ABOUT WATERIDGE
Neighbourhood and Area Parks and Greenspaces
Wateridge is home to acres of parkland, spread throughout the community. It is also surrounded by a significant amount of National Capital Commission land. Spaces range from highly structured activity parks suitable for play and sport to natural and naturalized areas suitable walking, hiking and bike rides. With so much greenspace, there are outdoor activities for everyone – right on our doorstep.
| Activity or Amenity | Eugène Martineau Park | Alliance Park | Wing Officer Willa Walker Park | Veterans’ Park | LCol William G. Barker VC Park | Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parklands | Montfort Woods |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play structure – Junior (ages 2-6) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Play structure – Senior (ages 5-12) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Accessible Play Structure | ✔ | ||||||
| Swing Sets | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Zipline | ✔ | ||||||
| Fitness-oriented Play Structure | ✔ | ||||||
| Obstacle Course | ✔ | ||||||
| Hardscaped Gathering Area | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Picnik Shelter | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Picnik Tables | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Benches | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Skateboard Park | ✔ | ||||||
| Basketball Net | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
| Basketball Court | ✔ | ||||||
| Soccer Field | ✔ | ||||||
| Ice Rink | ✔ | ||||||
| Tennis Court | ✔ | ||||||
| Free Play Area | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Walking Paths | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Nature Trails | ✔ | ||||||
| Bike Paths | ✔ | ||||||
| Ski Heritage East Cross-Country Ski Trail | ✔ | ||||||
| Splash Pad | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| NCC River House Supervised Swimming Area | ✔ | ||||||
| NCC River House Canoe, Kayak, Paddle board Launch & Public Dock | ✔ | ||||||
| Blair Road Boat Launch | ✔ | ||||||
| Parking Lot | ✔ | ✔ |
COMMUNITY PARK
Eugène Martineau Park
710 MIKINAK ROAD
Eugène Martineau Park is a 13.8 acre sports and activity park located along Miknak Road.
The park contains spaces for a wide-variety of activities:
- Junior play structures
- Senior play structures
- Accessible play structure
- Swing Sets
- Zipline
- Fitness oriented play structure
- Picnik Shelter and Picnik tables
- Over 1km of walking paths
- Skateboard Park
- Splash Pad
- Basketball Court
- Ice Rink
- Tennis Courts
- Regulation sized soccer field
- Open spaces
| Eugène Martineau was the first francophone Mayor of Ottawa. A little more information can be found on Wikipedia. |
CENTRAL PARKETTE
Alliance Park
398 CODD’S ROAD
Alliance park is found directly opposite the town square at the Corner of Hemlock and Codd’s Rd.
The park celebrates Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017 – the year Wateridge opened. The park contains a number of references to that celebration starting with an archway in shape of the Canada 150 logo. The landscaping contains a number of maple leaves as well as the Canada 150 tulips that bloom each spring in the south-west corner of the park.
The park contains a playground, picnic shelter, a number of picnic tables, benches and other seating areas. The is also a large, open, grassy area that is often used for community events as well as large stand of mature trees that pre-date Wateridge.
SOUTHWEST PARKETTE
Wing Officer Willa Walker Park
305 LYSLANDER PLACE
This is a neighbourhood park located at the corner of Avro Circle and Chene Way.
The park features a playground and a splash pad. The park also contains a basketball net, a picnic shelter and a number of mature trees that pre-date Wateridge.
| Willa Walker commanded the Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division. Learn more about her from the Canadian War Museum page about her. |
EAST PARKETTE
Veterans’ Park
1435 HEMLOCK ROAD
This neighbourhood park is found in the eastern sector of the community, at the corner of Hemlock and Moses Tennisco.
The park features a playground with swings and two obstacle courses along with an air force themed splash pad. The park contains a picnic shelter as well as open space.
TOWN SQUARE PARKETTE
LCol William G. Barker VC Park
1335 HEMLOCK ROAD
This park found at the corner of Codd’s and Hemlock Roads, is also known as the Town Square.
This park features a large hardscaped area suitable for community events and gatherings. The space is surround by trees and landscaping. The space design contains references to the former air force base and the nearby Ottawa River.
The most notable feature of the park is statue of LCol Willam G. Barker VC frame two flagpoles flying the Canada Flag and the flag of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The other striking feature of the park is large hardscaped pathway resembling the former runway 04-22 from RCAF Station Rockcliffe. A portion of that former runway is now used as parking lot and ramp space at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum.
| Lt. Col. William G Barker was a fighter pilot in World War I. Learn more about him on the Canadian Encyclopedia page about him |
NATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION LANDS
Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parklands
SIR GEORGE-ÉTIENNE CARTIER PARKWAY
The Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parklands is a strip of greenspace running approximately 10 km along the south-shore of the Ottawa River – adjacent to the north edge of Wateridge. These lands provide amazing opportunities for walking, biking, inline skating, and experiencing nature. A variety of open meadows, forest areas, flat areas and hilly terrain can be found throughout the space. This land is owned and operated by the National Capital Commission.
The land area is home to:
- Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway
- A portion of the National Capital Pathway system
- NCC River House
- Rockcliffe Airport
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum
- Rockcliffe Flying Club
- Rockcliffe Yacht Club
- Blair Road Boat Launch
Over at the NCC River House, there is a supervised enclosed swimming area with two 25-meter swim lanes. The building contains accessible change rooms and a Café & Bistro with an outdoor patio area. It is also possible to launch non-motorized boats such as canoe or kayak from the public dock. Rentals of Kayaks, Paddleboards, and Bikes are also available nearby. See NCC River House website for the full details facilities and hours.
During the summer months (mid May-Mid October), the parkway is closed to motor vehicle traffic for NCC Weekend bike days. These normally run 8 AM-4PM on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays. See the NCC weekend bike days website for details.
During the winter months, a portion of the pathway system is groomed by Ski Heritage East, a volunteer organization, for cross-country skiing, show shoeing, walking and fat biking. See the Ski Heritage East website for details.
A direct connection between these lands and the to the future Kishkabika Park in the north of Wateridge is planned.
NATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION LANDS
Montfort Woods
NORTH END OF LANG’S ROAD
Located next to Wateridge, the Montfort Woods is a 16.7 acre mature natural urban woodlot that is owned by the National Capital Commission. It is located between the Montfort hospital and Wateridge. Under the ownership of the National Capital Commission, these lands will never be built upon and are designated a “Natural Heritage Area” the most protective designation in the Plan for Canada’s Capital (PFCC).
The forest contains Sugar Maple, Beech, Ash, Basswood, and Norway Maple over limestone bedrock and is home to may birds and small wildlife. The area is exception in the urban area of Ottawa due to its large average tree size, area of cover, abundance of wildlife nesting sites, and diversity within sub-canopy trees
The Woods are also interesting from a landform perspective. A portion of an elevated plateau within the site, where the limestone bedrock is exposed, shows well-developed karst topography. Karst is a distinctive topography and appears as smooth, rounded depressions in the bedrock.
The Montfort Woods example is particularly striking due to it’s extent, quality, maturity of trees growing within this landscape and it’s accessibility to the community. This natural landscape, therefore, provides a valuable contribution to biodiversity and wildlife habitat in the urban area to be enjoyed by Ottawa residents and others. The lands are used for conservation, educational, interpretation, scientific and passive leisure uses.
The Montfort woods can accessed from Wateridge by following the pedestrian path from the south-east corner of Avro Circle and turning right at the top of the hill where the path meets Lang’s Road.
FOLLOW