Everything You Need to Know About Living in Orleans

About 20 minutes east of downtown Ottawa is Orleans, technically a suburb but also a booming little town in its own right. Located along the Ottawa River, Orleans offers affordable housing, an abundance of nature and parks, and tons of great shopping and amenities. Living in Orleans is safe and family-friendly with highly-rated schools and a variety of restaurants.

With so much to offer, this article is exploring everything you need to know about living in Orleans.

RECREATION

From indoor playgrounds to libraries to trampoline parks, kids will always have something to do in Orleans.

Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex (formerly Orléans Recreation Complex) houses the Elizabeth Manley Figure Skating Arena, the Roger Sénécal Arena, squash and racquetball courts and a fitness centre. A variety of recreation programs are offered including fitness, fitness classes, summer camps, indoor cycling, aqua fitness, swimming lessons and general interest programs.

Ray Friel Recreation Complex is the largest and most comprehensive recreation complex in Orleans featuring three National Hockey League (NHL) size arenas including the Ron Racette Arena. With 12 full dressing rooms and separate referee and alternate dressing rooms. The complex also features a fitness centre with over 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art training equipment, a wave pool, whirlpool, sauna, physiotherapy clinic, Douvris Martial Arts, pro shop, restaurant and a coffee shop. A variety of recreation programs are also offered including, fitness classes, summer camps, indoor cycling, aqua fitness, swimming lessons and general interest programs

Millennium Sports Park is a 34-hectare sport and recreational complex, consisting of 15 Soccer and Football fields located at 100 Millennium Blvd in Orleans.

HIKING

• Petrie Island is situated along the Ottawa River in the northeast of Orléans. The 2 km by 500 m area, from the foot of Champlain St. to Trim Rd in Orleans, has a total shoreline length, including all channels and bays, of about 12 km. Petrie Island is home to turtles in some of its sheltered lagoons and has a nature centre for learning more about the local environment. There is a marina with canoe and kayak rentals. Petrie Island is host to annual Canada Day celebrations for the Orléans community.
• There are also several nature trails and paths throughout the area including the Bilberry Creek Trail and the Princess Louise Trail (incl. a waterfall) through which Taylor Creek runs.

• 2.7 km of trails in Chatelaine Village
• 5.5 km of trails in Queenswood/Fallingbrook Escarpment
• 9 km of trails in Ravine – Township Western boundary (Q.H.)
• 2 km of trails in Cumberland Village

SHENKMAN ARTS CENTRE

Shenkman Arts Centre opened just east of Place d'Orléans. It is a multidisciplinary arts centre that houses two theatres, seven galleries and 17 studios. The Centre houses activities within specialized spaces for hands-on instruction, creation and presentation of the visual, performing, literary and media arts and unique spaces for receptions and special events: Shenkman Arts Centre - Homepage | Shenkman Arts Centre

Landmark Cinemas & CineStar Theatres can both be found in Orleans, giving you and your family plenty of film viewing choices!

SHOPPING

Orleans is home to a number of Canada’s most popular big-box stores including Walmart, Farm Boy, Canadian Tire, Best Buy, Michaels, Superstore, and Home Depot. It also boasts a number of smaller locally owned shops where you can find unique and varied goods & services.

RESTAURANTS

Whether you like the larger chain restaurants or discover more eclectic hidden gems, Orleans is bursting with a variety of restaurants to suit any taste buds, including Chinese,  Lebanese, Thai, Turkish, Indian, Creole and  Jamaican.

SCHOOLS

An excellent selection of early childhood care, elementary and high schools in the public, private, and catholic school boards.

EMPLOYMENT

The opportunities seem endless with  Orleans being a 15-20 minute drive or a short commute on the LRT to downtown Ottawa opening the doors to hundreds of local employers in nearly every industry.

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Avalon: Located south of Innes Road, west of Portobello Boulevard and east of Mer-Bleue Road.

Bilberry Creek: Located east of Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard, north of Highway 174 and east towards the eastern end of the development.

Cardinal Creek: Located north of Innes Road, west of Cardinal Creek and St-Joseph Blvd. The western boundary overlaps with Fallingbrook.^[4]

Chapel Hill North: Located north of Innes Road in the Orléans Boulevard area and south of St-Joseph Boulevard.

Chapel Hill South: Located south of Innes Road, and north of Navan Road.

Chaperal: Located south of Innes Road and north of Brian Coburn Blvd, between Mer Bleue Road and Tenth Line Road.

Chateauneuf: Is bounded by St-Joseph Boulevard on the north and Innes Road on the south. The eastern border includes Jeanne d'Arc-Sunview-Des Grives-Barsona-Place Belleterre-Duford Drive, and Orléans Boulevard borders the west.

Chatelaine Village: Located north of Highway 174 toward the Ottawa River and East of Willow Ave.

Convent Glen: Located north of Highway 174 toward the Ottawa River and west of Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard.

Convent Glen South: Located south of Highway 174 and north of St. Joseph Blvd and generally west of Orléans Blvd.

Eastridge [1]: Future community situated near Trim Road and Blackburn By-Pass Road south of Notting Gate community.

Fallingbrook: Located south of St-Joseph Boulevard, west of Trim Road, north of Innes Road and east of Tenth Line Road.^[5]

Hiawatha Park: An older neighbourhood on the Ottawa River, located north of Convent Glen.

Notre-Dame-des-Champs: Located near Mer Bleue and Navan Road.

Notting Gate: Located south of Innes Road, east of Portobello Boulevard, and west of Trim Road.

Orleans Village: The oldest part of Orleans, located along St-Joseph Blvd between Orléans Blvd and Duford Dr.

Orleans Wood: Located north of Highway 174 toward the Ottawa River, east of Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard and west of Champlain Street.

Queenswood Heights: Located south of St-Joseph Boulevard, west of Tenth Line Road, and east of Duford Road.^[6]

Queenswood Village: Older neighbourhood located between Champlain St and Willow Ave, north of Highway 174.

River Walk: Located east of Tenth Line, north of Highway 174.

Learn more about Orleans: https://heartoforleans.ca/