Westboro

Westboro is Ottawa's most confidently itself neighbourhood. In a city where "urban village" is deployed loosely, Westboro actually earns the label: a distinct commercial spine along Richmond Road, a loyal local population that walks to most of its errands, a sandy beach on the Ottawa River, and a social identity rooted in outdoor living, independent retail, and very good coffee. It sits roughly 4.5 kilometres west of Parliament Hill, and its refusal to feel like a suburb is precisely what makes it one of the most sought-after postal codes in the National Capital Region.

The neighbourhood takes its name from the old village of Westboro, once an independent municipality on the west side of Ottawa that was absorbed into the city in the early 20th century. The former streetcar line to Britannia ran down Richmond Road, and its legacy is still visible in the lot patterns and the scale of the commercial strip: shallow storefronts, second-floor flats, and a walkable rhythm that no automobile-era strip mall could replicate. As Ottawa expanded outward in the postwar decades, Westboro held its character, anchored by the same tree-lined residential streets (Tweedsmuir, Athlone, Duncairn, Winona) that families have been buying into for generations.

What changed dramatically over the past 20 years is the price and the pace of redevelopment. Westboro discovered itself. Young professionals arrived, drawn by the Ottawa River pathway and the independent boutiques and the sense that this was a neighbourhood with a genuine personality. Prices followed demand upward. Developers followed prices. Heritage bungalows gave way to angular infill duplexes and triplexes; former parking lots became mid-rise condominiums with retail at grade. The neighbourhood's own community association spent years navigating the tension between welcoming new residents and protecting the canopy and scale that made Westboro worth living in. That tension has not been fully resolved, but the result is a neighbourhood of genuine variety: a century-old brick cottage on one lot, a glass-and-steel duplex on the next, a mid-rise tower at the end of the block offering river views from the upper floors.

The population is overwhelmingly well-educated: roughly 68.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the median age sits around 43.5 years, skewing toward established professionals and long-tenured families. The neighbourhood scores well above Ottawa averages for health outcomes, food access, and education attainment. Crime rates are approximately 50% below the national average, with violent crime 48% lower than the national rate. Westboro is expensive, yes, but it is delivering a measurable quality of life in return.

Westboro is one of Ottawa's most consistently competitive sub-markets, and the data bears this out. According to Agent In Ottawa's 2025 market report, the neighbourhood recorded 187 home sales in the twelve months through August 2025, with an average sale price of $907,373, representing a 5.2% year-over-year increase. That rebound follows three consecutive years of softening after the pandemic-era peak: the neighbourhood averaged $995,607 in 2021, fell to $889,926 in 2022 (down 10.6%), slipped further to $858,471 in 2023 and $821,203 in 2024, before recovering ground in 2025. The long-arc trajectory remains striking: from $181,017 in 2000 to over $900,000 today, Westboro has compounded at a rate that few Ottawa neighbourhoods can match.

Property type makes an enormous difference in what buyers actually pay. Single-family detached homes averaged $1,130,256 in 2025, reflecting both the premium attached to traditional housing stock and the influence of premium infill builds on the upper end. Bungalows, long a target for developers and renovators alike, averaged $945,833. Townhouses, many of them new-build infill projects on consolidated lots, averaged $1,155,528 in the same period. Condominiums remain the most accessible entry point, averaging $607,330, with one-bedroom units in buildings like 485 Richmond Road and 360 Patricia Avenue listing in the $320,000–$490,000 range. Two-bedroom condos typically land between $499,000 and $540,000.

Homes in Westboro move quickly by Ottawa standards: average days on market sits at 21 days through October 2025, with 23.1% of listings selling above asking price. The average list price of $1,130,268 compared to the average sale price of $930,315 reflects a spread driven by higher-end freehold properties and newer infill builds, with more realistically priced condos closing at or near list. For buyers, the 2024 soft landing created more room than at any point since 2019; for sellers, the 2025 recovery has restored confidence.

