Construction was heavy in this area in the 60's and 70's and as a result, the majority of the home layouts are consistent with that era of construction.  You will mostly find bungalows, two-storeys, and split-level homes. There are a variety of condominium options as well, including apartment-style condominiums in high rise buildings, or townhouse-style options.  This area also hugs the curves of the Assiniboine River, and there are some pretty substantial homes on large lots with river frontage.  These come up far more seldom, with only 1-2 riverfront listings in a typical year.

SCHOOLS AND SERVICES

Westwood is part of the St James-Assiniboia School Division and home to two elementary schools and one high school.

ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS

For English programing, students will start their early school years at Sansome School. They will go to Lincoln Middle School from Grade Six to Grade Eight in neighbouring Woodhaven. For High School, students will be sent to Westwood Collegiate, conveniently located in the heart of the Westwood community.

Westwood houses a French Immersion elementary school too. Ecole Robert Browning offers programming from Kindergarten to Grade Five. Middle and high school alternatives are located outside of the neighbourhood but are a short commute away. Ecole Ness is a Grade Six to Grade Eight middle school in Crestview. For high school, the French Immersion option is College Sturgeon Heights Collegiate in Silver Heights.

Westwood is also home to a private school. Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary and Middle School Bedson Campus is a Kindergarten to Grade Eight School.

POST SECONDARY PROGRAMS

The community is close to major post-secondary institutions. Red River College Stevenson Campus is about a 10-minute drive away. The University of Winnipeg is a 20-minute commute along Portage Avenue.  Red River College Polytechnic Notre Dame and the University of Manitoba Bannatyne Campuses are both about a 25-minute drive.

HOSPITALS

Residents of Westwood have an easy and fast commute to Grace Hospital, which is a 250-bed health care facility and one of the three acute-care facilities in Winnipeg, with a full-service Emergency Department.

SHOPPING

Westwood is home to smaller grocery store options and is also in walking distance from larger retailers. 

Westwood Shopping Centre is located at the north-east corner of the community and offers a Giant Tiger, Rexall, banking options and other services.  Vita Health Fresh Market is at the north-west corner of Westwood and it has a wide selection of specialty food and grocery products. Just across Portage Avenue in Crestview, you will find the Crestview Shopping Centre and Crestview Place that house a Safeway, a Manitoba Liquor Mart, Dollarama, restaurants and more.

The Real Canadian Superstore is also just few blocks away on Portage Avenue. Smart Centre Winnipeg West is a larger shopping centre in the neighbouring Crestview. It offers stores such as Walmart, Sobey’s Winners, Staples, Shoppers, SportChek, Canadian Tire and plenty more.

Manitoba’s largest shopping mall, CF Polo Park consists of at least 200 stores and services. It is only a 15-minute drive from Westwood. The area includes other retail centres as well, such as Plaza at Polo and St James Station. You can find stores here such as Marshalls, Mark’s, Winners and HomeSense, Save-on-Foods, Michaels, Best Buy, and Old Navy, just to name a few. 

ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION

Westwood has ample green spaces and recreational facilities in and just outside of its borders to keep your family busy.

Caroll Park, Erlandson Park, Reynolds Park, White Gates Park, Canoe Bay Park and Bedson Park are all family-oriented parks with playgrounds, some of them with open green spaces and walking paths. John Steel Park is the largest green area that includes a playground, a wading pool, washrooms, walking paths and open green space to kick a ball around. Benjaminson Park and Coleridge Park are perfect for those who like to sit back and enjoy the river view and the fresh breeze. If you are looking for a larger park with more action, Assiniboine Park is only a 10-minute drive away. There are a variety of activities to take part in here. You can explore the paths and relax surrounded by beautiful flowers in the English Garden or the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden. You can catch a cricket or ultimate frisbee game on a summer afternoon.  The Lyric Theatre provides free, live music events, ballet and movie nights with lawn seating, while the Pavilion houses a museum and art gallery. The Nature Playground is a fun place to finish a family day after visiting the Assiniboine Park Zoo. This park has exciting programs during the winter as well. The Duck Pond turns into a huge skating rink, The Zoo shows off with a large Christmas Light Attraction and the hill at the playground fills up with families sliding. The Park’s newest feature is the Leaf which is an all-season indoor addition.  It consists of four different indoor gardens: the Hartley and Heather Richardson Tropical Biome, Babs Asper Display House, Mediterranean Biome, and the Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden. Adjoining the Leaf are six, themed, outdoor gardens: Kitchen Garden, Sensory Garden, The Grove, Seasonal Garden, the Indigenous Peoples Garden and the Performance Garden.  

