Happy Chinese New Year! It is the Year of the Ox. The Ox is the second of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The Ox was about to be the first to arrive, but Rat tricked Ox into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived, Rat jumped down and landed ahead of Ox. Thus, Ox became the second animal. Click Here To learn more about Chinese New Year
Westboro is a culture-filled, fun, and lively community located just west of Ottawa’s downtown core, with a population of around 23,000. Scenic views of the Ottawa River and Gatineau Hills, trendy shops, restaurants, and lots of outdoor space make it is easy to see why this picturesque neighbourhood is such a highly sought after place to call home. Residents of the area feel a sense of community pride, which they show by participating and hosting many community events. Westborites do not hesitate to show their warm, welcoming attitude that highlights this charming village true spirit.
This trendy neighbourhood close to the city centre is replete with local businesses, shops and restaurants. Teeming with spaces for outdoor activities and fresh air make it a wonderful urban village setting for those who live here and those visiting.
Commuting from Westboro can feel like a dream with its eco-friendly travel on the LRT. For those who prefer a more scenic commute, the Western Parkway runs along the Ottawa River, and for health enthusiasts, there are bike paths. An effortless connection to the Queensway (Ottawa’s main east-west thoroughfare) can take you across the city in no time.
With its wide sidewalks and plenty of parking, Richmond Road is the primary retail strip offering a wide variety of shops and services. Unique storefronts, together with a high walkability score, give this charming neighbourhood everything you need to feel the quaintness of a small town despite the proximity to the core of busy downtown Ottawa.
Reasons to move to Westboro
Westboro is a mature neighbourhood with tree-lined streets and a mix of mid-century and new- infill homes and luxury condominium buildings. The residents of this neighbourhood differ in ages and stages of life, with lots of retirees, young families, and business professionals residing within its borders. There is a sense of togetherness when it comes to why they chose Westboro as their home. It has something for everyone from its whimsical, active, small-town feel with amenities, transportation, and local businesses and its proximity to the scenic Ottawa River and Gatineau Hills. Residents and visitors take advantage of the Ottawa River trails for running, cycling, and rollerblading. It is clear that people of all lifestyles greatly enjoy their home and place in this active community and are welcoming towards newcomers looking to settle in.
Westboro is one of the true gems of Ottawa, perfectly situated at the heart of our community. The Ottawa River continues to be a focal point of the neighbourhood. The combination of fascinating history, beautiful tree-lined streets, proximity to the Ottawa river, bike paths and unequalled cultural and culinary opportunities makes it truly unique.
Westboro caters to all interests and activities. It has everything from beautifully painted wall murals, sidewalk statutes to outdoor sports. Shopping is outstanding, and the area has everything from camping and outdoor supplies to high fashion boutiques. You are never far from walking and bicycle paths along the Ottawa River. Looking for world-class dining, walk along Richmond road; you will find every kind of excellent restaurant to satisfy any palate.
Westboro is one of the most sought after and trendiest neighbourhoods in Ottawa and is a highly sought-after place to live. It is also extraordinary because many of its residents work within a short distance from home. They can commute by walking, riding their bike or using OC Transpo. It is a vibrant and lively community with a powerful spirit.
Are you looking for something to do in Westboro? This active community has an abundance of activities and attractions to keep its residents busy, stimulated, and on the move. Explore the community with the annual “Shop the Village Event,” where everyone receives a canvas bag of special offers and coupons and are encouraged to check out the shops within the community and hopefully scoop up some great local deals. Additionally, running until 2025, you can experience “La nature en Ville Westboro Nature Walk,” an outdoor photography exhibition put on by renowned wildlife photographer Michelle Valberg. Her photos wrap around 9 utility boxes from Golden Avenue to Island Park, providing culture, beauty, and art along Westboro’s streets. For musical entertainment, residents of Westboro enjoy Westfest every June. Westfest is an outdoor music festival featuring local Canadian performers. Secondary to the performers, there is also a market with local vendors, a kid zone with family-friendly activities and many other features that make this event worthwhile.