The infill and intensification story is inseparable from Westboro's housing market. Beginning in the mid-2010s, the neighbourhood saw relentless redevelopment: original bungalows demolished and replaced with triplexes, semi-detached infills, and apartment buildings. In 2018, City Council issued an Interim Control Bylaw freezing new triplex approvals in parts of Westboro while a formal Infill Zoning Study was completed. New zoning rules, approved by planning committee in February 2021, now allow apartment buildings of up to four storeys along the Churchill Avenue corridor, three-storey buildings on Byron Avenue, and six-unit three-storey buildings on corner lots, with design requirements including pitched roofs on residential side streets and mandatory tree protection. The debate over "overintensification" is ongoing, but the regulatory framework has added more nuance than the previous free-for-all. What is clear is that Westboro is not going to stop densifying: with a future LRT station (Westboro Station on the Stage 2 West extension, projected to open in early 2027) anchoring the Scott Street corridor, demand for transit-oriented density will only grow.

Westboro Village (Core) is the commercial and social heart of the neighbourhood, centred on Richmond Road between Island Park Drive and Golden Avenue. This is where the boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and fitness studios are concentrated, and where the Richmond Road BIA (Westboro Village BIA) actively manages the retail environment. The housing immediately north and south of Richmond Road is a mix of original early 20th-century homes and newer infill. Streets like Tweedsmuir Avenue, Athlone Avenue, and Duncairn Avenue carry the neighbourhood's residential character, with mature canopy trees overhanging a combination of brick cottages, updated bungalows, and modern semi-detached builds.

Hampton Park sits at the western edge of Westboro, bordered roughly by Golden Avenue to the east and Churchill Avenue to the north. It is a quieter, lower-density sub-area with some of the neighbourhood's largest lots and oldest trees, some estimated at over 250 years old. Many of the streets are named after upper-class London addresses: Piccadilly, Kensington, Mayfair, Windsor. Hampton Park has its own park with two baseball diamonds, a basketball court, and a wading pool. It shares Westboro's schools and commercial strip but has a slightly more residential, less foot-trafficked feel.

McKellar Park and Highland Park are adjacent neighbourhoods to the west of Hampton Park, technically in Bay Ward but sharing Westboro's schools, commercial strip, and social identity. McKellar Park contains Maplelawn, a National Historic Site: a British classicism-inspired mid-19th-century residence with a walled garden, now operating as a setting for The Keg Steakhouse at the rear of the property. Homes in McKellar Park and Highland Park skew larger and pricier, with the August 2025 Agent In Ottawa report recording an average of $1,240,106 for single-family homes in the McKellar Park/Highland Park/Laurentian View grouping, the highest average in Ottawa's west end.

Island Park is the narrow residential strip along and near Island Park Drive, known for its grand homes, some of which served as diplomatic residences, and its exceptional access to both the Ottawa River pathway to the north and the commercial amenities of Westboro to the east. The housing stock is predominantly large detached homes on generous lots; prices at the upper end regularly exceed $1.5 million.

Woodroffe North occupies the northwest edge of the broader Westboro area, along the Ottawa River between Churchill Avenue and Woodroffe Avenue. It is lower in density and quieter than the Westboro core, with early 20th-century detached homes of vernacular and revival style, oriented toward the river and the NCC pathway. It is a natural choice for buyers who want proximity to Westboro's amenities without the noise and construction activity of the Richmond Road corridor.

Westboro is served by a strong set of schools across all four Ottawa boards, with several elementary options offering French immersion from Junior Kindergarten.

French Public (CEPEO)

The school situation in Westboro favours families prioritising French immersion: the Connaught programme is one of the largest and most established in the OCDSB, and Broadview offers an English stream for families in its catchment. For secondary, Nepean High School at 574 Broadview Avenue is the local public option with a solid track record; families seeking the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme typically look east to Colonel By Secondary School (Beacon Hill-Cyrville) which houses Ottawa's flagship IB programme.

Shopping and Dining

Richmond Road is the commercial and cultural backbone of Westboro, and it delivers an unusually high concentration of independent retail for a neighbourhood of its size. The Westboro Village BIA manages the commercial strip from Island Park Drive to beyond Churchill Avenue, with a vacancy rate of approximately 10% as of 2024, one of the healthiest in Ottawa. Outdoor and active lifestyle retail is a Westboro signature: MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) at 366 Richmond Road is the neighbourhood's most famous anchor, offering a full range of outdoor gear from carabiners to kayaks. Bushtukah at 201 Richmond Road is Ottawa's own outdoor gear institution, covering tents, backpacks, bikes, running gear, and luggage. Lululemon, DUER (348 Richmond Road), Fjallraven, and Repair and Run complete a cluster of active lifestyle brands that reflect the neighbourhood's identity with unusual precision.

