Living in Alta Vista Ottawa : A Family-Friendly Community Guide
Are you searching for a family friendly neighbourhood that’s not far from downtown, has plenty of parks and schools, as well as easy access to shopping, transit and hospitals? Alta Vista has all this and more! With quiet tree-lined streets, big yards, and a prime location it’s easy to see why Alta Vista is one of Ottawa’s best neighbourhoods! Read on to find out everything that this great community has to offer.
Alta Vista Ward
Alta Vista Ward is located south of downtown Ottawa and covers the neighbourhoods of Eastway Gardens, Riverview, Alta Vista, Heron Gate and Sheffield Glen. The boundaries consist of Smyth Road to the North, the Rideau River to the west, the train tracks to the south and the neighbourhoods of Elmvale Acres, Guildwood Estates and Ridgemont to the east. The Ward was created in 1966 when the City of Ottawa split Gloucester Ward due to a growing population in the Alta Vista area.
Alta Vista Neighbourhood
Within Alta Vista Ward, you’ll find several smaller communities including the neighbourhood of Alta Vista. The neighbourhood boundaries as per the Alta Vista Community Association are Pleasant Park to the north, Heron Road to the south, the eastern greenspace corridor to the east and Riverside Drive to the west. Alta Vista Drive runs through the centre of both the neighbourhood and the ward, earning its name due to its elevation and scenic views.
Commuting from Alta Vista
It’s hard to find a neighbourhood with better commuting options than Alta Vista. No matter how you want to get there, you’ll find commuting to downtown a breeze from Alta Vista. It’s a quick 15-minute drive or a 30-minute bus ride to the downtown core. You can also take advantage of the neighbourhood’s easy access to the scenic Rideau River pathway to cycle (30 mins) or walk (60 mins) downtown while enjoying the views along the Rideau River.
The OC Transpo Transitway also runs through Alta Vista, with multiple stations in the neighbourhood including Billings Bridge, Pleasant Park, Riverside, and Smythe which link directly to Hurdman Station. Hurdman is a major transit hub, connecting the transitway to the O-train Confederation Line.
Schools in Alta Vista
Alta Vista is a very family friendly neighbourhood that offers a great selection of schools for all ages. Residents have a choice of public elementary schools including Alta Vista Public School, Charles H. Hulse Public School, Featherston Drive Public School, and Pleasant Park Public School. Students in the ward also have Catholic school options including St. Gemma Catholic, St. Patrick’s Intermediate, and Lamoureux Catholic French Elementary School. There are two secondary schools in the area, St. Patrick’s High School and Ridgemont High School. Alta Vista is also home to Westboro Academy, a small, independent day school for students in kindergarten up to grade 8.
Get Outdoors in Alta Vista
Alta Vista is known for its excellent collection of parks and greenspace. With many parks in the neighbourhood, residents have access to ball diamonds, sporting fields, splash pads, wading pools, play structures, and walking trails.
The Heron Green Space Corridor, also known as Wren’s Way, offers over 14 acres of serene walking and hiking trails. On the other side of the neighbourhood, the Rideau River Eastern Pathway runs from Hog’s Back Park to Rideau Falls with 11.7 km of paved pathway popular for walking, running, cycling, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter.
Live Close to Ottawa Hospitals
Alta Vista is home to some of Ottawa’s best hospitals and health care facilities. The Ottawa General Hospital, Riverside Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and the Ottawa Cancer Center are all located in Alta Vista Ward.
Shop Close to Home
With over 80 stores and services, Billings Bridge Shopping Centre has everything residents of Alta Vista need for day-to-day life. From groceries, to clothing, to restaurants and services Billings Bridge offers convenient one-stop-shopping that’s easily accessible by car or transit. And with additional shopping and restaurants at Bank and Heron, everything you need is easily accessible while the neighbourhood and streets remain quiet.
Recreation in Alta Vista
Alta Vista is also home to one of Ottawa’s top sport and recreation centres! The RA Centre has over 200,000 sq. ft of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities and is conveniently located in the eastern corner of Alta Vista Ward. The RA offers a wide selection of drop-in sports and activities, an outstanding line-up of top-notch sports leagues for adults, as well as positive and inclusive youth programs.
Homes for Sale in Alta Vista
Homes in Alta Vista are primarily 3-bedroom, single family, detached homes with large yards and mature trees. Much of the neighbourhood was developed in the 1950’s and most of the homes are from that decade although some new builds have been replacing older homes in the last few decades. Many of the original homes have been updated and renovated, giving the neighbourhood a lot of character and variety.
This popular neighbourhood often has great homes come up for sale, but the best ones aren’t available for long. Contact us today to get set up with a custom search to ensure you’re the first to know when your dream home in Alta Vista hits the market.