By Eva Russell
With its affordable housing, close proximity to downtown and surrounding rivers and parks, Vanier is an attractive choice to call home. Vanier is undergoing a community-driven change and is supported by new developments that are planned for Montreal Road and Beechwood Avenue. Talk to any Vanier resident who has lived here for 20 years or 2 years, and you will see the strong sense of neighbourhood pride which is contributing to this change. So if you’re new to the neighbourhood or thinking about calling it home, Vanier has a variety of hidden gems and businesses that are worth checking out. Here is a selection of what makes Vanier stand out:
Food Markets & Community Gardens– Vanier has a diverse collection of multicultural grocery stores and markets that are a reflection of our diverse community. Mercado Latino (67 Montreal Rd.), Green Fresh (Asian) Supermarket (29 Selkerk Street), the All Africa Market (411 McArthur Ave) and the Kabul Food Market (355 Montreal Rd.) all offer cultural food treasures. For the avid gardener that is in need of a plot of land, Vanier has it’s own community garden at Richelieu Park (300 des Pères Blancs) with 36 plots. Contact the Vanier Community Garden for more information.
Housewares/ Furniture– If you are in need of some new furniture and accessories to decorate that new space, look no further than the Zuffa Home showroom (81 Montreal Rd.) specializing in mid-century reproductions of furniture and lighting. If it is vintage modern you are looking for, Vanier Moderns has an impressive, ever changing collection of vintage lights, beautifully restored sofas, and teak dining room sets. Follow them on Facebook or email them.
Takeout - You may not know this but Vanier has some of the best takeout in Ottawa. If it’s an authentic cheesy, homemade pizza you are craving, check out Louis Pizza (181 McArthur Avenue). If it’s a Saturday night curry you’re in the mood for, Host India is the place for delicious butter chicken and other Indian specialties, and now offers delivery. If it’s Charcoal BBQ Chicken that is your fancy, then Pili Pili Grilled Chicken (355 Montreal Road) and YKO Charcoal BBQ Chicken (375 McArthur) offer spicy, juicy BBQ chicken and golden plantains. For all your poutine needs Vanier Snack Shack (200 Deschamps Ave) will satisfy your cravings – make sure you get the large and don’t plan on sharing!
Weekend Brunch – Vanier has some of the best greasy spoon breakfast stops in town for very reasonable prices. Bobby’s table (255 Montreal Road) is a neighbourhood favorite and offers a $3.95 breakfast that will please any foodie. The Fontenelle Restaurant (55 Montreal Road) opens early at 4am and it’s mid-century décor is the perfect backdrop for a late night/ early morning breakfast with a side of bologna.
Winter Activities – If you are looking for skating and outdoor hockey venues, Vanier has 4 outdoor rinks at Optimiste Park, Richelieu Park, St Paul’s Park and St. Ambroise Park.Richelieu Park can be a winter oasis with trails for snowshoeing/ cross country skiing and North America’s only urban Sugar Shack. The sugar shack is open from December to Mid-may and the Maple Sugar Fest runs from March 31 – April 6th.
Summer Activities– If you are interested in exploring Vanier by bike, Vélo Vanier (290 Dupuis Street) offers free loaner bikes to anyone with a K1L postal code. They also offer free workshops during the summer on bike tune-ups held in the parking lot of the Centre Francophone (270 Marier Avenue). The bike sharing program Right Bike is also coming to Vanier in 2014, so keep an eye out for the signature purple bikes. Cool down after a day’s riding in one of Vanier’s splash pads and pools at Nault Park or Optimiste Park, or if you can find it, Sand Pitts Lake (The Pond) is an urban oasis with swimming hours from 8am – 2pm daily (just north of Beechwood).
Community Centres & Gyms– After tasting all of Vanier’s food gems listed above you may be looking for a place to work it off. The St Laurent Complex (525 Côté Street) offers a variety of fitness and sport activities at the fitness centre, pool and skating arena. A Goodlife Women’s Club is located at the Vanier Market Loblaws (100 McArthur Ave.) and for the yogis Kalyana Yoga (375 St. Laurent Blvd) offers a variety of classes and special events. For the Martial Arts enthusiasts, check out Therien Jiu-Jitsu and Kickboxing School (21 Selkirk Street) with classes for all ages.
Opportunities to get Involved– Now that you are settled in and know the local favorites and hot spots, it’s time to get involved with The Vanier Community Association (VCA) and meet other fellow residents. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month at the Richelieu Vanier Community Centre and are open to anyone to attend. The VCA has various committees that focus on Sustainable Development, Cycling, and Parks and Recreation and are always looking for volunteers to help at events or put up posters for events. Like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and submit an application to be on the email distribution list for community events.
All images: Eva Russell