Read More About Heritage Park in Kitchener
Heritage Park Area in Kitchener
Welcome to the WRX Property Group website and blog! The topic on the docket for today is: Heritage Park, in northeast Kitchener. Let’s take a look!
Heritage Park is a fairly mature neighbourhood. Development here really started in the 1960s, and the neighbourhood truly took shape over the next few decades. Heritage Park is truly one of the finest places in Kitchener to live, with plenty of shopping, schools, and attractions nearby. Bungalows and two-storey homes of various shapes and sizes abound, the streets are quiet and green, and with nearby access to several arterial roads and the Conestoga Parkway, it’s quite simple to visit other parts of the city.
See Homes for Sale in Heritage Park Kitchener
Location
As noted, Heritage Park is located in the far northeast section of Kitchener. Its boundaries are made up approximately by Victoria Street North in the north; Lackner Boulevard in the east; Ottawa Street North in the south; and the extensive Stanley Park Conservation Area in the west.
Education
One of the several groups for whom Heritage Park would make an ideal area to live is families. Many of the neighbourhood’s features are well-suited to families, and there are a very impressive four schools within the neighbourhood’s boundaries: Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School, Mackenzie King Public School, Stanley park Public School and Grand River Collegiate Institute. Let’s take a look at zoning.
Heritage Park students in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) will attend Mackenzie King Public School from Kindergarten to Grade 6. This school gets its name from William Lyon Mackenzie King, a Kitchener-born lad who served as Canada’s 10th Prime Minister (and remains the longest-serving in history).
After Grade 6, WRDSB students will move on to Stanley Park Public School for Grades 7 and 8. Stanley Park P.S. is in the southwest corner of the neighbourhood, close to both the Stanley Park Conservation Area and Stanley Park Mall (both of which we’ll be exploring in greater detail shortly).
Finally, WRDSB students living in Heritage Park will be zoned for their local secondary school, Grand River Collegiate Institute. Elementary schools are a bit more widespread throughout Kitchener-Waterloo; having a local high school is a unique benefit. You can learn more about Grand River Collegiate Institute in our feature on it here.
As for students in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, they will attend Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School for Kindergarten to Grade 8. This school stands in the northern half of Heritage Park, just south of Mackenzie King P.S. For secondary school, students will move on to St. Mary’s Catholic High School, southwest of Heritage Park (off of Block Line Road). Because it is further away, students will be eligible for bussing. You can read about St. Mary’s here.
Commercial Areas
For a neighbourhood that is primarily residential within its boundaries, Heritage Park has access to quite a few shopping and dining opportunities. Let’s start with the area north of the neighbourhood. Victoria Street North (technically a branch of Highway 7) has a plethora of shops and restaurants stretching to the east and west. Further north of Victoria Street is the ever-popular Bingemans, which offers everything from a water park and indoor playground to conference centres.
Southeast of Heritage Park is the Lackner Centre, which has a few basic offerings, a Food Basics for all your grocery needs (and typically with lower prices), and both Chinese food and pizza. Additionally, the Lackner Centre is home to a Ministry of Transportation centre and Drive Test. This is another advantage for families settling here, as new drivers living in Heritage Park have the advantage of knowing the area.
Last, but most certainly not least, is the well-stocked shopping area starting in the south-end of Heritage Park. Within the neighbourhood boundaries is the River Road Shopping Centre, an outdoor plaza with fast food, a Shoppers Drug Mart, and several other shops and services. South of here is Stanley Park Mall, one of Kitchener-Waterloo’s few remaining enclosed malls. Stanley Park Mall boasts an incredible Zehrs, Walmart, and quite a few shops and restaurants.
Outdoors and Activities
A common theme for residential areas in eastern Kitchener is that they have a wide variety of outdoor opportunities available to them. To start with, we must first address the Stanley Park Conservation Area. This huge and diverse strip of natural territory serves as the majority of Heritage Park’s western border. In other words, no matter where you live in the neighbourhood, Stanley Park Conservation Area is never far away.
It features wetland, forested areas, and fields. In contrast to the Huron Natural Area in southwest Kitchener, the Stanley Park Conservation Area features a trail that runs alongside the densely forested areas, as opposed to right through them. There are advantages to both, but Stanley Park Conservation Area makes for an easier stroll (and with fewer bugs [not that Huron Natural Area has too, too many]). It really is a lovely trail, not too long and not too short, and there are even a few playgrounds attached: Forfar Park in the north and Shantz Park in the middle.
There are also several smaller parks in the neighbourhood, including the aptly-named Heritage Park, Tecumseh Park (with a rather large play area), and Rosenberg Park (just east of the neighbourhood boundaries). Spread around Rosenberg Park are two baseball diamonds, Lyle Hallman Pool, and even the Heritage Greens Lawn Bowling Club.
We’ll return to this area shortly, but first, it must be noted that Heritage Park is not far from the Grand River. One of (if not the) Waterloo Region’s most beautiful natural attractions, the Grand River is always worth a visit. The Walter Bean Grand River Trail, which runs alongside the river all the way from Cambridge to the land north of Waterloo, is wonderful; check which entry point is closest to you here.
In the southeast of Heritage Park is the spacious Grand River Arena, which, among other things, is the site of public skating and local hockey. Just southwest of the neighbourhood is the Stanley Park Community Centre. Home to the Stanley Park Community Association, there are events to look forward to and shared spaces to enjoy here throughout the year. Again, Heritage Park is great for families or people looking to be a part of an active, interconnected community.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it! Heritage Park is a great place, and worth looking into if you’re trying to find a new home. As always, we’d be happy to help if you have any questions – please feel free to contact us!
Written by Will Kummer