If you are looking for more ways to partake in the active lifestyle that the community offers, The Western Parkway, closes to traffic on Sundays throughout the summer to offer bike days to locals and visitors looking to enjoy the scenery. Westboro Beach is also a popular attraction, with year-round sunsets to take in and a tiki bar, grill, and live music at the Westboro Beach Cafe throughout the summer. Remic Rapids and Bates Island are also excellent stops to enjoy the natural beauty that Westboro offers.
Attention Foodies, Westboro is the town for you! Westboro offers an abundance of places to enjoy a meal, whether it be breakfast, brunch, lunch, supper or just a nice treat or coffee to enjoy. Start your day at the Baker Street Cafe, Savoy Brasserie, or Chez Francois for delicious and unique breakfast/brunch options. You may need to make a reservation, though, as these places are popular and usually fill up pretty quickly! Coffee Shops abound with options to satisfy even the most discriminating connoisseurs. Lunch options vary from the food truck “Bite This” pub lunches like Barley Mow and Clocktower, burgers from “The Works” and diners like Newport and Savoy Brasserie. For lighter options or vegetarian and vegan diets, Westboro is also home to Freshii and Pure Kitchen. Fine dining is offered at Gezellig, Lexington Smoke House and Fratelli’s. For those with a sweet tooth, you will find Batter up Bakery, Quelque-Chose of course, there is a Dairy Queen. With such a wide variety of wonderful places to eat in this village, you’ll be adjusting your budget in no time to make room to try all of these dine-out options.
If you’re looking to buy or sell in Westboro, call The Agent DK Team at 613-883-5555, one of our Top Real Estate Agents are on standby to help you with all your Ottawa Real Estate Needs!
Fear not, Winterlude traditions continue! Although things look much different this year, Winterlude is still taking place – virtually! Stay cozy this weekend and enjoy this unique version of one of our favourite Ottawa festivals. 
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Can you believe we have already made it to the second chapter of 2021? As we welcome February, the beautiful month of romance, we wish you a wonderful 28 days filled with hope, resilience, and love.
Orleans is a beautiful neighbourhood, located on the east end of Ottawa. The most populous suburb in the Ottawa area, Orleans is home to over 107,000 residents. It’s among the fastest growing neighbourhoods in Ottawa and is home to both English speaking and French Canadians. Experts rank it as one of the most welcoming and friendly neighbourhoods in Canada.
The neighbourhood has experienced rapid development in recent years. Ottawa real estate agents believe that despite the fluctuations in the market, buying a home in Orleans is definitely a sound investment. Property prices are projected to increase in the future, so anyone who buys now can reap the benefits later on.
The Orleans market is also filled with great homes available for rent. There are several elementary and secondary schools located within Orleans.
The labour market in Orléans consists of a mix of government employees, and employees in the fields of business, finance, sales, as well as some trades. In recent years, city counsellors have been lobbying for large corporations to find a home in the east end. Most residents must commute to the downtown core, resulting in heavy traffic congestion during peak hours.
Commercial growth in the area originally started along St. Joseph Boulevard and later included Place d’Orléans, a large shopping centre with over 175 stores. Now, the commercial hub of the suburb is Innes Road. which features many restaurants, box stores and a movie theatre.
Orléans is an extremely safe neighbourhood, which experiences a very low crime rate. It is considered the 4th safest neighbourhood in the city.
The Elizabeth Manley skating rink at the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex is home to the Gloucester Skating Club and the Canadian Academy of Skating Arts. The Ray Friel Recreational Complex in the more eastern part of Orléans, includes a public library, an indoor wave pool, exercise facilities, a physiotherapy clinic, a sports store, a restaurant, two soccer fields and three skating arenas making it one of the main centres for recreation in Orléans.
In 2009, the Shenkman Arts Centre opened just east of Place d’Orléans. It is a multidisciplinary arts centre that houses a concert hall, black-box theatre, several art galleries and studio spaces for both visual and performing arts.
Along the Ottawa River in the north-east of Orléans, is the parkland of Petrie Island which has been converted into a large beach area. The second largest Canada Day party, following the celebrations on Parliament Hill, take place here every July 1.
There are also several nature trails and paths throughout the area and a beautiful waterfall near St-Joseph Boulevard.
