What Peterborough Neighbourhood Should You Live in?

Choosing the right neighbourhood to live in is hard. It's dependant on your specific wants and needs in a home and the amenities directly surrounding it. Let us help to outline the perks of each end of town, so you can find the area(s) that would be best suited for you!

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We will talk about:

• The types of neighbourhoods you will find
• Groceries and other amenities
• Schools
• Green space and parks
• Recreation
• Accessibility

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We have added a Peterborough Ward Map to help with the boundaries of each area.

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The North End (Northcrest)

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Types of Neighbourhoods

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The north end of Peterborough exudes a fresh feel, with plenty of friendly neighbourhood pockets including four new areas - Heritage Park, as well as three subdivisions that offer detached homes as well condominiums and row housing - Trails of Lily Lake, Summer Lane, and in and among Broadway Boulevard.

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This end of Peterborough offers a healthy mix of bungalows and two-storey homes, creating plenty of options for young families and retirees to comfortably call home.

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Amenities

Weekend errands are never a problem to complete in your own backyard, as this end of town offers a retail store for all of your everyday needs.

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Canadian Tire and Chemong Home Hardware will help fuel all your reno projects, a five minute drive will take you to a variety of grocery stores including Sobeys, Metro, and Walmart, and a short leisurely walk will earn you a Starbucks.

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Gas stations are easily accessible from Chemong Road, which is the main drag of the north end.

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Public School Board

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For public elementary schools, there is R.F. Downey, Adam Scott Intermediate, and Edmison Heights which offers french immersion. The public high school in this area is Adam Scott CVI.

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Catholic School Board

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The catholic school board offers St. Anne’s, which includes french immersion, and St. Pauls for elementary schools. St Peter is the secondary school in this district.

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Green Space

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While you may not find sprawling lots on every street, you will find lots of opportunities to surround yourself with nature. The Parkway Trail in Jackson Park is one of the many trails that inhabit the north end, including access to the Trans Canada Trail, which runs from Vancouver Island on Canada’s west coast to the most eastern points of St. John’s Newfoundland.

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Recreation

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The north end is home to Trent University, which offers an abundance of activities whether it be a gym membership to their fitness centre and aquatic centre or signing up your littles for their notable summer camp program. Trent also has multiple baseball diamonds and fields that are utilized by many Peterborough residents.

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Rowing programs are also run out of the north end and they practice along the Otonabee River on River Road.

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The north end is also home to Riverview Park and Zoo, which is Peterborough’s free zoo. With over 100 animals, a fun train ride through forest and tunnels, and an extravagant playground, the zoo is a fan favourite to many locals and visitors!

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Accessibility

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The north end is the furthest end of Peterborough from the 115, but it is still only fifteen minutes, making it still a reasonable area to live if you have to commute or travel to the GTA a few times a week.

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The South End (Otonabee)

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Types of Neighbourhoods

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The south end of Peterborough is full of scenic beauty from the Otonabee River, and offers a plentiful amount of smaller homes, making it a booming area for first-time homeowners and anyone looking to downsize.

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Amenities

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This borough boasts the convenience of the city’s major shopping mall, Lansdowne Place, which is continually expanding and includes clothing stores for all ages, a food court, and the south end grocery store - Superstore.

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There are plenty of entertainment options here, as the south end is home to the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC). The PMC hosts our local OHL Team - The Peterborough Petes, our Senior A lacrosse team - The Peterborough Lakers, and a large volume of concerts, comedy shows, and events throughout the year.

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Did we mention there is a year-round farmers market hosted at the PMC and Morrow Building every Saturday? This market has an abundance of vendors, and will give any meal a boost knowing that it’s coming from farm to table!

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Some south end neighbourhoods are within walking distance to lots of quaint breakfast spots, Downtown Peterborough, and more of our local shops and restaurants.

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Public School Board

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For public elementary schools, there is Otonabee Valley, Prince of Wales, and Kenner Intermediate. For high school, students can attend either Kenner CVI or Adam Scott CVI for french immersion.

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Catholic School Board

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The catholic school board offers St John, or children in french immersion can attend St Anne. For high school students, Holy Cross is the main high school, with St Peter as the french immersion option.