For food and grocery, Farm Boy at 317 McRae Avenue was the brand's first urban-concept store in Ottawa, opening in 2016, and has become a neighbourhood institution: approximately 19,800 square feet of fresh-market produce, butcher-quality meats, artisan cheese, and prepared meals. Additional grocery options include a Metro on Richmond Road and specialty food shops throughout the BIA.

The dining scene is genuinely ambitious. Gezellig at 337 Richmond Road, owned by Stephen Beckta, sets a high bar with its brunch and dinner programmes, housed in a converted bank building that anchors the east end of the strip. Fratelli at 275 Richmond Road draws steady crowds for Italian pasta and a warm room. Trio Bistro and Lounge offers modern Canadian comfort food, craft cocktails, and late-night service until 2 AM on weekends. Pure Kitchen and Brassica represent the farm-to-table and plant-forward sensibility that has become as much a part of Westboro's identity as MEC. The Clocktower Brew Pub and Westboro Barley Mow handle the casual pub end of the spectrum. Lexington Smokehouse and Bar, Gezellig, and the Keg Steakhouse at Maplelawn (adjacent to McKellar Park) round out a dining range that covers every occasion from weekday lunches to anniversary dinners.

Independent boutiques along the strip include Kitchenalia (cookware and culinary gadgets at 315 Richmond Road), Closet Candy (300 Richmond Road), Bluboho (371 Richmond Road), Copper Alley Gift Boutique (117 Richmond Road), and a rotating cast of fashion, home goods, and lifestyle stores that keep the BIA's vacancy rate low. The neighbourhood also hosts the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) at 1233 Wellington Street West (at Holland Avenue), a professional theatre company established in 1975 that celebrated its 50th anniversary season in 2024–25, offering a 262-seat main stage theatre and a flexible black box studio to more than 35,000 visitors annually.

Parks, Recreation, and Green Space

Westboro Beach is the neighbourhood's most celebrated amenity, and it has never looked better. After a three-year, $21-million redevelopment by the National Capital Commission, the beach reopened on June 1, 2025, with a new zero-carbon pavilion featuring the Westboro Beach Club (operated by Wilderness Tours), a cafe and ice cream shop, a second-floor restaurant from ByWard Market's Grand Pizzeria and Bar, accessible washrooms and change rooms, solar-heated outdoor showers, picnic and volleyball spaces, a historical-themed children's play area, and a scenic lookout over the Skead's Mills ruins on the Ottawa River shoreline. Lifeguards are on duty daily from noon to 7 PM during the summer season; volleyball net rentals are available at $14.50 per hour or $49.50 per day. The beach is located at 745 Kichi Zībī Mīkan, accessible on foot from Churchill Avenue North via Lanark Avenue, by bike along the Ottawa River multi-use pathway, or by car via the NCC parkway.

The Ottawa River Pathway runs east-west along the river's south shore, providing one of Ottawa's premier cycling and running corridors. Residents can cycle east to Gatineau Park trails and the Rideau Canal pathway system, or west to Britannia Beach and beyond. The Kichi Sibi Winter Trail, an NCC-maintained pathway on the river, offers winter biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing when conditions allow.

Dovercourt Recreation Centre at 411 Dovercourt Avenue (Highland Park) is the neighbourhood's primary community hub. Operated as a not-for-profit, Dovercourt offers an indoor pool with hot tub and sauna, fitness centre, tennis courts, wading pool, swim lessons, aquafitness and yoga classes, arts programmes (dance, visual arts, music), afterschool and day camp programming, and a popular Fit Pass that bundles over 40 weekly classes. The centre hosts monthly wellness education sessions, inclusion dances, and the annual Wild Westboro Garage Sale in partnership with the Westboro Community Association. Dovercourt has been a neighbourhood fixture since the 1980s and remains one of Ottawa's most community-oriented recreational facilities.

