When we first moved to Ottawa from Saint John, NB, on the Mitel express, my dream was a huge upgrade from our lovely 3 bedroom bungalow on a 2 acre lot overlooking the St John River. Instead we bought a semi-detached home on Castlefrank Rd. in Glen Cairn! We loved it there, despite the decrease in every size possible and the solid warning that our agent at the time gave us about the traffic. We lived across from a horse pasture and the Glen Cairn Library. I became both the keeper of escapee horses and over-due library books! Two passions! Horses and books!
When it came time to move, now with two young boys in tow, I started biking the neighbourhoods in what I knew would be our next neighbourhood – Katimavik, meeting neighbours and becoming familiar with the parks, schools and amenities. It did indeed become our home for many years with us biking each trail and playing in each playground. The myriad of trails were, we felt, the best in all of Kanata, leading you through woods, playgrounds and escarpments. We were at the time a one-car family and the area had such a high walkability factor that we did not need that second car!
Restaurants abound as well! A new Kanata restaurant has joined the same plaza as one of my favourite Katimavik take out restaurants on the corner of Eagleson & Kakulu! Tava Kitchen and Casa Mexico. Both are hosts to authentic cuisine, Tava for Turkish cuisine and Casa Mexico…well just take a guess! When I discover dishes that are totally foreign to me I am pleased and such is the case with both of these restaurants. Other similarities between the two?
1. they both are family-owned and operated.
2. the dishes are absolutely amazing.
With Tava, order online or call and place your order. With Casa Mexico be sure to make a reservation…it is going to be a hot spot in Kanata for sure, as it is on Merivale Road and on Preston Street.
While many years have since passed since I lived in Katimavik, the area has only improved, adding more amenities yet retaining the parks and trails, the wooded areas and mix of housing.
The majority of people in Katimavik are in the age range of 20 to 44 with townhouses and condos making up the vast majority of homes. There are also a number of streets with larger single family homes along with the quaint courts and privates that have townhouses and condos on them. The majority of homes were built between 1980 and 1990 with many having been recently renovated.
The neighbourhood is loved for its many, many parks and trails that connect both the greenspaces with the residential areas but also the residents to the amenities that abound just minutes away including grocery stores, medical clinics, fitness centres, restaurants and more. Being that it is the most central Kanata neighbourhood, commuting could not be easier.
The schools in Katimavik are highly rated and a good selection of both public and separate schools are available. Young families make up a large majority of the population with many choosing to move from their first home here to a larger detached home as their family grows.
We have a great listing coming up in the neighbourhood at 77 Bujold Court, a condo townhouse that has just been renovated. Stay tuned to our listings page for details and photos! Can’t wait? Contact us to discuss it today.
Comments
Catherine Westbrook says...
Loved our time in lovely Katimavik too!
Carole Evans says...
What a wonderful neighborhood indeed. To think so close still after all these years.