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Green Space & Parks

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The south end of Peterborough is located among the Otonabee River and is home to Lock 19 along the Trent Severn Waterway. There are parks nestled in amongst the neighbourhoods, and plenty of green space, including multiple baseball diamonds, at the large Morrow Park across from the Memorial Centre.

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Recreation

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We already mentioned that the south end is home to the Peterborough Memorial Centre, which is also used for some men’s league hockey and minor league practices. It’s also home to the Healthy Planet Area, which is Peterborough’s main ice pad - also used for ball hockey and lacrosse in the summer.

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Accessibility

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The south end connects to The Parkway, which is a major junction to enter and exit the 115, making commuting to the GTA a breeze. The south end also connects to Lansdowne Street, making access to the West and East ends of town as well as Highway 7 really straightforward.

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The West End (Monaghan)

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Types of Neighbourhoods

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The West end of Peterborough is home to most of Peterborough’s executive neighbourhoods.

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The old West end takes you through an architectural journey, where you can feel the history of these beautifully built homes and enjoy the mature trees that you won’t get in the newer areas. You can often find century homes, and there is a good mix of bungalows and two-storey options in this sought-after neighbourhood.

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West end neighbourhoods typically boast good sized and well-manicured yards with privacy, and quieter subdivisions. There are lots of sidewalks, so it is an ideal place to walk your dog around the block or have your kids run to their friends’ homes a few doors down without concern for traffic.

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There is a new subdivision off of Parkhill Road W that offers great options for both detached homes as well as high scale condominiums.

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Amenities

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The west end is home to a large portion of Lansdowne Street, which is the main drag of Peterborough. Here you will find chain restaurants, shopping plazas, and grocery stores such as Sobeys and No Frills.

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Gas stations are abundant in this end of town, making last minute stops when you’re running on E a breeze.

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Public School Board

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The public elementary schools in this district include Kawartha Heights, James Strath, and Westmount which offers french immersion. The high schools available to students are Crestwood, and for french Adam Scott CVI would be the school in this district.

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Catholic School Board

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Catholic elementary schools consist of St Alphonsus and St Catherine, and high school is Holy Cross along with St Peter for french immersion.

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Green Space & Parks

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The west end is a host to plenty of great trails and green space in Peterborough. Not only do you have lots of green space, but you’re within minutes of Kawartha Golf & Country Club, which was ranked 81st of the top 100 courses in Canada!

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Recreation

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The West End is home to Fleming College, the Peterborough Sports & Wellness Centre, and Bowers Park baseball diamond.

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The Kinsmen Civic Centre is also located in the west end and has two ice pads that are used for ice hockey, ball hockey, and lacrosse depending on the season.

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Accessibility

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The West end also lands close to highway 115, making it a dream for commuters. This end of town also provides easy access to the other ends of town, making it a really convenient location to live.

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East End & East City (Ashburnham)

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Types of Neighbourhoods

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East City is a gem in itself and is home to charming homes and friendly streets. There is a great mix of bungalows and two-storey homes, including some beautiful century homes, making it a desirable location for all types of families.

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East city residents will tell you that it feels like its own community within its bounds and that it’s a fairly quiet area.

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Amenities

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East city is its own little community with amenities such as grocery stores, salons, diners, and bakeries.

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Public School Board

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The public school offered in this district is Kawaate East City Public School, and for french immersion students will travel to Edmison Heights. High school students would attend Thomas A. Stewart or Adam Scott CVI for french.

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Catholic School Board

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Students attending Catholic elementary school would find themselves at Immaculate Conception, or St Anne for french. High school students in the east end of town would attend St Peter.

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Green Space & Parks

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East City winds itself through the Otonabee River over to Little Lake and is home to Beavermead Park, Rogers Cove, and the world's largest hydraulic lift lock, Peterborough’s Lock 21 at the canal.

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Beavermead and Rogers Cove have paved trails that run along the water, and also have a boat launch and a beach.

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Recreation

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There seems to be an abundance of outdoor enthusiasts that utilize East City and its unique nature. You will often find runners, cyclists, and dog walkers utilizing the trails running through here, and kayaks and paddle boards fill the water’s edge.