More organized recreational activities can be found on the north side of Westwood. Allard and Samsone Avenue are home to three recreational facilities. Kirkfield Westwood Community Centre offers a wide variety of sport programs such as baseball, basketball, hockey, softball, soccer and fitness classes. The Centre includes the Keith Bodley Arena, a gymnasium, a baseball diamond, a hockey rink, basketball and tennis courts.

Next to the community centre is Kinsmen Allard Arena, an indoor ice surface for hockey practices, tournaments and other ice sports.

YMCA West Portage Branch is a great fitness complex within the community that not only offers workout and aquatic classes, but it also provides childcare programs and English language classes for newcomers to Canada. The neighbourhood also has a Shapes Women’s Only Fitness Centre.

If golf is your passion, Westwood is arguably the best neighbourhood in Winnipeg to choose to call home.  It is bordered by two exclusive golf courses: St Charles Country Club is a twenty-seven-holes private golf course that hosted many major Canadian Golf events and tournaments.  St Charles includes the performance centre to help golfers improve their game and a clubhouse that can hold large gatherings and weddings. Glendale Golf and Country Club is also a highly revered, private course.  It is also not just for the golf enthusiast. This facility is unique in Manitoba by offering outdoor tennis and pickleball programming on two championship-level courts.

If you prefer water sports and would like to paddle on the Assiniboine River, Oxbow Bend Canoe and Kayak Launch is less than a 10-minute drive away. The St James-Assiniboia Centennial Pool and Fitness Centre is within walking distance from the community too, just across Portage Avenue.

Just beyond the Perimeter Highway is the Hockey For All Centre (formerly Bell MTS Iceplex), a training facility for the Winnipeg Jets and the Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg’s major hockey teams. The complex also provides programs, camps and tournaments for hockey players of all ages and is home to the Manitoba Hockey Hall of a Fame and Museum.

Adjacent to the Centre is Assiniboia Downs, host of the Manitoba Derby. This venue manages live horse racing from May through September.  This area includes the Red River Exhibition Park that has programming year-round. Red River Ex is a summer favourite with agricultural displays, art competitions, live music and the world’s largest travelling carnival. The Park offers many annual events such as Rodarama, a classic car event; Third and Bird Market, a crafter and local artisan pop-up; Red River Valley Swap Meet by the Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club, Manito Ahbee Festival, a celebration of Indigenous culture, music and art; and Canad Inns Winter Wonderland, a seasonal Christmas light drive-through display. The Loop is a new addition that is home of the Manitoba Harness Racing and rodeo shows.  

Another place worth visiting is Activate.  This is an active gaming facility within the border of Westwood. We’ve had a few team gatherings here, and always had the best laughs while actually burning some calories!

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

Westwood is a very desirable neighbourhood and part of an already well-established area of the city. It has many schools, recreational facilities, parks and shopping centres within and around its borders. Whether you looking for an affordable bungalow or a more substantial riverfront home, Westwood has options for you!

Westwood also has quick access to some of Winnipeg’s favorite Restaurants. Olympia Diner is known for its delicious Greek cuisine. Wayback Burger is always a hit with families, with its fresh burgers and tasty milkshakes.

THOUGHTS FROM YOUR NEIGHBOURS