Hampton Park itself offers two baseball diamonds, a basketball court, an outdoor pool, and a playground. Byron Linear Park, a green linear corridor along the former streetcar right-of-way, provides a trail connection between McKellar Park and the river. The Kitchissippi Lookout, at the north end of Churchill Avenue, is a popular vantage point for sunset viewing over the Ottawa River and provides direct access to Westboro Beach and the NCC pathway network.

Community Identity and Events

The Westboro Community Association is an active civic body that runs the annual Wild Westboro Garage Sale, advocates on planning and zoning matters, and maintains community programming at Dovercourt. The Westboro Village BIA organises summer events including the Capital Pop-Up Cinema (vintage movies screened outdoors in the BIA's central public space), wellness programming, and community ukulele sessions in the public square. The Westboro Fuse Festival draws residents and visitors for a community celebration. The neighbourhood's outdoor culture means that Westboro Beach, the Ottawa River pathway, and Hampton Park are well-used social spaces from April through October, and the winter trail system keeps foot traffic on the river all year.

Westboro's transit profile is currently defined by its excellent bus connections and is poised for a significant upgrade with the Stage 2 LRT western extension.

Current Transit: Bus and Transitway

The current primary transit options include OC Transpo routes 11 (Richmond Road to Parliament and Tunney's Pasture), 51 (Tunney's Pasture to Britannia, serving Westboro Village), 60 (Kanata/west suburbs to Tunney's Pasture via Westboro and Dominion), 62 (Stittsville to Tunney's Pasture via Westboro and Dominion), and 75 (Barrhaven to Tunney's Pasture via Richmond Road). The Westboro and Dominion Transitway stations on Scott Street provide rapid bus connections to Tunney's Pasture station (the western terminus of Line 1) and to the downtown core. From Westboro Transitway station, the bus reaches Tunney's Pasture in approximately 4–6 minutes, and Tunney's Pasture connects directly to the Line 1 LRT for onward travel to Parliament, Rideau Centre, and beyond. Total transit time from Westboro to the downtown core is approximately 18 minutes by bus and LRT. By car, the commute to downtown is approximately 15–20 minutes under normal conditions, with Scott Street and Island Park Drive as the primary arterials.

Upcoming: Westboro LRT Station (Stage 2, Line 1 West)

Westboro Station will become the first new LRT stop west of Tunney's Pasture once the Stage 2 western extension of Line 1 opens. As of early 2026, the station on Scott Street is well under construction, with exterior glazing, roofwork, platform canopies, and elevator shafts progressing on schedule. The City of Ottawa and OC Transpo are targeting substantial completion of the West extension by late 2026, with trial runs and a public opening anticipated in early 2027. Once operational, Westboro Station will provide direct, traffic-free LRT service to Tunney's Pasture in under 5 minutes, Parliament Station in approximately 12–15 minutes, and Rideau Centre in approximately 17 minutes. The extension will also include a new Kichi Zibi station just west of Westboro near the Ottawa River parkway, further improving access to the beach and pathway network. This infrastructure investment is already being factored into development proposals: as of January 2026, two residential towers near the future Kichi Zibi LRT station were under consideration for city approval, signalling the scale of transit-oriented development anticipated around these stations.

Cycling

With a Bike Score of 81/100 (Very Bikeable) and 32.9 kilometres of cycling infrastructure within the neighbourhood, Westboro is one of Ottawa's premier cycling communities. The Ottawa River multi-use pathway, running directly along the northern edge of the neighbourhood, provides a fully separated, scenic corridor east to downtown (approximately 20 minutes by bike) and west to Britannia, the NCC parkway, and beyond. Dedicated bike lanes and shared lanes on Richmond Road, Scott Street, and Island Park Drive connect the neighbourhood's interior to the broader network. The extensive cycling infrastructure, cited specifically by brands like DUER when opening new locations in Westboro, reflects the neighbourhood's culture as much as its infrastructure.

Young professionals and dual-income couples without children, or with young children, are arguably Westboro's defining demographic today. The combination of walkable daily errands, a genuinely lively commercial strip, cycling access to downtown, and modern condominium and infill townhouse options that provide urban living without sacrificing space makes Westboro a natural first-choice neighbourhood for anyone arriving in Ottawa for federal public service, tech, or professional roles. Condominium entry points starting around $320,000–$440,000 for a one-bedroom, and $500,000–$607,000 for a two-bedroom, remain accessible by Ottawa's current premium urban standards.