The vast majority of Avalon residents are well educated and employed in various industries. Those who live in Avalon tend to commute into Ottawa’s more central areas for work, often relying on public transit. The OC Transpo bus service has multiple routes that run to and through Avalon, and city counsellors are pushing for Ottawa’s new Light Rail project to be extended into the suburb.
There are a number of retail and sales employment opportunities located in Avalon, or just outside of it.
This area sees very little criminal activity and is in close proximity to the Ottawa Police East Division Station. Avalon is known to be an inclusive community, home to a large immigrant population and boasts one of the city’s newest mosques, the Masjid Bilal mosque on Innes Rd.
Avalon residents happily make use of the numerous parks (including play structures, splash pads, skating rinks, etc.) located within the suburb. The area is within walking distance of the movie theatres, restaurants, pubs, box-stores and other commercial properties that line Innes Road—Orléans’ central commercial hub.
FALLINGBROOK:
Fallingbrook is a neighbourhood in Orléans, an east end suburb of Ottawa. The area is defined by a strong sense of community, two large high schools and the largest multi-use recreation complex in Ottawa’s east end. Below the community of Fallingbrook, flows the Ottawa River.
Residential development of the area began in the mid-1980s. Since that time, the neighbourhood has experienced rapid growth. Now home to over 25,000 people, Fallingbrook is a top destination for families due to the numerous elementary and secondary schools in the area.
Many Fallingbrook residents will commute into Ottawa’s more central areas for work, which is made easy by the multiple OC Transpo bus service routes that run to and through the community. Orléans is included in the second phase of Ottawa’s Light Rail Transit project, which will make the suburb even more accessible.
The Fallingbrook Community Association plays a big part in bringing the town together, including overseeing the area’s Neighbourhood Watch Program.Ottawa’s east end, which includes Fallingbrook, is considered the 4th safest area in Ottawa, via the Ottawa Police’s statistics on crime.
The Ray Friel Recreation Complex, located in Fallingbrook, is the largest and most comprehensive recreation complex in east Ottawa featuring three NHL size arenas, a fitness centre with over 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art training equipment, wave pool, whirlpool, sauna, physiotherapy clinic, daycare, Karate Dojo, pro shop, restaurant and coffee shop.
The Fallingbrook Community Association organizes an annual Canada Day celebration, and Summer festival each year.
One of Fallingbrook’s natural beauties is Princess Louise Falls that can be found on Princess Louise Drive. The falls are hidden by foliage from view and access is granted by pedestrian trails.
Fallingbrook is also close in proximity to Petrie Island beach.
Chapel Hill is a quiet and green neighbourhood within the community of Orleans. Along with the surrounding rural area, it is bordered by the Greenbelt to the west. This neighbourhood provides a wonderful green space right next to the city – A great mix of suburban and urban amenities.
Chapel Hill consists of mostly single-family homes, with town housing and apartments available as well. This neighbourhood also has an exceptionally fun and active community.
As this neighbourhood is located on the east end of the city, closer to rural areas, it is somewhat car-dependent. Most errands require a car. But there are a few nearby public transportation options if one needs to access the bus routes of Ottawa. This area is also flat as a pancake, which makes it a perfect local for biking enthusiasts!
The scenic and lush Heritage Park, and The Ottawa German Language School.
Benjamin Moore announced that their 2021 colour of the year is Aegean Teal 2136-40. The twelve hues within the 2021 Colour Trends will have you appreciating the simpler things in life. So get cozy and enjoy staying inside this year with natural, soothing colours that will give your home the reassuring sense of warmth and wellbeing that we are all craving this January. See Benjamin Moore’s Trending Colours for 2021 here.
What a wonderful community to raise a family and a great place to call home. This Town is extremely community minded and they truly look after each other. The town boasts an abundance of nature trails, waterfront parks, fabulous sports facilities, restaurants, shopping, excellent schools, a local hospital, churches, golf courses, Long-Term Care and retirement residences, hardware stores, a number of grocery stores and pharmacies, doctors’ offices and clinics, with ample room for many new business owners to set up shop and the big box stores usually found in major cities are also located in the town. A short 30 minute drive to the Ottawa International Airport or via Rail has this Town connected with the world.
In recent years Ottawans have been flocking to this bedroom community which started out as a small piece of land with a sawmill. Lyman Clothier purchased his 100 acres and built his mill, and the town’s development took flight.
