Alta Vista Real Estate Listings & Alta Vista Profile
Residential area Alta Vista comprises several smaller neighbourhoods. Alta Vista offers a fabulous community feel and is a major draw for families, as well as physicians and other medical professionals, who appreciate its easy commute to The Ottawa Hospital General Campus and Riverside Campuses, as well as The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). Many professors affiliated with Carleton University also love the area, as it takes under 10 minutes of drive time to get to and from. Alta Vista is in a great central location close to the Glebe and only a 15-minute drive to downtown Ottawa.
Having been suburbanized in the 1950s, Alta Vista has many older bungalows that are gradually being redesigned and new infills that are popping up. The streets are quiet with little through traffic and several centrally located parks, including family-oriented Applewood Park with its play structures, Playfair Park and Alta Vista Park, which both enjoy outdoor rinks in winter months, Orlando Park with its soccer fields and spacious Grasshopper Hill Park which has play structures and a baseball diamond.
Billings Bridge Shopping Centre is in the neighbourhood and if you continue north on Bank Street you’ll find yourself in Old Ottawa South and then in the Glebe, both of which are just five to seven minutes by car from Alta Vista. Bank Street’s many amenities include well-loved restaurants from The Rowan to Erling’s Variety, Stella Luna Gelato Café and La Strada Restaurant. Breakfast fare is great from Kettleman’s Bagel Co. and the Lansdowne development includes several options, including JOEY Lansdowne and Milestone’s. Other amenities there include a Cineplex Cinema, a LCBO, Whole Foods, the Ottawa Farmers’ Market and TD Place, home to the Ottawa REDBLACKS (Canadian Football League) and the Ottawa 67’s (Ontario Hockey League). An Alta-Vista based food favourite includes the top-notch takeout stylings of Creative Kosher Catering, headed up by sensational caterer and over-the-top event planner David Smith.
Nearby museums include the Billings Estate National Historical Site, a landmark home on 8 historical acres (3.2 hectares) preserved by the City of Ottawa. The Billings Bridge-located museum serves up many family-oriented events, including tea on the lawn. Just 10 minutes by car from Alta Vista, the Canada Science and Technology Museum reopened in 2017 after an extensive three-year redo. This family favourite offers 80,000 square feet (7,400 square metres) of museum space including the well-loved Crazy Kitchen exhibit. It is a major draw for birthday parties and field trips, as well as educational family outings. The Central Experimental Farm is also 10 minutes from Alta Vista and offers recreation through its five public areas. The Dominion Arboretum is an approximately 35-hectare (86 acre) space with beautiful plants. Also onsite are The Ornamental Gardens, The Tropical Greenhouse, the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum and Fletcher Wildlife Garden. Those who enjoy the outdoors will also love Alta Vista’s close proximity to the banks of the Rideau River and its many paths. The 13.4-kilometre (8.3-mile) Rideau River Eastern Pathway is paved, mostly flat and amazing for biking. This National Capital Commission-run (NCC) path runs close to Alta Vista.
There are a variety of neighbourhood schools. One of the best-known is Canterbury High School of The Arts, which offers arts and general programs. Those who are arts-inclined can choose from specialities, including literature, drama, visual arts, winds / percussion, strings, vocal studies and dance.
From its family feel to its proximity to other neighbourhoods and tons of urban amenities, Alta Vista is a well-loved area with lots to offer.
