Do you thrive on being connected to the hustle and bustle of the city? Do you
want immediate access to lots of stores, restaurants, bars, museums and cultural
centres? Do you enjoy the beauty of majestic heritage buildings and bountiful
green space? If so, a Downtown Ottawa apartment rental might be the choice for
you.
Paramount Properties has four apartment buildings for rent in Downtown Ottawa
- Riverview Place, Centretown Place, Elgin Square Apartments and Cartier
Square Apartments. Perfect for students, artists and professionals, an apartment
rental in Downtown Ottawa has everything you need - and a lot more!
Transportation
The great thing about the downtown core is that it serves as the hub for all
transit service in the city. All major OC Transpo bus routes
cut right through downtown along the Transitway and many more
run along Bank Street and Rideau Street, giving you easy and affordable access
to the entire city. As an added bonus, the Transitway runs until well past 2
a.m., so if you live in a downtown apartment, you can stay out late and still
make it home before the buses stop running.
The O-Train is only a few stops away at Bayview, which can
get you all the way to Greenboro in the south end in 10 minutes and Carleton
University in 5 minutes, and it's only a single bus to get to the Ottawa
International Airport.
Major Shopping Centres
Although it's not the biggest in the city, Rideau Centre
is perhaps Ottawa's most popular shopping centre thanks to its central
location and excellent choice of retail stores and a massive food court. When
you're done shopping, you can catch a movie with friends at the three-screen
Empire Theatres and then meet up at the Elephant & Castle for drinks.
Established in 1826, the ByWard Market is one of Canada's
oldest and largest public markets - and it's right on your doorstep
if you're renting an apartment in Downtown Ottawa. Buy fresh fruits and
vegetables, and flowers from the outdoor vendors, tour awe-inspiring museums
and art galleries, hang out on a pub patio or dance the night away at one of
the many nightclubs - it's up to you.
The historic Sparks Street Mall is Canada's oldest outdoor
pedestrian mall. Located a block away from Parliament Hill and stretching from
Elgin Street to Bronson Avenue, it's home to some of the city's
finest hotels, restaurants, retail stores and historic sites. In the summer,
the Mall is host to amazing street performances during the International Buskerfest
and the sweet smells and tastes of the Chicken & Rib Cook-Off.
In addition to these main shopping centres, both Bank Street
and Elgin Street are home to an assortment of excellent stores,
restaurants, pubs and nightclubs. And if you're looking for a more international
shopping and dining experience, Rideau Street has several East
African, Caribbean and Asian stores and restaurants.
Schools
Paramount's apartments for rent in Downtown Ottawa are perfect for students
attending the University of Ottawa (Universite d'Ottawa),
as our Riverview, Elgin and Cartier apartments are just a short walk from campus
thanks to the pedestrian bridge over the Rideau Canal. And for those with young
families, Downtown Ottawa also has 10 public elementary schools, 3 Catholic
elementary schools, 3 public high schools and 1 Catholic high school.
Museums
The Canadian Museum of Civilization (100 Laurier Street, Gatineau)
is Canada's largest and most popular cultural institution. You can view the
world's largest indoor collection of totem poles, tour a variety of temporary
exhibits featuring artifacts from across Canada and the world and marvel at
the big screen of the IMAX theatre.
If dinosaurs, animals and the environment are more your thing, you'll
love exploring the Canadian Museum of Nature (240 McLeod Street)
- a short walk from many of our apartments for rent in Downtown Ottawa.
For a closer look at our country's military history, the Canadian
War Museum (1 Vimy Place, near Lebreton Flats) is a major national
museum covering Canada's wartime efforts through extraordinary permanent
and special exhibitions.
Located at the entrance to the locks of the Rideau Canal, the Bytown
Museum is the oldest stone building in Ottawa. It features permanent
exhibits on the construction of the Canal and the history of Ottawa and its
founder, Lt. Col. John By.
The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography (1 Rideau Canal)
is located inside the reconstructed railway tunnel beside the Chateau Laurier.
It is Canada's first photography museum and maintains a permanent collection
of more than 150,000 images.
Arts Centres and Galleries
The National Arts Centre (53 Elgin Street) is North America's
most diversified performance complex, hosting hundreds of Canadian and international
theatre, dance, opera, orchestra, concert and variety performances each year.
The Arts Court (2 Daly Avenue) is Ottawa's home for
local performing, visual and literary arts. Four visual art galleries are also
open to the public.
For theatre-lovers, there's no better time of the year than June. The
Ottawa Fringe Festival, which mostly takes place in venues
on the University of Ottawa campus, features dozens of highly entertaining,
witty and sometimes controversial by local and national theatre groups.
The National Gallery of Canada (380 Sussex Drive) is a visual
arts museum of international stature. Its spacious galleries and interior courtyards
are home to a variety of Canadian, American, European, Inuit and Aboriginal
art, sculptures, photographs, prints, and drawings.
Art-lovers will enjoy visiting the Sussex Studio (457 Sussex Drive),
which has on display a variety of works from Montreal, Latin America and France.
Just down the street is the Terence Robert Gallery (531 Sussex Drive),
which showcases established and emerging contemporary Canadian artists, mixed
media pieces and sculptures.
Other Attractions
The success of the Ottawa Senators in the 2007 NHL playoffs has created a new
tradition in the city - the Sens Mile. Before, during
and after every game, thousands of hockey fans gather on Elgin Street, creating
a truly awesome party atmosphere.
Like a good ghost story? Take a tour of the Ottawa Jail Hostel (75
Nicholas Street), which is said to be haunted by the ghost of the only
political assassin in Canadian history.
If you live in a Downtown Ottawa apartment, the famous Rideau Canal
runs right through your backyard. Enjoy running or biking along the gorgeous
paths during the summer. In the winter, the Canal freezes over, creating the
world's longest skateway.
Parliament Hill isn't just for politicians. Everybody
is invited to attend the Changing of the Guard Ceremony, which
takes place from late June to late August, offering an unrivaled combination
of tradition, pageantry and military precision. On Canada Day,
the Hill is host to several concerts and special events as the entire downtown
core is shut down to traffic and flooded with thousands of people from all over
the country.
So Much To Do, So Little Time ...
There is so much to do in Ottawa … this article just scratches the surface!
A Downtown Ottawa apartment rental is your key to the city, so explore your
neighbourhood today and discover everything Ottawa has to offer!
Looking for an apartment in Ottawa? Paramount Properties is Ottawa’s second largest residential property management company. With more than 4,500
Ottawa apartments for rent in some of the city’s finest locations, we’re your #1 choice for apartment rentals in Ottawa.
