Riverside South is one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing suburban communities, built along the Rideau River in the city’s south end and connected to Barrhaven by the Vimy Memorial Bridge. This guide covers Riverside South’s housing stock, schools, transit, and lifestyle, along with what Jason Polonski — REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty — sees working with buyers and sellers in Ottawa’s newest large-scale planned community.
For the full picture of Ottawa’s neighbourhoods, see the Ottawa Neighbourhoods guide, or go straight to Riverside South homes for sale.
Where Is Riverside South Located?
Riverside South sits in Ottawa’s Gloucester-South Nepean Ward, just southwest of Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. Its planned boundaries run from Leitrim Road in the north to the Rideau River in the west, a line roughly halfway between Earl Armstrong Road and Rideau Road in the south, and Bowesville Road in the east.
The Vimy Memorial Bridge links Riverside South directly to Barrhaven across the Rideau River, putting shopping, dining, and additional amenities just minutes away without a long drive around.
From Farmland to One of Ottawa’s Fastest-Growing Communities
Through the early 1990s, most of what’s now Riverside South was vacant land, farms, and scattered housing — one exception is Honey Gables, an older community built around 1950 that has now been absorbed into Riverside South’s boundaries. The first new homes went up in 1996, and development accelerated after Ottawa’s 2001 amalgamation folded the former City of Gloucester into the new City of Ottawa.
The real turning point came on July 12, 2014, when what was originally planned as the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge opened ahead of its September 2014 target date, connecting Strandherd Drive in Barrhaven with Earl Armstrong Road in Riverside South. At the recommendation of local Royal Canadian Legion branches, it was renamed the Vimy Memorial Bridge in honour of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. That direct link to Barrhaven accelerated both residential and commercial growth on the Riverside South side of the river.
By the 2021 Census, Riverside South’s population had reached 19,802, and the City of Ottawa projects it will grow to roughly 24,920 residents by 2034 — among the fastest growth rates of any established Ottawa community.
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Housing in Riverside South
Riverside South’s housing stock is almost entirely newer construction, which sets it apart from most of Ottawa’s other suburban communities — detached single-family homes are the most common, typically featuring open-concept layouts and family-sized backyards, alongside a substantial supply of townhomes for first-time buyers and downsizers, and a growing number of condo developments for singles and young professionals. Builders here have generally emphasized energy-efficient construction and contemporary finishes over the split-level and bungalow styles found in Ottawa’s older suburbs.
Pricing varies by property type, builder, and proximity to the Rideau River or the new Limebank Station, which makes a single neighbourhood-wide average less useful than a property-type breakdown for anyone actually budgeting a purchase. For current listings, see Riverside South homes for sale.
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Schools in Riverside South
Riverside South is served by public, Catholic, and French-language schools across the English and French systems, with more schools planned as the community continues to grow.
| School | Grades | Board |
|---|---|---|
| Steve MacLean Public School | JK–8 (English & French Immersion) | OCDSB |
| St. Jerome Catholic School | JK–6 | OCSB |
| St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School | 7–12 | OCSB |
| École élémentaire catholique Bernard-Grandmaître | Elementary | CECCE |
| École élémentaire publique Michel-Dupuis | Elementary | CEPEO |
| École secondaire catholique Pierre-Savard | Secondary (Barrhaven) | CECCE |
One genuine standout: Bernard-Grandmaître operates the only balanced-calendar school in the Ottawa area, a scheduling model that spreads shorter breaks throughout the year instead of one long summer — the pilot program became permanent in 2010 and remains a distinctive draw for families who prefer that structure.
Catchment boundaries can shift year to year — the Ontario School Information Finder is the most current source for a specific address.
Parks, Trails, and the Rideau River
Riverside South is bordered by the Rideau River, and its park network reflects that — Claudette Cain Park and Four Seasons Park anchor the community alongside numerous smaller neighbourhood parks with playgrounds, sports fields, and splash pads. Walking and cycling trails connect the community’s parks and schools, and the riverfront location makes canoeing and kayaking genuinely popular summer activities for residents rather than something you’d need to drive elsewhere for.
Shopping and Everyday Amenities
Riverside South’s retail base has grown alongside the community, anchored by Riverside South Plaza and Vimy Ridge Plaza along Limebank Road, with grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, cafés, and quick-service restaurants covering daily needs. For bigger shopping trips, the Vimy Memorial Bridge puts Barrhaven’s Chapman Mills Marketplace — Walmart, Winners, HomeSense, Canadian Tire — within a few minutes, and South Keys Shopping Centre is roughly 15 minutes north for an even wider selection.
Transit and Getting Around
Riverside South’s transit access changed meaningfully in January 2025, when Limebank Station opened as the new southern terminus of the O-Train’s Trillium Line (Line 2), giving residents direct rapid transit into downtown Ottawa for the first time. OC Transpo buses also connect the community to South Keys, Barrhaven, and other destinations, and the Vimy Memorial Bridge, Earl Armstrong Road, and Limebank Road provide direct routes to Hunt Club Road and Highway 417 for drivers. Downtown Ottawa is typically a 20 to 25 minute drive outside peak hours, and now a direct O-Train trip via Limebank Station for anyone who’d rather skip the drive.
Who Riverside South Suits
Riverside South tends to suit buyers who want new construction and planned-community infrastructure over an older neighbourhood’s established character — families drawn to the schools, parks, and safety of a purpose-built suburb, professionals who want direct O-Train access without living downtown, and investors watching one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing communities for long-term appreciation. It competes most directly with Barrhaven and Orleans as a top suburban destination, with the Rideau River waterfront and the new Limebank Station as its clearest differentiators.
Working With a Local REALTOR® in Riverside South
Jason Polonski has spent 15+ years working in Ottawa’s real estate market, including new-construction communities like Riverside South, where builder reputation, phase timing, and Tarion warranty coverage matter as much as the finished product. He’s available seven days a week at (613) 601-9333 or by email at polonskiottawa@gmail.com to talk through a specific Riverside South property, a new-build purchase, or a plan for buying and selling in the area.
Read more about his background on the About page, see verified client reviews on his Google Business Profile, or connect directly with Jason’s Riverside South real estate page.
Riverside South (FAQs)
Riverside South is a planned suburban community in Ottawa’s Gloucester-South Nepean Ward, in the south end near Ottawa’s airport. It’s bordered roughly by Leitrim Road, the Rideau River, and Bowesville Road, and connects directly to Barrhaven via the Vimy Memorial Bridge.
Riverside South is known for its newer housing, family-oriented planning, and Rideau River location. It’s one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing communities, with the population projected to grow from roughly 19,800 in 2021 to nearly 25,000 by 2034.
Riverside South offers mostly newer-construction single-family homes, townhouses, and a growing number of condo developments, generally featuring open layouts and energy-efficient design. It’s one of the few Ottawa communities where genuinely new-build inventory is the norm rather than the exception.
Yes. Riverside South has a strong school selection across the public, Catholic, and French systems, extensive parks and trails along the Rideau River, and infrastructure built specifically for a growing family population.
Yes. Limebank Station opened in January 2025 as the new southern terminus of the O-Train’s Trillium Line (Line 2), giving Riverside South residents direct rapid transit into downtown Ottawa for the first time.
By car, expect roughly 20 to 25 minutes outside peak hours via Earl Armstrong Road, Limebank Road, or the Vimy Memorial Bridge to Highway 417. Since January 2025, Limebank Station also offers a direct O-Train option into the core.
Jason Polonski, a REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty and 15+ years of experience in Ottawa’s suburban and new-construction markets, works directly with Riverside South buyers and sellers on the specifics of a growing planned community.
