March 15th, 2024 | Civic Hospital

Ottawa’s Civic Hospital Neighbourhood; Make it Your Home Too!

Updated 2024

Welcome to the Civic Hospital neighbourhood! This centrally located enclave is safe and quiet, with tree-lined streets where neighbours stroll and kids play. You can even connect with other Ottawa neighbourhoods on foot or by one of the many bike paths.

Other Ottawa neighbourhoods have seen a lot of development in the last five years, but the Civic has retained its original character, its beautiful Tudor houses and established trees, which the community actively advocates to protect.

Don’t let all this peacefulness and scenery fool you, however. Civic Hospital is also a highly connected and convenient neighbourhood. The O-Train Trillium Line and many bus routes serve this area, enabling you to connect all over the city with ease.

We Have Deep Connections to the Area

When we say Ottawa, it’s our home too, we mean it! Susan was born at the famous Civic hospital, which gives the neighbourhood its name. She grew up in the neighbourhood, returned as an Undergraduate, and now lives on the same street with her husband and three boys.

She is passionate about the neighbourhood, its stunning architecture, rich history, supportive community, and incredible amenities.

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Homes in the Civic Have True Curb Appeal

This is a neighbourhood with incredible curb appeal; the homes, mostly built in the Younghusband style during the fine arts movement, are set back, detached and framed by stunning mature trees.

David Younghusband designed and built in the Civic Hospital area between 1925 and 1947, gaining an enviable reputation due to his choice of small, highly skilled work crews and high-quality materials. Examples of original Younghusband homes are on 10 streets in this area.

One favourite is 44 Orrin Avenue, which looks just as beautiful as when it was completed in 1942. It is always a pleasure coming home when this view greets you after a long day.

At 371 Hinton Avenue, you can also discover a stunning period Greystone, constructed in 1938 by prominent Ottawa builder, Charles A. Johanssen. Neighbours are often friends in this neighbourhood; over 70% of the homes are owned, not rented, which further adds to the community feeling of the area.

You can learn more about the history of this area, including the background on some of its homes and buildings (some of which date back to the 1800s) on the city’s Heritage Register.

A Unique and Engaging Community

The quiet streets of the Civic are tucked away from the city hustle and bustle. Yet you are close to the neighbourhoods of Hintonburg, Little Italy, Wellington Village and Westboro with their vibrant main streets full of restaurants and locally owned stores.

A short walk or bike ride across the new and accessible Jackie Holzman bridge takes you to the Elmdale Tennis Club. This facility offers summer camps, and the Fisher Park Community Centre which has soccer for all ages, baseball, skating, pick up hockey, two gyms and pickleball.

From here you can walk to the famous Parkdale Market in Wellington West where you can pick up some groceries and flowers or treat yourself to some ice cream from the team’s favourite, Merry Dairy.

Learn more about Ottawa’s unique communities in our extensive blog post “Everything You Need to Know About Moving to Ottawa” right here.

Should you consider downsizing in the beautiful city of Ottawa? The posts below will give you much to consider:

An Abundance of Outdoor Activities

Residents of the Civic enjoy several parks in addition to the Arboretum. The list of ways to spend your day is never ending!

You will see your neighbours enjoying a picnic and walking along the Rideau Canal or kayaking on Dows Lake.
A walk through the Fletcher Wildlife Garden is a fun way to learn about the plants and wildlife native to the Ottawa region.
The newly renovated Reid Park has a year-round outdoor HIIT workout area, wading pool, playpark, basketball courts and is home to the Elmdale Lawn Bowling Club.
Fisher Park has a splash pad, picnic tables, gazebo, and a skating rink in winter that is decorated with residents’ Christmas trees.
You can play pickleball or tennis at Princess Margriet Park (renamed from Fairmont Park in 2022 to honour the Netherlands) which also has a sand pit filled with toys, including fire trucks, doll houses and tricycles.
Ev Tremblay Park is popular all year round and is across from the iconic Di Rienzo’s Deli, known to make the best sandwiches in Ottawa. Enjoy your lunch and watch a game of basketball or cycle polo on the public basketball court or cool off in the wading pool.
You can also play soccer at Iona Park, and skate on the outdoor rink in winter.
Hampton Park has something for the whole family, including the furry ones, with its off-leash fenced dog park and wading pool.

Winter and Fall Activities

In winter you can choose to skate the world’s longest skateway, the Rideau Canal, (which Susan always does on her birthday). Plus, the outdoor rink at Lansdowne or the local rinks at Fairmont Park and Ev Tremblay Park are both setup and maintained by local volunteers.

In fall, residents meet up at Pumpkins in the Park for a pie contest, bouncy castle and to pick up their complimentary pumpkin from Susan and the Chell Team. Visit the CHNA Facebook page to see the many activities you could enjoy as a resident.

It’s no wonder homes in Ottawa are increasing in value over the long term. If you’re considering selling, the resources below will help you get started:

Ottawa Schools

Along with great neighbourhoods, Ottawa offers incredible options for schools including French immersion, private and public schools.

In the Civic area:

In nearby McKellar Park:

Schools in Wellington Village/Westboro

Hintonburg

The Glebe

Glebe Collegiate

A Community Enriched by Innovation

The Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association (CHNA) is a volunteer group representing approximately 2000 households. The many committees include security, transport and traffic management, heritage and history, and environment protect the interests of residents.

The CHNA was most recently instrumental in the redevelopment of Reid Park, a neighbourhood favourite that has a new playground, basketball court, a dog park, and exercise equipment, all beautifully landscaped with bike lanes and traffic calming measures in some streets for resident safety.

Our very own Susan Chell is a member of the CHNA If you’d like to join her, take a look at the website to learn about member benefits.

Read more about why it’s important to work with an experienced local Ottawa real estate agent right here.

The Neighbourhood for History Lovers

The Civic Hospital Heritage and History Committee has been documenting the transition of the neighbourhood from farmland to the beautiful homes of today. This valuable resource includes a video on the Civic’s history and has an interactive tour which you can download and walk , helping to give you a real appreciation for this community and what makes it so special.

A must-see is the Civic Pharmacy Building sign, located at the corner of Carling Avenue and Holland Avenue. The sign was installed in 1960 and was inspired by Googie architecture. It later fell into disrepair, but residents raised funds for its restoration. Although it no longer spins, this landmark is still well loved by all residents.

With the support of the new building owner, the Ukrainian Credit Union, the is now a local landmark. Artist Andrew King talks about its significance in his blog.

The Chell Team is just a phone call or email away. Reach out to mail@chellteam.com or call 613.829.7484 to arrange a meeting with us.

Want to know more about our favourite Ottawa communities? Check out our community guides below: