Alta Vista/Riverview Park/Guildwood Estate/Playfair Park
Alta Vista
Alta Vista is one of Ottawa’s premiere neighbourhoods.  It began to be suburbanized in the 1950s, with Rideau Park expanding, and the new subdivisions of Faircrest Heights, Applewood Acres being built in the north, Ridgemont in the south and Elmvale Acres in the east. In the 1960s, the subdivision of Urbandale Acres was built between Elmvale Acres and the rest of Alta Vista, and Urbandale was built south of Elmvale Acres. The area was originally part of the Billings Estate and is one of Ottawa’s older established neighbourhoods. It has a wide variety of housing options, great schools and close proximity to downtown.
Where is it?
 
Alta Vista’s boundaries can be broadly described as: Smyth Road in the north, St. Laurent Boulevard in the east, Walkley Road and Heron Road in the south, and Bank Street and Riverside Drive in the west.

What makes Alta Vista a special place to live?

The area features excellent transportation access to nearby downtown. Alta Vista has two transitway stops at Pleasant Park and Riverside Drive.
The neighbourhood is a favourite for Ottawa Physicians with three of Ottawa’s largest hospitals, the General, CHEO or Children Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Riverside Hospital.
The neighbourhood’s popularity with Physicians and health care workers has helped turnover some of the older homes, with a lot of major renovation projects and infill homes in recent years.
With it’s extensive network of parks Alta Vista is a very pet friendly neighbourhood.
Roger Neilson house is a fantastic charity that provides housing facilities for families of cancer patients.
Local Schools

Elementary Schools

Pleasant Park Public School

Location: Pleasant Park Road
Grade: JK - grade 6
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.6/10
Great River School

Location: Virginia Drive
Grade: 1-12
Fraser’s Ranking: N/A
Featherston Drive Public School

Location: Featherston Drive
Grade: JK - grade 8
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.6/10
Alta Vista Public School

Location: Randall Avenue
Grade: JK - grade 8
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.2/10
Secondary Schools
Ridgemont High School

Location: Alta Vista Drive
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 4.2/10
Hillcrest High School

Location: Dauphin Road
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 6.3/10
Canterbury High School

Location: Canterbury Avenue
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 7.7/10
Home to one of the country’s most prestigious art program

What are some of the Favourites?
The large lots in the older parts of Alta Vista are ideal for redevelopment of new infill homes featuring many lots with 100 foot frontage.
Historic Billings Bridge Estate is a national Historic site and great place to spend a Saturday with your kids.
The crooked kitchen at Canadian Science and Technology Museum is always a fan favourite with kids.
The RA centre on Riverside drive is one of Ottawa’s major recreational facilities with a focus on Federal Government employees.
The extensive bike trails running from Hogs back Falls to the Rideau River Falls in New Edinburgh are some of the best bike trails in Ottawa.
Market Values
Single Family Homes 2018

Status: Sold (98)

                Beds Baths List Price     Sold Price    DOM CDOM

Min            3                $329,900    $330,000

Max           7        5      $1,589,000 $1,450,000  156     525

Avg           4         3      $683,992    $673,627      27      45

Median     4         2      $599,000    $605,000      13      16

Semi-detached Homes 2018

Status: Sold (5)

                 Beds Baths List Price Sold Price DOM CDOM

Min           3        1      $329,900 $351,500                7      7

Max          4        4     $820,000 $821,000                10     242

Avg           3        2    $460,380 $463,100                 8       66

Median     3        2    $378,000 $375,000                 7       10

Riverview Park
With its direct access to the new LRT, Riverview park is emerging as an interesting location for younger families. It is comprised mostly of smaller bungalows, some newer townhome developments and large areas of subsidized housing.
Where is it?

Riverview Park lies just to the north of Alta Vista and south of the new Trainyards shopping district on Industrial.
What makes Riverview Park a special place to live?
With its smaller homes, bungalows and quiet streets, Riverview Park is a very good location for younger families to consider.
The advent of LRT at Hurdsman station will make already good commutes even better.
Recent development of the Trainyards commercial shopping centre has greatly increased the areas shopping options.
The local Perley and Rideau veterans health care facility is one of Canada’s top veterans facilities and long term health care centres.
Local Schools

Elementary Schools

Pleasant Park Public School

Location: Pleasant Park Road
Grade: JK - grade 6
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.6/10
Great River School

Location: Virginia Drive
Grade: 1-12
Fraser’s Ranking: N/A
Featherston Drive Public School

Location: Featherston Drive
Grade: JK - grade 8
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.6/10
Alta Vista Public School