Home to roughly 4,000 residents, Kemptville is located in the Municipality of North Grenville with a population of 17,000, on the south branch of the Rideau River about 50 kilometres south of Ottawa and 30 minutes from the US Border. Kemptville can be accessed from Highway 416, exiting at Leeds and Grenville Road 43. The rural features combined with its various amenities has made Kempville the best-kept secret – but the word is out now, making it a very popular destination for families.
If you’re looking to buy or sell in Kemptville, call The Agent DK Team at 613-883-5555. Ranked Top Real Estate Agents in Ottawa – we are always ready to help you with all your Ottawa Real Estate Needs!
Ottawa and Real Estate Market Snapshot December 2020
Market Snapshot: Ottawa’s resale market continued to thrive through December despite the challenges of 2020.
The inventory shortage for 2020 caused an increase in the sale price as the demand remained with record-low mortgage rates.
If you’re considering a move we’re here to help answer any questions you have, in this market you’ll want a qualified, professional real estate company protecting your interests. Message us anytime!
“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” — Brad Paisley
Wishing you and your loved ones hope, health, and happiness in the New Year!
If there is one thing that 2020 has taught us, it is that staying connected and supporting one another can be done, even from miles apart. See how we are coming together as a community this Christmas Eve to spread the cheer and celebrate. With pictures hanging in windows, signs draped over fences, and 6 pm cheers, we came together and celebrated the front line workers who made sacrifices to care for us and our loved ones this year. As many of us may not be able to spend time together this holiday season, there is no better way to continue to bring joy than to take part in this epic, Worldwide Christmas Jingle. See how you can participate and make some amazing, magical memories for people right in your community.
We had so much fun seeing all the Gingerbread House Entries from all our Wonderful Clients! Thank you for sharing all your gingerbread homes with the us! The results were outstanding! The cuteness, the brightness, the creativity – and simply the effort put into making these homes has filled our hearts!! Thank you to all for making our 1st Annual Gingerbread House contest such a success!! Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a Wonderful New Year!
Here is a list of our 2020 Winners:
The Random Draw:
1st Place – Melissa Bougie – $100 Amazon Gift Card
2nd Place – Tina Wilston – $75 Amazon Gift Card
3rd Place – Erica Ferron – $50 Amazon Gift Card
Most Creative/Viral:
1. Kokkinos Family – $50 Amazon Gift Card
2. Westbrook Family – $50 Amazon Gift Card
3. Papoutsis Family – $50 Amazon Gift Card
Most DM’s/Comments on Social Media:
Reyes Family – $50 Amazon Gift Card
Congratulations to all of our winners this year!
We are looking forward to making this an annual event!
On behalf of the entire Agent DK Team…we wish you lots of love, happiness and success in 2021!
The Agent DK Team
The cold weather has arrived and many city residents are eager to get into the holiday spirit. Ottawa is host to many special events and traditions each winter, including a variety of light shows, displays, as well as Christmas crafts and food markets. You’ll easily be dazzled by the magic of the season. Here is just some of the special programming for you and your family to check out in Ottawa this winter!
Happy Hanukkah to all! May love and laughter be in abundance as you enjoy your celebrations this year.
The time leading up to Remembrance day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices of our Canadian soldiers.
Veterans of all ages and other fellow Canadians usually gather downtown and in our local communities for special events and ceremonies. Even if we cannot gather together with the Pandemic amongst us this year, Remembrance Day somehow holds an extra special place in our hearts.
Check your local community Facebook groups or community websites to see what is happening in your community virtually!
Here is a list of some of the Remembrance Day events in the Ottawa area on November 11 – Lest We Forget.
Market Snapshot: Ottawa’s resale market was steady as she goes through October as we started to get some cooler weather.
As demand persists so does the changing buyer behavior and preferences due to the reality of the pandemic. We saw gains in the average sale price followed with a decrease from September in the number of sales and new listings to the market.
If you’re considering a move we’re here to help answer any questions you have, in this market you’ll want a qualified, professional real estate company protecting your interests.
Now is the time to buy and sell in Ottawa. Call your Top Ottawa Real Estate Team at 613-883-5555.