Established families who have been in Westboro for ten or more years tend to stay, and for clear reasons. The school network, anchored by Hilson, Broadview, and Connaught at the elementary level, and Nepean High School at secondary, is reliable and well-regarded. The recreational infrastructure around Dovercourt, Westboro Beach, and Hampton Park is exceptional for children. And the neighbourhood's scale means that kids can bike to activities, walk to school, and grow up in an environment that feels genuinely safe and connected.

Downsizers and empty nesters from across Ottawa's west end increasingly target Westboro when they sell the family home and want to remain close to the river, the restaurants, and the energy of urban village life without the maintenance of a large property. New condominium buildings along Richmond Road and the Patricia Avenue corridor offer elevator access, underground parking, and finishes that appeal to buyers who are not compromising on lifestyle.

Outdoor enthusiasts will find few better urban bases in eastern Canada. The proximity of Westboro Beach, the Ottawa River multi-use pathway, the winter trail system, and the cycling network, combined with MEC and Bushtukah's full ranges of gear, means that the lifestyle sold on the neighbourhood's Instagram accounts is genuinely available to anyone who walks through the door.

Real estate investors will note that Westboro's average price growth from $181,017 in 2000 to $907,373 in 2025, a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6.6%, combined with the imminent LRT station and the continued pipeline of mixed-use development, creates a compelling long-term hold case for both freehold and condominium assets.

At The Campbell-Maric Group, we have guided buyers and sellers through every sub-area of Westboro for years, and our conviction in this neighbourhood's fundamentals is unwavering. What Westboro offers is genuinely rare: a true village feel within 20 minutes of Parliament Hill, an outdoor lifestyle that begins at your front door, an independent retail and dining strip that outperforms cities three times Ottawa's size, and a long-term price appreciation record that reflects genuine underlying demand rather than speculation. The Stage 2 LRT opening in early 2027 will be the most significant infrastructure upgrade this neighbourhood has seen since the transitway arrived, and the pipeline of mixed-use development near the new Westboro and Kichi Zibi stations is already signalling what the next chapter looks like.

We are particularly attentive to Westboro's condo market on behalf of clients entering the neighbourhood for the first time. Buildings along Patricia Avenue, Richmond Road, and McRae Avenue offer a range of price points and finishes, and getting the right unit in the right building for your specific needs requires local knowledge that goes beyond what any listing platform can provide. On the freehold side, the infill market rewards buyers who understand the difference between a well-executed modern build and a poorly designed replacement that will be difficult to sell in ten years. We have seen both, and we know how to tell the difference. If Westboro is on your shortlist, we would be glad to walk you through it in person.

Sources: Agent In Ottawa, Westboro Hampton Park neighbourhood market reports (2025); Ottawa Is Home, Ottawa house prices by neighbourhood (October 2025 update); Zumper, average rent in Westboro Ottawa (February 2026); Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB); OttawaHoods, Westboro neighbourhood profile and crime data (2024); AreaVibes, Westboro crime rates; Walk Score (Westboro Ottawa); New Purveyors Ottawa, Ottawa's best walkable neighbourhoods (2024); New Purveyors Ottawa, The Glebe vs. Westboro (2025); Ottawa Business Journal, Westboro Village booms with new businesses and development (September 2024); Kitchissippi Times, Westboro Beach is officially open (June 2025); CTV News Ottawa, Westboro Beach reopens (June 2025); Westboro Community Association, Westboro Beach Pavilion reopening (2025); Capital Current, O-Train western extension timeline (July 2025); Ottawa Business Journal, two residential towers proposed near future Kichi Zibi LRT station (January 2026); CBC News, Westboro infill zoning regulations (February 2021); City of Ottawa, Westboro Infill Zoning Study As We Heard It (2020); OC Transpo, Line 1 service information; OC Transpo, route information (routes 11, 51, 60, 62, 75); Farm Boy, Westboro store (317 McRae Avenue); Dovercourt Recreation Centre; Westboro Village BIA; Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC); Wikipedia, Kitchissippi Ward; Wikipedia, Jeff Leiper; OCDSB, Nepean High School; Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB); National Capital Commission (NCC); Retail Insider Canada (2024); Kitchissippi Museum, history of Hilson Avenue Public School.