Location: Randall Avenue
Grade: JK - grade 8
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.2/10
Secondary Schools
Ridgemont High School

Location: Alta Vista Drive
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 4.2/10

Hillcrest High School

Location: Dauphin Road
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 6.3/10

Canterbury High School

Location: Canterbury Avenue
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 7.7/10
Home to one of the country’s most prestigious art program

What are some of the Favourites?
The local Sail Store at Trainyards is a mecca for all the cities Outdoorsmen, campers and fishermen.
Riverview park is great place to live if you plan to commute to downtown all year long.
Neighbouring Alta Vista train station is steps away and is Ottawa’s Central train station.
The Riviera condominiums is a large and popular condo complex with extensive recreational facilities located directly beside the Hurdsman LRT Station.
St Laurent shopping Centre is a short distance away and is one of Ottawa’s foremost shopping centres.
Market Values
Single Family Homes 2018

Status: Sold (53)

               Beds Baths List Price Sold Price DOM CDOM

Min            2        1      $350,000 $333,000    1     1

Max           5        4      $755,000 $750,000    145  201

Avg            3        2      $476,313 $478,846     20   28

Median      3        2      $439,900 $453,000     10   14

Freehold Townhomes 2018

Status: Sold (24)

            Beds Baths List Price Sold Price DOM CDOM

Min       2        2       $285,000 $290,000     1     1

Max      4        4       $629,000 $610,000     84   132

Avg       3        3       $472,183 $472,883    18    23

Median 3        3       $495,000 $492,450    14    16

Guildcrest Estates/Playfair Park
Guildwood Estates and Playfair Park are sub neighbourhoods within the Alta Vista area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 

Where is it?

Guildcrest Estates/Playfair Park can be broadly described as south of Smyth Ave., west of the Walkley-Kilborn greenspace, east of Parkland and north of Heron Road. 
What makes Guildcrest Estates/Playfair Park a special place to live?

Guildcrest Estates/Playfair Park is highlighted by its middle-class housing developed mainly during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
The area is home to a wide variety of house options with much of the area being developed by two of Ottawa’s premier builders Campeau and Minto.
The neighbourhood features some of Ottawa earliest attempts at site planned neighbourhoods with the two prominent through streets of Featherstone, and Delmar Drive, feeding most of the other quiet crescents.
Some of the highlights of the neighbourhood are Grasshopper Hill Park, City of Ottawa Greenspace, as well as Featherston Park.
Local Schools

Elementary Schools

Pleasant Park Public School

Location: Pleasant Park Road
Grade: JK - grade 6
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.6/10
Great River School

Location: Virginia Drive
Grade: 1-12
Fraser’s Ranking: N/A
Featherston Drive Public School

Location: Featherston Drive
Grade: JK - grade 8
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.6/10
Alta Vista Public School

Location: Randall Avenue
Grade: JK - grade 8
Fraser’s Ranking: 5.2/10

Secondary Schools
Ridgemont High School

Location: Alta Vista Drive
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 4.2/10

Hillcrest High School

Location: Dauphin Road
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 6.3/10

Canterbury High School

Location: Canterbury Avenue
Grade: 9 - 12
Fraser’s Ranking: 7.7/10
Home to one of the country’s most prestigious art program

What are some of the Guildcrest/Playfair Park favourites?
Local Canterbury High School is renowned for its Art based education and as a result became an arts magnet school for the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
CHEO or Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario is an integral part of the community.
Great access to immediate medical attention is guaranteed in these neighbourhoods with three of Ottawa’s largest Hospitals in the area.
With its extensive network of parks and greenspace the area is an ideal location for dog owners and people with active lifestyles.
Bike owners like the dedicated bike lanes for easy access to downtown year round.
Guildcrest Estates/Playfair Park offer slightly cheaper housing option for health care services workers then neighbouring Alta Vista.
Market Values

Single Family Homes 2018

Status: Sold (71)

                  Beds Baths List Price Sold Price DOM CDOM

Min             3       1       $350,000 $350,000

Max            6       4       $989,900 $975,000   195    280

Avg             4       3      $576,570 $575,782     26     34

Median       4       2      $539,900  $539,000    13    15

Townhomes 2018

Status: Sold (6)

               Beds Baths List Price Sold Price DOM CDOM

Min           2      2        $235,000 $234,000      8     8

Max          3      4        $619,900 $605,500     119 119

Avg           3      3        $547,500 $539,083     44   44

Median     2      4         $606,050 $600,000    31   31