WESTBORO REAL ESTATE
Westboro Neighbourhoods: A Street-Level Guide
By Jason Polonski, REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty · Last updated: October 2026
Westboro is made up of several distinct neighbourhoods: Westboro Village around Richmond Road, Highland Park between Richmond Road and Carling Avenue, McKellar Park to the west along the river, Westboro Beach to the north, and Champlain Park and Hampton Iona to the east. Each has its own housing, feel and price range, and the right one depends on whether you value the main street, the river, the schools or quiet streets most.
Buyers often say they want “Westboro” and then discover that two homes ten minutes’ walk apart feel very different. This guide explains each pocket so you can narrow your search before you start booking showings. For the overall picture, see the Westboro real estate and neighbourhood guide.
Where Does Westboro Begin and End?
There is no single official boundary. In the broadest sense, Westboro runs from Island Park Drive in the east to around Denbury Avenue and McKellar Park in the west, and from the Ottawa River south to Carling Avenue. The community association uses tighter limits: the Transitway to the north, Tweedsmuir Avenue to the east, Carling Avenue to the south and Denbury Avenue to the west, as summarized in the neighbourhood’s history.
In everyday real estate use, the neighbourhoods below are often marketed as Westboro or “Westboro area.” That matters when you search listings, because the label in a listing does not always tell you which pocket a home is really in. Check the exact address on geoOttawa and walk the street.
Westboro Village
Westboro Village is the commercial heart of the area, centred on Richmond Road. It was a separate village until Ottawa annexed it in 1949, and the main street still has that small-town scale, with outdoor and fitness retailers, boutiques, cafés and restaurants. The Westboro Village BIA runs events through the year.
Housing near Richmond Road is the most mixed in the area: newer mid-rise and high-rise condos along the main street, older brick homes and infill semis on the side streets. It suits buyers who want to walk to everything and do not mind more traffic and activity. Read Westboro condos if a main-street condo appeals to you.
Highland Park
Highland Park sits between Richmond Road and Carling Avenue, from Churchill Avenue west to Denbury Avenue. It is the most varied of Westboro’s sub-neighbourhoods. Large luxury homes and infill rebuilds are concentrated near Richmond Road, family homes built across the last century fill the middle streets, and low-rise apartment buildings are more common close to Carling.
Highland Park puts families within walking distance of Broadview Public School, Nepean High School and Notre Dame High School, which are all on or near Broadview Avenue. The Dovercourt Recreation Centre is here too. For many families, this is the core of what they mean by “Westboro.” See Westboro schools for how the 2027 boundary changes affect these streets.
Best for: families, move-up buyers and anyone who wants schools and recreation within a few blocks.
McKellar Park
McKellar Park lies west of Denbury Avenue, bounded by Sherbourne Avenue to the south and west and the Ottawa River to the north. It is technically in Bay Ward rather than Kitchissippi, and is sometimes treated as its own neighbourhood, but it is closely tied to Westboro Village. Streets are quiet and leafy, and it is regarded as one of the more expensive pockets in the west end.
The Dovercourt association runs a field house at McKellar Park, and the river pathway is close by. You will find older homes alongside larger custom rebuilds.
Best for: luxury and move-up buyers, families wanting space, and downsizers looking for a quiet street near the river.
Sell Your Ottawa Home for Just 1% Listing Commission
Why pay 2.5% listing commission to sell your home when you don't have to? Jason Polonski lists Ottawa homes for a simple 1% listing commission. Full MLS® and REALTOR.ca exposure, professional photography, powerful online marketing, expert pricing, and a skilled negotiator fighting for every dollar of your sale price. Top-tier service — you just keep thousands more when your home sells. Smart sellers are already making the switch. Your home deserves the best, and your wallet deserves a break.
Westboro Beach
The streets north of the Transitway toward the river, between Island Park Drive and the McKellar Park area, are often called Westboro Beach after the NCC beach on Kichi Zībī Mīkan. This is the pocket for people who want the river on their doorstep: swimming and paddling in summer, the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail in winter, and the Capital Pathway for walking and cycling year-round.
Housing is mostly detached homes, from modest older houses to substantial rebuilds, plus some newer townhomes and condos near the transit corridor. The future Westboro and Kichi Zībī O-Train stations are within walking distance. Expect premium pricing for homes with easy beach and pathway access.
Best for: active buyers, cyclists and anyone who wants the river as part of daily life. See things to do in Westboro.
Champlain Park
Champlain Park is a small, tight-knit pocket east of Island Park Drive, between the Ottawa River and Scott Street, next to Tunney’s Pasture. Most homes date from the 1920s and 1930s, with the last development in the 1950s. It was part of the police village of Ottawa West until annexation in 1949, and it has had its own community association since 1991.
Champlain Park is quiet, close to the river and very close to the federal campus at Tunney’s Pasture, which makes it popular with public servants. Older homes here need the same careful inspection as any pre-1960 house; see buying a character home in Westboro.
Best for: federal employees, buyers who want a small community feel, and anyone looking for river access close to downtown.
