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Beechwood West Area in Waterloo
Welcome to the WRX Property Group website! What you’re currently reading is the latest edition of our ongoing coverage of the neighbourhoods of Kitchener-Waterloo. Today, after several weeks roaming through the streets of Kitchener, we return once more to Waterloo.
We’ve already covered Beechwood (you can read about it here) so let’s move on to the second of Waterloo’s Beechwood neighbourhoods: Beechwood West. Located by the city’s southwest corner, Beechwood West is well-situated to take advantage of many of Waterloo’s best features.
Let’s take a look!
Beechwood West’s boundaries are made up approximately by Keats Way in the north; Fischer-Hallman Road North in the east; Erb Street West in the south; and Erbsville Road in the west. It is bordered by Beechwood to the east, Upper Beechwood to the north, Clair Hills in the west, and Westvale in the south.
On average, homes in Beechwood West tend to be less expensive than those in neighbouring Upper Beechwood and Beechwood, but there is a wide range of options available. Houses here are typically spacious, and they feature large, lush green lawns with mature trees.
The streets of Beechwood West are quiet and suburban. Prices tend to range between around $350 000 to over $1 million. If you’re interested in specific properties, the neighbourhood itself, or Kitchener-Waterloo in general, please contact WRX – we’d be happy to help, however we can.
Location
Nestled in one of Waterloo’s most sought-after residential regions – a quiet, suburban neighbourhood great for both families, and childless households. Fischer-Hallman, one of Kitchener-Waterloo’s most important arterial roads, connects Beechwood West to several exciting locations, including the huge Laurel Creek Conservation Area to the north, and the bustling Sunrise Shopping Centre to the south.
Erb Street West leads directly to the majestic streets of Uptown Waterloo (find out what’s so great about Uptown in its WRX article here), where Beechwood residents can take advantage of shopping, fine dining, Waterloo Park, and the main branch of the Waterloo Public Library.
The downtown Waterloo Public Library is one of the two closest locations to Beechwood West (the other, John M. Harper branch, is north along Fischer-Hallman, by Laurelwood Drive – there’s also a large YMCA facility here); the libraries host a wide variety of exciting social events, concerts, and more throughout the year – library cards open up a whole world of discovery!
Beechwood West is not very close to the Conestoga Parkway (Highway 85 is the section that serves Waterloo), so this convenient method of getting around Kitchener-Waterloo is unfortunately a bit of a drive away; however, this does also mean that traffic never gets as busy in Beechwood West as it can in areas closer to the highway.
The neighbourhood is served by several Grand River Transit (GRT) bus routes, including two of the swift iXpress lines (201 and 202) – these iXpress lines each lead to one of Waterloo’s universities (University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, respectively), as well as other locations, including Conestoga Mall (Waterloo’s largest mall).
Parks
As Beechwood West isn’t one of Kitchener-Waterloo’s largest neighbourhoods, it doesn’t feature one of the region’s largest parks, nor does it have as many green attractions as areas closer to the Grand River. What it does have, though, is McCrae Park, a centrally-located green area with a forested area, a clear green field, and a community, outdoor skating rink that gets set up every winter.
A network of trails stretches out from McCrae Park to various parts of the neighbourhood, providing a lovely way to get around Beechwood West or simply exercise (with or without a dog, perhaps a sprightly chihuahua).
It’s also close to two sets of swimming pools and tennis courts (clay and cement) – great opportunities for physical activity, or lessons. Beechwood West #1 and Beechwood West #2 are the active Neighbourhood Associations within the community, and they run their respective pools, and organize a variety of social events for residents.
Beechwood West #1 roughly serves the northwestern half of the neighbourhood, and Beechwood West #2 the southeast – you can check out their websites here: Beechwood West #1 and Beechwood West #2. Baseball diamonds, more green areas, and playground equipment can be found just north of the neighbourhood’s border with Upper Beechwood, off of Fischer-Hallman (more playground equipment is available next to a body of water near Erbsville Road and Royal Beech Drive, too).
Shopping
Beechwood West has two local options for all their shopping needs. The smaller of the two, the Beechwood Centre, is located at the intersection of Fischer-Hallman and Erb, in the southeast corner of the neighbourhood. In this area are several banks, a Fit4Less (one of Canada’s most affordable gyms), a Zehrs (for all your grocery needs), a pharmacy (Beechwood Wellness Pharmacy), a couple restaurants (namely, Kam Yan and Pizza Pizza), and more.
Even more shopping and dining options can be found in the southwest corner of Beechwood West. Large stores here include Canadian Tire, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Waterloo’s Costco Wholesale location, and there are quite a few smaller locations, too, including a Starbucks and several restaurants.
Between these two local locations, Beechwood West residents should never need to stray too far from home for purchases. However, when the urge for greater variety comes, all they need to do is head south along Ira Needles Boulevard, where they will discover the Boardwalk.
The Boardwalk is one of Kitchener-Waterloo’s newest, largest, and most diverse shopping destinations, and it boasts a Walmart Supercentre, a fully-equipped medical centre, and a Landmark Cinemas.
See Homes for Sale in Beechwood West
Education
Beechwood West students in the public school board (WRDSB) will attend Mary Johnston Public School for Kindergarten to Grade 6. It’s located just north of Keats Way, in Upper Beechwood, and is among the WRDSB’s highest ranked elementary schools, according to the Fraser Institute.
For Grades 7 and 8, Beechwood West public students are zoned for Centennial Public School, east of Fischer-Hallman in Beechwood. Both Mary Johnston and Centennial offer French Immersion. Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School (SJAM) serves as the high school for Beechwood West students; it’s also consistently one of the top three schools in the WRDSB.
You can read all about SJAM in its WRX article here. Students in the Catholic board (WCDSB) will attend Holy Rosary Catholic Elementary School for Kindergarten to Grade 8. Holy Rosary, like Mary Johnston, is a well-regarded school, and it has a student population of around 310.
For high school, Beechwood West Catholic students will attend Resurrection Catholic Secondary School. Resurrection is the newest Catholic Secondary School in Kitchener-Waterloo; it opened in 1990 to replace St. Jerome’s. Both Catholic schools are located south of Beechwood West: in Westvale, and just south of the border with Kitchener, respectively.
Conclusion
Beechwood West is a lovely neighbourhood, with large homes, and a quiet, central location. It’s a great place if you’re looking to settle down, and you prioritize a nice, spacious lawn and friendly neighbourhood activities over the hustle and bustle of some other parts of Waterloo.
Written by Will Kummer