West Ottawa – The City’s Trendiest Place to Live

By: Paramount Properties


West Ottawa – it’s perhaps the city’s trendiest area to live. But what exactly makes it the hot spot for Ottawa apartment seekers? Is it the large variety of shopping? Perhaps it’s the abundant green space, bike paths and breathtaking views of the Ottawa River? Or maybe it’s the fact that West Ottawa is brimming with culture, hosting arts and theatre festivals all year round? Regardless of the reason, it’s hardly a mystery why so many people choose to call a West End Ottawa apartment their home.

Paramount Properties has four apartment buildings for rent in Ottawa’s West End – Greenbank Towers, The Maples Apartments, Carling Park Apartments and Wellington Towers. Perfect for students, artists and outdoors enthusiasts, an apartment rental in West Ottawa has everything you need – and a lot more!

Transportation

The West End is easily accessible by bus via the Transitway – OC Transpo routes 95, 96 and 97 all pass through Lincoln Fields station (near Richmond and Carling). If you’re renting an Ottawa apartment near Lincoln Fields, you’re right beside one of the major transit hubs in the city, as the station connects dozens of local and citywide buses in one convenient location. If you have your own vehicle, both the Queensway and the Ottawa River Parkway are just minutes away, quickly connecting you to the rest of the city.

Major Shopping Centres

If you’re looking at an apartment for rent in Westboro or Nepean, you’ll be glad to know that those neighbourhoods are bustling with numerous shopping opportunities. In addition to the many small independent shops (including several outdoor sports stores), there are many larger shopping centres in the area, including Bayshore Shopping Centre. A three-level mall containing more than 150 stores and services, it is ideally located just off Highway 417. You should also check out Carlingwood Shopping Centre, which contains more than 125 stores and services with plenty of free parking.

Other West Ottawa malls include Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre (which contains a Wal-Mart and a Loeb), Pinecrest Shopping Centre (with the famous IKEA store overlooking the Queensway), College Square (a favourite destination for Algonquin College students and those with apartment rentals near Baseline and Woodroffe) and Westgate Shopping Centre (featuring a very useful 24-hour Shoppers Drug Mart).

Schools

A Paramount Properties West Ottawa apartment is perfect for students attending Algonquin College, as our Maples Apartments are within walking distance of the school and our Greenbank, Carling Park and Wellington apartments can quickly get you to campus by bus. And for those with young families, West Ottawa also has over 20 public elementary schools, 9 Catholic elementary schools, 5 public high schools and 2 Catholic high schools.

Museums and Art Centres

For those living in a Nepean apartment and looking to learn a little bit more about the history of their community, the Nepean Museum (16 Rowley Avenue), which is home to several antiques (including some over 100 years old), is the perfect afternoon getaway.

For the outdoor sports enthusiast, head over to the Canadian Ski Museum (200-1960 Scott Street). Founded in 1971, it’s the largest public collection of skiing memorabilia in Canada, housing over 6,000 photographs and ski equipment dating back over 150 years.

Theatre-lovers will want to check out the Centrepointe Theatre (101 Centrepointe Drive). This 1,000-seat theatre is the home of several excellent local performing groups, including Orpheus Musical Theatre Society, Savoy Society and Les Petits Ballets.

Festivals

West Ottawa is known for its many festivals – and if you’re living in a Westboro apartment building, you’ll find yourself right in the middle of the excitement. Every year, the Ottawa Folk Festival takes over Britannia Park, showcasing Canada’s folk traditions through music, dance, storytelling and crafts.

WestFest, Ottawa's newest large-scale festival, is a diverse three-day celebration that includes music, visual arts, dance, spoken word and performance art right in the heart of Westboro along Richmond Road. It features several concerts by top-level artists and is free for the general public.

Other Attractions

If physical activity is more your thing, and you’re looking at an apartment for rent in Nepean, you can’t go wrong by spending a day at the Nepean Sportsplex (1701 Woodroffe Avenue). This huge facility contains everything you need to enjoy a game of baseball, hockey, soccer, basketball, curling, football, squash, lawn bowling and much more! The Sportsplex also offers a host of wonderful programs for children and seniors.

Along the Ottawa River is the beautiful Westboro Beach, which is run by the City of Ottawa and has been a venue for public swimming since the early 1920s. The beach, which is surrounded by hiking and biking trails, also includes a spot for canoe and kayak rentals as well as a café complete with patio and kitchen.

Britannia Park is a picnicker’s paradise, with numerous tables scattered on the grass and plenty of trees to offer shade on those hot sunny days. There are two play structures and a swing set for children to play on, and it’s a great place to go swimming or windsurfing, as there is a lifeguard on duty from mid-June through to Labour Day. Also at the Park is the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, a banquet hall and community centre that holds up to 300 people for special events.

The Ottawa River Parkway is a limited-access parkway that runs from Carling Avenue to the Portage Bridge near Downtown Ottawa. Packed with scenic lookouts, the Parkway is maintained by the National Capital Commission (NCC) and is complemented by over 20 km of bike paths, making it possible to ride all the way from Downtown to Kanata. On Sundays during the summer months, the Parkway is closed to all vehicle traffic for the Alcatel Sunday Bikedays – the favourite day of the week for pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Work, Play, Explore … West Ottawa Has It All!

There is always something new to discover in Ottawa’s West End – from great shopping to the great outdoors, a West Ottawa apartment has it all. See what you’re missing – take a look at Paramount’s West End apartment rentals today!


Looking for an apartment for rent in Ottawa? Paramount Properties is Ottawa’s second largest residential property management company. With more than 4,500 Ottawa apartment rentals available in some of the city’s finest locations, we’re your #1 choice for an Ottawa apartment.