Get Cash Back When You Buy a Home in Ottawa
Can you get cash back when buying a home in Ottawa? Yes. Jason Polonski, a Chairman's Club REALTOR® serving Ottawa and Kanata, shares part of his commission with buyers — up to $3,000 cash back at closing.* You still get full-service, award-winning representation: expert pricing, sharp negotiation, and hands-on guidance from first showing to keys in hand. No cut corners and no rebate-only shortcuts — just real money back in your pocket when you buy your Ottawa or Kanata home.
Hampton Iona
Hampton Iona, also known as Hampton Park, sits between Tweedsmuir Avenue and Island Park Drive, from Richmond Road south to Carling Avenue. It was first developed in 1910 under the name Laurentian View, and many of its streets are named after upper-class London neighbourhoods, such as Kensington, Piccadilly and Mayfair. It is sometimes considered part of Westboro and sometimes its own neighbourhood.
Its signature is Hampton Park itself, owned by the NCC and maintained by the City, with sports fields, a wading pool, a playground and a protected woodland. Hilson Avenue Public School serves the area and will add Early French Immersion from September 2027.
Best for: families who want a quieter residential pocket with a large park, close to both Westboro and Wellington Village.
Westboro’s Neighbourhoods at a Glance
| Neighbourhood | Character | Typical housing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westboro Village | Busy main street | Condos, older homes, infill | Walk-to-everything buyers |
| Highland Park | Varied, family-oriented | Luxury homes to apartments | Families near schools |
| McKellar Park | Quiet, upscale | Larger lots, custom homes | Luxury and move-up buyers |
| Westboro Beach | Active, riverside | Detached homes, some townhomes | River and pathway lovers |
| Champlain Park | Small, tight-knit | 1920s to 1950s homes | Public servants, community feel |
| Hampton Iona | Residential, park-centred | Early 1900s to mid-century homes | Families wanting a big park |
How to Choose the Right Westboro Neighbourhood
Start with how you want to spend a normal weekday, not with the house. If you want to walk to a café every morning, focus on Westboro Village. If school drop-off is the centre of your day, start in Highland Park or Hampton Iona. If you want the river, look at Westboro Beach, McKellar Park and Champlain Park.
Then consider these practical points:
- Schools: the OCDSB’s West Central Boundary Review changes some boundaries in September 2027, so check the exact address.
- Transit: streets near the future Westboro and Kichi Zībī O-Train stations will gain rapid transit, which City officials have targeted for early 2027.
- Traffic and noise: homes near Richmond Road, Carling Avenue and Scott Street are busier than those on interior streets.
- Future building: Ottawa’s new Zoning By-law 2026-50 allows more homes on many residential lots, so a neighbouring bungalow could become a multi-unit building.
- Housing age: older pockets mean more character and larger lots, but also older wiring, plumbing and foundations to inspect.
If you are still deciding between Westboro and nearby areas, compare Westboro vs Hintonburg, Nepean vs Westboro and Westboro vs The Glebe. Current listings across every pocket are on Westboro homes for sale.
How Prices Differ Across Westboro’s Neighbourhoods
Prices in Westboro move with three things more than the neighbourhood name: the lot, the house and the exact street. A large lot near Richmond Road or the river, a recent infill home, or a street inside a sought-after school catchment will usually command more than a similar-sized home on a busier road or near Carling Avenue. Condos follow their own rules, driven by fees, parking and the building’s financial health.
Because the pockets are so varied, average prices for “Westboro” can mislead you. Ask for recent sales of comparable homes on the specific streets you like, and if you already own in Westboro, read what’s my Westboro home worth? to understand how your own home is valued.
Explore Westboro’s Neighbourhoods With Jason Polonski
Jason Polonski has helped hundreds of buyers and sellers across Ottawa over more than 15 years. He knows how each Westboro pocket differs on the ground: which streets carry cut-through traffic, which blocks are walking distance to the schools and the beach, and where new infill is changing the streetscape.
His background in construction and the electrical trades means he also reads the houses, from a 1920s home in Champlain Park to a new rebuild in McKellar Park, so you understand condition as well as location. If you are selling elsewhere in Ottawa to move here, he coordinates both sides of the move. Learn more about Jason, read reviews on his Google Business Profile, or visit the Westboro REALTOR® page. Thinking of selling? Start with what’s my Westboro home worth?
Call or text (613) 601-9333 to book a tour of Westboro’s neighbourhoods.
Westboro Neighbourhoods FAQs
Westboro is usually understood to include Westboro Village, Highland Park, Westboro Beach and nearby McKellar Park, Champlain Park and Hampton Iona, though the exact boundaries vary by source.
Highland Park and Hampton Iona are popular with families because of their proximity to Broadview Public School, Nepean High School, Notre Dame High School, Hilson Avenue Public School, Dovercourt and Hampton Park.
McKellar Park is technically a separate neighbourhood in Bay Ward, but it is closely tied to Westboro Village and is often considered part of the greater Westboro area.
Westboro Beach, McKellar Park and Champlain Park all sit along or close to the Ottawa River, with access to the Capital Pathway and Westboro Beach.
Champlain Park sits just east of Island Park Drive next to Tunney’s Pasture and Westboro Beach. It has its own community association but is often grouped with the Westboro area.
Most Westboro condos are along and near Richmond Road and close to the Transitway, with some low-rise buildings on side streets.
