The heartbeat of Canada’s Capital, Lowertown and the ByWard area offer incredible, one-of-a-kind entertainment, shopping and dining options in addition to a wide range of unique home and business properties for sale. Make your investment count with the help of McElheran & Associates; we’re vastly familiar with how the area works along with what properties would suit your lifestyle and specific needs best. Discover all there is to offer in this iconic neighbourhood today, and let’s help plan for your ideal tomorrow.
Plenty to See and Do in Lowertown Ottawa
If you’re fascinated by Canadian heritage, the Lowertown area is the place to be, regardless of whether you call it home for work or residence purposes. The ByWard market itself is just steps from many beautiful, spacious and ideally located properties, offering easy access to colourful souvenirs, farm-fresh produce, live music and street performances, and much more. The National Gallery of Canada is a short distance away, and nothing beats the approach via a stroll through iconic Major’s Hill Park, which overlooks majestic Parliament Hill and is flanked by the fantastical Chateau Laurier hotel.The Byward Market: A Shopping and Dining Haven
The Rideau Centre and surrounding area is your destination for hundreds of shops, restaurants, special services and more, and City Hall can easily be accessed through the mall via Mackenzie King Station. Speaking of stations, one can board the sleek new Confederation Line LRT via Rideau Station and see more of Ottawa in less time (including further shopping opportunities at St. Laurent Shopping Centre). Along with a wide array of specialty restaurants, those who enjoy sampling food from around the world will fall in love with the wealth of options available in this eclectic, energized neighbourhood.A Paradise for Commuters and Visitors Alike
Planning on running a business from the ByWard Market and concerned about the commute for employees? The LRT runs right beneath it with access from the market itself, Rideau Station and Parliament Station nearby. Or, are you a millennial looking for a condo that’s easy for friends and family to get to? Thanks to the LRT and OC Transpo bus networks, getting from the VIA Rail station at Tremblay to the downtown core has never been faster or more convenient. As for getting around by car, many major arteries including Rideau Street, Sussex Drive, and King Edward Avenue pass through the ByWard Market neighbourhood.Frequently Asked Questions
The ByWard Market in Ottawa is an iconic entertainment, shopping, and cultural destination that attracts millions of visitors every year. In particular, local farmers and craftsmen set up vendor stalls throughout the streets and even indoors, so there’s always something new to discover. This has continued in some form or another since as far back as 1827, 40 years before Confederation. Despite many prominent local malls, shopping complexes and other similar properties, the market has remained a fundamental fixture of the city.
In fact, this is a part of downtown Ottawa known as the Market district. It comprises of the ByWard Market and a surrounding portion of the city’s popular Lowertown area. There are many local sights and unique attractions to explore nearby, all within walking distance of this section. These include the National Gallery of Canada, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, Parliament Hill, The Supreme Court of Canada, the recently expanded Rideau Centre shopping complex, the Sparks Street mall and much more.
Generally, the ByWard Market is safe during the day. At night, as expected, the streets can become quite busy due to the amount of nightlife activity in the area, with many popular bars, pubs, restaurants, and even entertainment options like clubs available into the late hours. Therefore, it’s best to bear the local behaviour in mind and plan your day accordingly. The safest area of the ByWard Market neighbourhood is towards the northeast, which works wonderfully as there are more residential options as you proceed along Sussex Drive towards Green Island and New Edinburgh (another truly spectacular and beautiful local neighbourhood to consider).
As a built-up area with a high local population and plenty of foot traffic, standard street smarts apply here. Ottawa is generally a very safe and welcoming city regardless of the neighbourhood, and high-rise condo and apartment units in the area include their own dedicated security systems for added peace of mind.
The ByWard Market is a highly condensed area and, therefore, isn’t that large. In fact, it’s one of the most walkable parts of Ottawa, and we highly recommend doing so to see all the sights! Otherwise, commuters will find it easy to get around. The newly built LRT has stops along Rideau Street, including at nearby Rideau Station and Parliament Station. OC Transpo operates several bus routes throughout the area as well. For driving, we recommend avoiding more typically congested streets like Rideau and sticking to alternatives like Sussex Drive, St. Patrick and/or Murray Street, and Colonel By Drive. There are also nearby bridges offering quick access to Gatineau and greater Quebec’s many amenities, entertainment and shopping options, and more.
The ByWard Market is nowadays situated within what is known as the Rideau-Vanier Ward of Ottawa, which was formed in 1994. Other notable neighbourhoods in the area include Sandy Hill, Lowertown, and North/South Vanier.
As the ByWard Market is quite built up and primarily serves as a shopping and entertainment area, there are fewer schools in the immediate surroundings of this neighbourhood. However, there are some exceptions. For public elementary and high schools, consider the following:
York Street Public School
De La Salle Public High School
Elgin Street Public School
Otherwise, there are several prominent post-secondary education options available, all of which are unique and only found here:
The University of Ottawa
Telfer School of Management
Lisgar Collegiate Institute
Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
Ottawa School of Art
Ottawa English Training Centre
The ByWard Market is found immediately north of Rideau Street, bordered to the west by Sussex Drive. It can be accessed by a pedestrian road across from the Rideau Centre, which takes visitors into the heart of the market and its many vendors, shops, dining options, and more. Almost all OC Transpo routes, either directly or through connections, enable access to Rideau Station and, subsequently, the ByWard Market itself.
Aside from local health clubs, fitness centres and other similar offerings, there are not many local sports programming options, particularly for children. That being said, you don’t need to go far outside the immediate area to find them in other nearby neighbourhoods, particularly those in upper Vanier, the downtown core and other, more residentially focused parts of the city. There are other options available, including Routher Community Centre over on Guigues Avenue. For swimming, there are several locations nearby to consider, including the public pool at Bingham Park, the New Edinburgh Splash Pad, the Westin Ottawa Health Club, and the highly popular Lowertown Pool along with its community centre – this can be found just off Cobourg street and is worth the short walk!
The ByWard Market is a marvel of sumptuous dining experiences, and the list of great options is exhaustive. Here are a few of our top picks for the area:
The Keg Steakhouse & Bar
Beaver Tails (for an amazing snack you won’t forget)
The King Eddy
Milestones
Chez Lucien
Sidedoor
Play Food & Wine
JOEY Rideau
Courtyard Restaurant
We recommend, above all else, the market itself! Just steps outside your door, discover new gems from faraway lands, handcrafted goods, fresh foods and ingredients, one-of-a-kind pieces of art, and so much more. Andes Arts & Crafts is one particular standout vendor to bear in mind, whom has been operating a vendor stall in the market for decades, selling finely crafted Ecuadorian and South American arts and crafts. They also operate a beautiful and inviting store within the St. Laurent Shopping Centre. Along with local street performers, special events, outdoor dining options and more, the ByWard Market is a cultural melting pot unlike any other.
If you’re seeking alternative forms of retail therapy, the sprawling Rideau Centre and station connections to other large shopping complexes in Ottawa will more than satisfy your needs. Of course, don’t overlook the mom-and-pop shops found throughout this part of the city, selling everything from paper goods to plants, handicrafts, and more.
