(This page was recently updated to bring the pages structure in line with the other pages in the back end of this website.)

About

The communities of Fisher Heights, Orchard Park, Parkwood Hills North and Skyline in Central Ottawa are located just to the south of the western end of the Central Experimental Farm. We are bordered by Merivale Road, Baseline Road, Fisher Avenue, and Meadowlands Drive.

Farmland just two to three generations ago, we are now home to more than 6,000 people living in almost 2,500 dwellings. If you’re interested in a more detailed portrait of our area, the City of Ottawa did a comprehensive study on the neighbourhood.

Green neighbourhoods

Built mostly in the 1950-1970’s, it’s a beautiful area filled with quiet residential streets, well-cared for detached and semi detached bungalows and two story homes, town homes and apartment buildings, and small parks and playgrounds tucked in peacefully between the busy shopping plazas of Merivale Road and the bus routes and major arteries that can quickly get you downtown or out of town.

In transition

Recently, some of the older houses are being removed and replaced by new larger homes as the neighbourhood is in demand; it is only about six kilometers from popular but now unaffordable areas for most starters who move to their next home. We are close to neighbourhoods such as Civic Hospital, Glebe, Hintonburg and Old Ottawa South and about 8-9 kilometers from downtown.

Sustainable Transportation

Cycling

Ottawa’s cycling network is easily accessible: The Nepean Trail goes right through the neighbourhood and the NCC pathways on the Experimental Farm and along the historic UNESCO heritage site Rideau Canal and the Rideau river. We are a stone’s throw away as are the impressive Hog’s Back Falls.

Baseline Ave is set to add a rapid bus corridor connecting to the LRT system. The corridor will also see separate cycling infrastructure and safe protected Dutch style intersections. Downtown can be reached by bicycle, in under 30 minutes, via the Central Experimental Farm and/or the Arboretum pathways and the Trillium pathways, connecting to the Ottawa River pathways and ultimately Gatineau Park.

Public Transit

Several high frequency buses serve the community from arterials such as Meadowlands, Merivale, Baseline and Fisher. The city intends to rebuild Baseline with a separate bus corridor, running all the way from the Queensway Carleton Hospital, passing Algonquin transit station as well as Algonquin College and then continue to Heron Road. A 5 km bus ride from Fisher and Baseline to the Tunneys LRT station is about 12-15 minutes. A bike ride is only slightly slower though (20 minutes). OCTranspo allows bicycles on the LRT at all times; the buses have bike racks during spring, summer and fall.

Walking

Walking becomes increasingly popular. As the city is replacing our 70 year old sewers, more and more streets are rebuilt with at least a side walk on one side of the street. Thanks to a somewhat intricate lay out of the neighbourhood, there is not too much fast traffic. the city is adding speed bumps on the busier roads.

Residents of the community are represented by the Fisher Heights & Area Community Association (FHACA).