River Heights

River Heights is an affluent and primarily residential neighbourhood, located centrally in Winnipeg. The majority of the development in the area did not occur until after World War 1. Today, the area can be broken down into two major areas: North River Heights and South River Heights.

River Heights is well known for its beautiful large trees that form a leafy canopy in the summer. The central location is what makes this neighbourhood so desirable for professionals and working families as their daily commute to downtown is almost zilch.

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

River Heights is home to some of the first residential real estate in all of Winnipeg. Most of the homes in North River Heights were built prior to the 1960’s. These stately homes ooze with character and have been beautifully maintained for the last 100 years. As you walk down the streets, you will be awed by the Victorian and Tudor style homes that were very prominent when this area was first developed. These homes are mainly comprised of single-family detached homes with the odd multifamily conversion.

As you move towards the south, you will begin to see more mid-century style homes tucked beneath the canopy of Elm, Ash and Oak trees that some of the streets in this neighbourhood are famously named after.

In both areas, we are seeing a trend toward infill homes. These infill homes are often built on lots that were formerly 50’ or more and have now been subdivided into multiple lots – some as narrow as 25’. As a result, newer construction within the area is often more vertical – think two-storey types of homes, to make the most of the smaller lots. There are still some newer bungalow-style options within the community, but they are more seldom found.

 

SCHOOLS AND SERVICES

If you are looking for an ideal neighbourhood to raise a family, River Heights has a large number of schools offering a variety of different programs. The neighbourhood falls under the Winnipeg School Division catchment and is home to nine public schools and one private school.

River Heights is divided into six catchment areas with six elementary schools offering English programming. Carpathia School, J.B. Mitchell School, Queenston School, Ecole Robert H. Smith School, Brock Corydon School and Montrose School provide Kindergarten to Grade Six Programming.  For more information on what catchment a home is in, we recommend checking the Winnipeg School Division website.

Children who attend the English Elementary Program at Carpathia, Queenston and Ecole Robert H. Smith Schools will complete middle school at Ecole River Heights School and will receive their high school diploma from Ecole Secondaire Kelvin High School.

Students from Brock Corydon School will go to Ecole River Heights School from Grade Seven to Grade Eight and finish high school at Grant Park High School.

Those who start English elementary programming at J. B Mitchell and Montrose Schools will complete middle school and high school at Grant Park High School.

If you choose French Immersion, the dual-track programs will be at J. B. Mitchell School or Ecole Robert H. Smith School.  The catchment you fall into will be based on your address. The middle school for all areas is Ecole River Heights School and students will finish high school years at Ecole Secondaire Kelvin High School. 

Children from River Heights can also choose the French milieu path. Ecole Sir William Osler School is a Kindergarten to Grade Six School that serves the entire community. For middle school and high school years, students will attend College Churchill High School.

The community is also home to a private school. St. John Brebeuf School is a Kindergarten to Grade Eight Catholic School.

River Heights is just steps away from St Mary’s Academy, which is an all-girls private catholic school from Grade Seven to Grade Twelve and located in neighbouring Crescentwood. Its counterpart, St. Paul’s High School is an all-boys private catholic school situated in Tuxedo.

Worth noting, as many from the area attend, St John’s Ravenscourt is a private school offering programming from Kindergarten through Grade Twelve. It is approximately an eight-kilometer drive from the community. Many households in the area enjoy the private bussing services offered as part of the school’s annual tuition.

For post-secondary options, The Canadian Mennonite University and Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology are the shortest commute. However, in a 15 to 20-minute drive you can reach all the major post-secondary institutions Winnipeg has to offer, such as the University of Manitoba Fort Garry and Bannatyne Campuses, the Université de Saint Boniface, the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytech Campuses.

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

The neighbourhood is close to three of Winnipeg’s major healthcare centres.  Misericordia Health Centre is only four kilometers away via the Maryland Twin Bridge.  And the two largest teaching hospitals in Winnipeg, St-Boniface Hospital and the Health Sciences Centre are around a 15-minute commute.

Grant Park is home to Pan Am Clinic, which is a leading provider of sports medicine and physiotherapy services for patients from Manitoba and Northwest Ontario and found in neighbouring Crescentwood.

 

SHOPPING

River Heights is made up of mostly residential homes with many boutique shops amongst its borders. Most will travel just beyond the borders for the staple items. If you are looking for a more unique and local shopping experience, Academy Road is home to some amazing boutique-style stores. GJ Andrews is a gourmet grocery store offering specialty foods, fresh produce and wine.

There is one large retailer in the community. The Real Canadian Superstore is located at the corner of Grant Avenue and Kenaston Boulevard.  

Every year the Corydon Central Community Centre hosts a Farmers’ Market. The Market is open Fridays from July to end of September and is located in the River Heights Community Centre’s Parking lot at 1370 Grosvenor Avenue.

Other shopping alternatives can be found just beyond the borders of the community. Neighbouring Crescentwood is home to Grant Park Shopping Centre. This mall includes retailers like Canadian Tire, Red River Co-Op, Shoppers Drug Mart, Winners, McNally Robinson Booksellers, and a variety of restaurants and services. Along Taylor Avenue you will find La Grotta Mediterranean Market, and two shopping centres, Grant Park Festival and Grant Park Pavilions. These centers consist of stores such as Sobeys, Walmart, Dollarama, banking options and more.

Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre is located only a short drive away along Corydon Avenue in neighbouring Tuxedo. Some popular options there include Shoppers Drug Mart and Safeway.

Manitoba largest mall, Polo Park is only 10 minutes away from River Heights. The mall and the surrounding areas include retailers like Hudson Bay, Marshalls, Winners, Safeway, Canadian Tire, the Home Depot, Best Buy, Michaels, Save on Foods and more. Drive a little further on St James Street and you will find Walmart, the Real Canadian Superstore and Costco.

River Heights is also within close proximity to the Outlet Collection and Seasons of Tuxedo area, where you can explore stores like Ikea, Cabela’s, Red River Co-op and so much more.

ENTERTAINMENT

If you love the outdoors, River Heights has great options!  The neighbourhood is found only one kilometer away from the East entrance of Winnipeg's beloved Assiniboine Park.  This park is Winnipeg’s largest and is known as a great spot for exploration. The park is also home to the Assiniboine Park Zoo - once again emphasizing the family-oriented nature of the area. 

Famous Wellington Crescent is home to some of the most beautiful homes in all of Winnipeg and not to mention gorgeous paths and walkways.  In the summer, the area offers the Enhanced Summer Bike Route Program along the street. This means that Wellington Crescent has limited motor vehicle traffic annually from May 1^st until Thanksgiving Day between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m every Saturday, Sunday and on holidays. During July and August, the motor vehicle restriction applies every day making it a safe haven for families who want to get out and walk and bike.

The neighbourhood offers ample green spaces with athletic fields, playgrounds and additional features. Some of these are rentable for family barbeques, picnics or private events.

Sir John Franklin Park is a larger park and it has a playground as well as sport courts and fields for baseball, pickleball and tennis. During the winter season it also offers a pop-up rink.

T.R. Hodgson Park offers a playground, a wading pool with washrooms and plenty of green spaces to kick a ball around or organize a family barbeque. Other family-oriented parks with playgrounds and wading pools are Cordova Park, Montrose Park and William Osler Park. The latter offers an outdoor hockey rink during the winter season.

Theodore Niizhotay Fontaine Park offers two baseball diamonds while Joe Malone Park houses a soccer field, tennis courts and a playground.

There are many other smaller parks scattered throughout the community where you can sit back and enjoy the greenery.

River Heights is part of the Central Corydon Community Centre which has three locations: River Heights Community Centre, Sir Jonh Franklin Community Centre and Crescentwood Community Centre. These three community centres joined forces in 2011, providing a larger sense of community for the area. The Sir John Franklin site and River Heights site are both located within the community.  River Heights Community Centre consists of fields and courts for baseball, soccer, lawn bowling, pickleball and tennis. It offers a spray pad and playground during the summer months and outdoor hockey rinks during the winter months.  The Sir John Franklin Site is home to a baseball diamond, soccer fields, a basketball court, tennis courts, playground, toboggan run and an outdoor hockey rink.  It also has an outdoor wading pool.

Dakota Gymnastics Academy provide a wide variety of programming for all ages in its fully equipped facility. It also plays host for birthday parties, school PD Day camps and more. The gym is located at the Manitoba Korean Presbyterian Church, on Oxford Street.

Other recreational facilities can be found just beyond the community’s border or a short drive away.

Neighboring Crescentwood supports the Winnipeg South End United soccer fields which is located on Taylor Avenue. The WSEU Soccer Club organizes events for kids aged 4 to 18 and consists of 15 soccer fields.

Adjacent to the soccer fields is one of Winnipeg’s oldest arenas, the Charles A. Barbour Arena as well as the Pan Am Pool. The Pan Am Pool is Winnipeg’s premiere aquatic facility and meets international standards to host world-class aquatic events. It holds local, provincial, national and international diving, swimming, artistic swimming and water polo events.

Taylor Tennis consists of multiple outdoor and indoor courts. They offer memberships and hourly rates.

The Reh-Fit Centre is located just west of Grant Park. The Centre was recognized as Canada’s first certified fitness facility by the Medical Fitness Association.  It provides massage, athletic, physiotherapy, nutrition counselling, foot care, hip and knee programs, facility rentals, workshops and so much more.

Rady Jewish Community Centre is situated on Doncaster in Tuxedo. It offers a plethora of fitness and wellness programs for all stages of life. It consists of a saltwater swimming pool, fitness facility and often plays hosts to a variety of festivals.

WHY WE THINK THIS IS A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO LIVE IN?

The mature trees, all of the character and history in the architecture, as well as a central and mature community make this community feel exclusive and special. You are incredibly close to everything and the convenience is great for working professionals and families.   

Whether you are looking for a night out on town or just a place to have a cup of coffee, Corydon Avenue and Academy Road have a variety of options to choose from.  Pick up some custom-made cookies for your family party from Sweet Impressions, cheer on the Jets while you enjoy some food and drinks at Leopold Tavern, or grab a hot beverage on the way to work at Empty Cup.  There is always something new to discover here!

THOUGHTS FROM YOUR NEIGHBOURS

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