281 NORMANDY Avenue, Waterloo, N2K1X6
281 NORMANDY Avenue, Waterloo, Ontario N2K1X6
161 OAK PARK Drive, Waterloo, N2K0B3
161 OAK PARK Drive, Waterloo, Ontario N2K0B3
20 NORTHFIELD Drive E, Waterloo, N2L6A1
20 NORTHFIELD Drive, Waterloo, Ontario N2L6A1
514 OXBOW Road, Waterloo, N2K1Y6
514 OXBOW Road, Waterloo, Ontario N2K1Y6
Click Here to Read About the Colonial Acres Neighbourhood
About Colonial Acres
Welcome, dear reader, to the next article in WRX Property Group’s ongoing series on Kitchener-Waterloo real-estate. Today, we’re going to take a look at another northeastern Waterloo neighbourhood. The subject of today’s thoughtful scrutiny: Colonial Acres.
Colonial Acres consists of a large stretch of territory, spanning roughly from Northfield Drive East in the north to Lexington Road in the south, and from Weber Street in the west to Bridge Street in the east.
Many of the homes were built between 1986 and 2002, and you can find a wide range of styles, sizes, and prices. Colonial Acres has smaller, starter homes all the way up to grand, luxury homes.
See Houses for Sale in Colonial Acres
Compared to other regions in Waterloo, properties in Colonial Acres also boast fairly large lawns. The average price (as of September 2017; figures will be updated) is $640,000. If you’re interested in finding specific prices, or just want to learn more, please contact WRX Property Group and we’ll be happy to help however we can.
But for now, let’s go on with the neighbourhood analysis.
Shopping
Colonial Acres has enough shopping opportunities to keep even the most particular shoppers satisfied. Of course, the big one is Conestoga Mall, which can be found in the lower southwestern corner of Colonial Acres (more on it later), but there are several other options within and around the edges of the neighbourhood, and great access to shopping beyond.
To Northfield Drive… And Beyond!
The Corner of Northfield Drive East and Davenport Road has a high concentration of shops and restaurants of all sorts. You can find everything from speciality stores, service centers, and big chain stores to local cafés, ethnic cuisine, and fast food of every variety (including the one with the Golden Arches).
If you’re looking for something a little more rustic, and a little more local, then look no further than a few minutes north of Colonial Acres’ northern boundary. Just follow King Street North past Bridge Street and you’ll reach one of Kitchener-Waterloo’s most famous locations: St.
Jacobs Farmers’ Market and Flea. You can find things here that you didn’t even know you wanted – that much is a guarantee. You’ll also find several other shopping opportunities here, including a Dollarama and a Wal-Mart Supercentre.
Conestoga Mall
One of the big selling points of Colonial Acres is the easy access its residents have to Conestoga Mall, the largest mall in Waterloo. With 681 174 square feet of retail space, it is quite a large mall (one of the largest in Canada) and as such, there are a ton (figurative, not literal) of shops and restaurants to choose from.
In Conestoga’s spacious, circular food court, you can dine on anything your heart (or stomach) desires, from sushi to subs and everything in between. Major stores include Hudson’s Bay, Old Navy, Sport Chek, and Zehrs.
Education
Colonial Acres does not have any educational institutes within its boundaries. It does, however, have several schools fairly nearby. For elementary schools, there are the nearby Lester B. Pearson Public School and St. Luke Catholic School in Eastbridge (both are walking distance from some parts of Colonial Acres, but there are school buses available).
The high schools for which Colonial Acres residents are zoned are Bluevale Collegiate Institute for public students, and St. David Catholic Secondary School for Catholic school students. If you’re interested in learning more about Kitchener-Waterloo’s high schools, be sure to check out our past and upcoming series discussing each school individually (Bluevale Collegiate Institute article can be found here).
Transportation
Another positive aspect of Colonial Acres is its good access to transportation. For vehicle-owners (and vehicle-users), there are arterial roads to take advantage of, both for commuting to work, shopping, and simply travelling around. King Street North runs along Colonial Acres, and along this ever-important street (one of Kitchener-Waterloo’s most vital), residents can access many of the main attractions Kitchener-Waterloo has to offer: Wilfrid Laurier University; downtown Waterloo and Kitchener (and, indeed, downtown Preston in Cambridge, were one to follow the street for long enough); several secondary schools; Grand River Hospital; two of the region’s most beautiful parks (Waterloo Park and Victoria Park); and many, many more.
Also running through Colonial Acres is Ontario Highway 85 (Conestoga Parkway), which connects Waterloo with Woolwich Township to the north, and Kitchener to the south. Highway 85 also has an interchange with Highway 7, which ultimately (and efficiently) connects Waterloo with the major highways in the region, and makes it easy for residents to get into and out of the city.
Colonial Acres is well-situated to take advantage of Kitchener-Waterloo’s public transportation, too. Of primary note is the Conestoga Mall Transit Terminal, which serves as a major hub for Grand River Transit. Ten bus routes serve this location, connecting Colonial Acres (and Waterloo generally) to many disparate regions, including Elmira and Fairview Park Mall in Kitchener.
In 2018, this location will also serve as the northern terminus of the Region of Waterloo’s brand-new LRT (Light Rail Transit) network, further establishing a connection with the rest of Waterloo and Kitchener. Colonial Acres residents can look forward to hopping on the fancy new ION vehicles soon.
Nature
Colonial Acres has several small green areas and parks for residents to enjoy, and a couple larger ones. The largest, Anndale Park, is picturesque, peaceful, and large enough to stroll through for a while. It has a small stream running through it and 1.1 kilometers of trails.
During the winter, there is a community, outdoor ice rink in Anndale Park, which has scheduled times for skating and hockey.
In Conclusion
Colonial Acres is a fine Waterloo location for a young family, a working professional, and retired individuals who value access to restaurants and shops. Conestoga Mall is one of the major draws to the neighbourhood, but it should be noted that the wide range of homes, and their moderate price compared to other Waterloo areas, make it a neighbourhood worth considering for anyone wanting to live in Waterloo, but unsure of the opportunities in other areas.
While there are no education facilities within the neighbourhood, there are several within driving distance. Feel like you might want to find out a bit more about Colonial Acres? Ask WRX whatever you want to know.
Written by Will Kummer