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East City is also home to East City Bowl and the Quaker Tennis Club. East City Bowl is a great baseball diamond that hosts competitive games with players of all ages in youth, men’s, and women’s leagues - including some games put on by our Trent University team. Quaker Tennis Club is in its 100th year and offers 5 clay courts. Their members currently range from age 3 to 83!

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Accessibility

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With stunning views of the water and welcoming streets, you will find yourself walking everywhere and enjoying the beauty that our city has to offer. East City is within walking distance to grocery stores, specialty shops, trails, and restaurants within the East end as well as Downtown Peterborough.

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The east end of Peterborough also has direct routes to Lansdowne Street, Highway 115, Highway 7, and Highway 28 - making travel in any direction a breeze!

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Downtown (Town)

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Types of Neighbourhoods

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Downtown is home to lots of pockets of neighbourhoods. Some are definitely more desirable than others, but each holds its own value in our community. The areas that are closer to the downtown core of shops and businesses seem to be more used as rentals and less desirable for long-term homeowners to live in themselves. These streets are busier, and tend to attract more unwanted attention that the areas on the outer boundaries of downtown.

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Once you start heading toward the northwest border of the downtown boundary, you hit what we call ‘the avenues’. Here you will see more enticing neighbourhoods with homes that have charming character and architectural flair. The avenues have always been a sought-after area of town, as their lot sizes tend to be large and private, and they typically have mature trees.

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Amenities

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There are two grocery stores in the Town Ward, which are FreshCo and No Frills. Downtown is close to other ends of town so if you’re looking for a different location for your groceries, you won’t be far.

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Downtown Peterborough is getting more exciting each year. You can experience culinary dishes from around the world within the downtown core. With plenty of options, you will never go hungry or be disappointed with a meal. Downtown also has tons of specialty coffee shops with locally roasted brews and freshly baked goods. These spots are perfect for meeting a friend for a quick visit or implementing them into your morning routine.

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On Wednesday and Saturday mornings you can find yourself perusing the Peterborough Downtown Farmers Market and picking up your locally grown fruits and veggies to cook up that week.

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The shopping downtown includes several locally owned and operated specialty shops from clothing, to shoes, and even games! Downtown has a surprising amount of green space and is home to Millenium Park and the Silver Bean Cafe where you can grab lunch and enjoy the river, or walk over to Little Lake through the trail. Downtown is also host to festivals such as Rib Fest, Kawartha Craft Beer Festival, and Peterborough MusicFest.

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Public School Board

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If you’re living in the downtown area, your public elementary schools will be Queen Mary and Prince of Wales for french. High schoolers will attend Adam Scott CVI.

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Catholic School Board

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For elementary students, attendance will be at Immaculate Conception or St Anne for french immersion. High school students will attend St Peter.

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Green Space & Parks

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Downtown offers a surprising amount of green space and parks, considering most downtown areas only consist of concrete. Downtown runs along Little Lake and the Otonabee River, and has two major parks along them - Del Crary Park which is also a marina and home to the Liftlock Cruise, as well as Millenium Park which has a seasonal restaurant, the Silver Bean, which is a staple in Peterborough in the warmer months. These two parks both have walkways, picnic tables, and beautiful views.

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Recreation

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Although there are no areas downtown, there is no lack of activity. With trails and paths running through multiple areas of downtown, cyclists, runners, and walkers are frequent.

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Kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards are hot ticket items in the summer, with a rental shop right along the water at Millenium Park anyone can enjoy these relaxing watersports.

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You can also find a well-maintained outdoor basketball court along Aylmer Street!

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Accessibility

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Downtown is only a short jaunt away from Highway 115 and all of the other ends of town, which makes it a booming place to be. Many residents walk or bike to work, shop, or eat at one of our amazing locally owned businesses.

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Conclusion

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All of these areas of town have their benefits and perks. Peterborough is small enough that you can get from one end to the other in twenty minutes, so ultimately everything is easily accessible no matter where you are.

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When you’re considering where the best location for you is, we are here to help! We can help you narrow down what’s most important to you, whether it be neighbourhood and amenities, or something else such as green space or yard size.

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Let’s chat about your search today!

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Talk soon,

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Bailey

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