood is Main Street, which was the central road of Archville, but which is not particularly central to modern Ottawa.

If you’re looking for great school rankings, you’ll be interested to know that this neighbourhood is home to some prestigious schools including: Saint Paul University, Lady Evelyn Alternative School, St. Nicholas Adult High School and Immaculata High School.

Despite being one of Ottawa’s wealthier neighbourhoods, it is also one of the most liberal, popular with senior managers with the federal government, although it has traditionally been a stronghold for the New Democratic Party.

A strong community association lobbies the government on local issues like recycling programs and traffic calming, in addition to running a large community centre.

The Rideau Canal trails and parkland wind alongside heritage homes and chic, trendy shops grace its commercial streets. The stretch of Bank Street that runs through the Glebe is one of Ottawa’s premier shopping areas, as well as upscale dining and quaint coffee shops abound for the gourmands, while traditional chip wagons can be found for more traditional treats.

Lansdowne Park and Frank Clair Stadium, as well as several other recreational facilities supply the Glebe and the city of Ottawa with their services. Multiple small parks litter the area, but for the most part are focused along the canal.

In 1996, the electoral district was created from Ottawa West, Nepean and part of Lanark-Carleton ridings. West Ottawa neighbourhoods boast many good schools, lots of green space and a host of amenities and recreational facilities. In 2008, a “superdome” was built at Ben Franklin Park off of Knoxdale Road. With three indoor fields available for a variety of sports groups and community programs, the facility is home to Canada’s largest indoor driving range. The Bruce Pit on Cedarview Road is home to one of Ottawa West’s most popular toboggan hills and is a favourite with dog walkers, with its miles of greenspace and walking trails.