97 ST GEORGE Street, Kitchener, N2G2T2
97 ST GEORGE Street, Kitchener, Ontario N2G2T2
197 PALMER Avenue, Kitchener, N2G3P7
197 PALMER Avenue, Kitchener, Ontario N2G3P7
86 WHITNEY Place, Kitchener, N2G2X7
86 WHITNEY Place, Kitchener, Ontario N2G2X7
20 ST GEORGE Street Unit# 512, Kitchener, N2J1K5
20 ST GEORGE Street, Kitchener, Ontario N2J1K5
86 WHITNEY Place, Kitchener, N2G2X7
86 WHITNEY Place, Kitchener, Ontario N2G2X7
112 BENTON STREET Street Unit# 319, Kitchener, N2G3H6
112 BENTON Street, Kitchener, Ontario N2G3H6
Read More About Southdale Area in Kitchener
Southdale Area in Kitchener
Welcome to the WRX Property Group’s website and blog! It’s time for another foray into the neighbourhoods of Kitchener-Waterloo. Today, we’ll be looking at Southdale, a neighbourhood located fairly centrally within Kitchener. Let’s get started!
See Homes for Sale in Southdale Area Kitchener
Overview
Southdale is a well-established neighbourhood, with the bulk of its homes dating back to the ‘60s and ‘70s (though there are newer models, too, particularly a slew of condominium townhouses). Prices for homes here tend to range between around $350 000 to around $650 000. This relatively lower price point, as well as some of the neighbourhood’s locational benefits, makes it a great place for newer buyers and families.
Location
Southdale’s boundaries are made up approximately by Stirling Avenue South in the north; Courtland Avenue East in the east; the Conestoga Parkway in the south; and Homer Watson Boulevard in the west. We’ll have more to say about the Conestoga Parkway, as well as another transit-related benefit that Southdale has, but first, let’s look at what’s going on in the neighbourhood itself.
Local Attractions
There isn’t that much in the way of shopping within Southdale’s borders (though for many residents, this is actually a positive feature). There are a smattering of convenience stores, specialty shops, and a few restaurants in the neighbourhood. Two places stand out, though: the first is TWB Co-Operative Brewing (Together We’re Bitter), a small-scale brewery with a wide variety of beverages.
The second particularly notable location within Southdale is the Concordia Club. There are currently four traditional German clubs in Kitchener, and one in nearby Mannheim. Concordia Club is one such club, and according the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest website, it is the largest ethnic German club in all of Canada. It’s a great place to go for special events, great food and drink, and music, and during KW Oktoberfest, it’s absolutely incredible. You can read more about the Concordia Club here.
Shopping
Although Southdale has few shopping options within its borders, residents actually have quite a few options nearby. First of all, just southwest of the neighbourhood is the bustling commercial area centred around Laurentian Mall (the Kitchener SmartCentre). Here, residents will find larger stores (including a Zehrs for groceries, and a Staples for staples [and all your office needs]), as well as a plethora of smaller shops and restaurants (including larger ones like Montana’s and smaller ones like McDonald’s).
Laurentian Mall is the most convenient shopping location for Southdale residents, but as they say, variety is the spice of life. Southdale is also quite close to Downtown Kitchener: by following Courtland Avenue to the north, you’ll get to Victoria Park (one of Kitchener’s most beautiful areas). Turning right onto Queen Street South will lead to the City’s bustling urban core, with its range of unique shops, stores, cafés, bars, and more (not to mention all of the special events that go on here).
Southdale residents more keen for the enclosed-shopping mall experience don’t need to worry, either. Rather than heading north on Courtland, if residents head south, they’ll eventually get to the diverse and growing Fairview/Kingsdale/Vanier neighbourhood. Fairview Park Mall is the biggest attraction here, and over the next few years the area will be transformed into the ‘Grand Market District.’ It’s all rather exciting: Southdale residents can benefit from the great variety, but don’t need to worry about the busyness (and construction projects) that comes with it.
Parks
When it comes to green spaces, Southdale residents have several options. First, there is Shoemaker Greenway, a strip of green, tree-lined land that runs all the way across the neighbourhood. It has a nice little creek, with a trail running alongside it. On the west side of the neighbourhood are Mausser Park, a modest green area with an open field and a playground, and Meinzinger Park, a substantially larger park with a trail, soccer fields, a forested area, and more.
Transportation
Two of the arterial roads that run along Southdale (Homer Watson Boulevard and Courtland Avenue South) link the neighbourhood to several of Kitchener’s hotspots. These are great, but having access to the Conestoga Parkway is arguably even better. Southdale residents can take their pick of two sets of on- and off-ramps to Highway 8/Highway 7, and from here, quickly get to other parts of Kitchener, north to Waterloo (and beyond), and down to Highway 401 (which stretches all the way across southern Ontario).
Moving to the public transit perks to Southdale, first we must briefly introduce the big change coming soon to the Waterloo Region: the LRT! Called ‘iON,’ this light rail network will run from Conestoga Mall in northern Waterloo, down through Uptown Waterloo, past Downtown Kitchener, and end in Fairview Park Mall (until the Cambridge line opens). Excitingly, Southdale residents will have their very own, local LRT station/stop: Mill Station. Mill Station is just off of Ottawa Street South, close to the Concordia Club.
Education
Southdale is a fine place to raise a family: it’s got quiet, suburban streets, parks nearby, and great connections to other parts of the city. Another major benefit for families in Southdale is that there are two elementary schools within the neighbourhood’s borders: Queen Elizabeth Public School and St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School. Let’s take a look at zoning.
Students in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) will attend Queen Elizabeth Public School for Kindergarten to Grade 6. For Grades 7 and 8, they will move on to Courtland Avenue Public School, which is located a few blocks north of Southdale. Next, students will attend Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute for secondary school. You can read all about Cameron Heights in our feature on it here.
Students in the Waterloo Catholic District school Board (WCDSB) will attend St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School for Kindergarten to grade 8. After this, they will move on to St. Mary’s Catholic High School, which is a few blocks south of Southdale, down Homer Watson Boulevard. You can learn more about St. Mary’s here.
Conclusion
Southdale is a residential neighbourhood, through and through, but locational benefits like its LRT stop, access to the Conestoga Parkway, and close proximity to busy commercial areas (and downtown) mean there’s always something exciting to see and do nearby. If you’re looking to buy a home in Kitchener, we’d love to help. Please contact us if you have any questions!
Written by Will Kummer