Connaught Heights Real Estate & Homes For Sale
Connaught Heights, a charming neighbourhood in the northwestern section of New Westminster, was founded in 1859, very shortly after the creation of New Westminster itself. Currently, the number of residents is just under 6,000, accounting for about 11.2% of New Westminster's population.
Connaught Heights is a patchwork-quilt of different architectural styles; older single-family homes from the 70's and 80's dotted amongst more modern builds, resulting in the eclectic charm that appeals to investors and families. Although Connaught Height's number of young children (between the age of birth and 5 years old) is relatively low in comparison with the rest of New Westminster, the proportion of children is one of the highest in the town - between 7.5 and 8.5%.
Connaught Heights Homes For Sale
- All Listings
- Over $1,000,000
Many homes in Connaught Heights have gorgeous views of the Fraser River, which runs along the edge of New Westminster with an arm that splits Connaught Heights and Queensborough. Residents enjoy several attractions within the neighbourhood, including Grimston and Connaught Height Parks, and have access to the TransLink network from the 22nd Street SkyTrain station. Primarily families with children, about 68% of Connaught Heights residents own their homes and the New Westminster median income of $68,976 (2011) is quite close to Vancouver's median income of $73,390.
Employment Opportunities
The service industry employment in general is growing quickly within New Westminster; between the 2006 and 2011 censuses, the growth was 24.6%. The fastest growing service industries are the arts, entertainment and recreation industries (46.4%), information and cultural services (42.2%) and wholesale trade at 41.7%. New Westminster's employment rate is 69.7% with an unemployment rate of 7.9% (2011), just barely higher than the average rate for all of Canada. In 2011, education, healthcare, social services, and transportation created the highest number of jobs for New Westminster, primarily related to the Royal Columbian Hospital and TransLink's move to Sapperton.
Shopping
New Westminster boasts a number of excellent shopping centres for residents and visitors to take care of basic needs, but also plenty of areas to do recreational shopping. For instance, the Westminster Quay Public Market gives individuals the perfect excuse to enjoy the boardwalk and pick up some delicious fresh seafood, have a look at the vendors' beautiful arts and crafts and even order up something from one of the numerous cafes and restaurants. Those who want to stay a little closer to their home in Connaught Heights can visit the commercial sections along 12th and 20th streets, home to unique boutiques and shops offering antiques, handmade goods and more.
Restaurants
"Foodies" relocating to New Westminster have reason to rejoice. An entire world of food is waiting within its borders, from casual diners offering up burgers and fries to fine dining with exquisite seafood dishes and mouthwatering desserts. The rich culture of New Westminster shows in its selection of restaurants; choose from Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Greek, Indian, German, or Thai restaurants. A few local favorites include the Coming Home Cafe, which is a vegetarian-friendly diner serving breakfast and lunch; Thai New West Restaurant, serving up traditional Thai curries and a variety of noodle dishes; and Gino's Restaurant which serves Italian, Greek and American food as well as having a full bar. In Connaught Heights, 20th Street and 12th Street are the places to look for great cuisine, mostly offering diners and pizzerias.
Transportation/Access
Residents of Connaught Heights can take advantage of the 22nd Street SkyTrain station, one of the five available throughout New Westminster. Several TransLink bus routes run throughout the city as well, and the Trans-Canada Highway can be accessed from Brunette Avenue and Cariboo Road. Streets are laid out grid-style, and are fairly easy to follow, most being numbered for easy reference. While Connaught Heights is most-definitely a stroll-friendly neighborhood, it is more car dependent than some of the other New Westminster neighborhoods. Families in the area are mostly within walking distance to a few excellent shops, the elementary schools and parks. Cycling is also a popular option in New Westminster, and the city offers up a plethora of bike paths and trails.
Schools
New Westminster is home to 8 elementary schools, a secondary school, 2 middle schools and is currently building a brand new middle school and high school. Connaught Heights families are within walking distance to the two elementary schools in the neighborhood, Lord Tweedsmuir and Connaught Heights. The New Westminster Homelearner's Program is a fantastic resource for parents who want to go the home school route. More than 14,000 students attend Douglas College in New Westminster, which provides an excellent post-secondary education with a variety of different degree options.
The Arts
Those who appreciate the arts will find a variety of things to do in New Westminster. Galleries, art centers, craft shows and theaters abound, and the area boasts the largest theatre in British Columbia, the Massey Theatre. Here, residents and visitors can enjoy shows from the Vancouver Symphony, as well as performances from singing sensations like Jewel. The New Westminster Arts Council's Gallery is a fantastic place to check out local artists, both new and established. Connaught Heights residents are closest to the Van Dop Gallery, where they can enjoy a range of contemporary fine arts and charming crafts.
Recreation/Sports
Mercer Stadium is one of the many fully-equipped sports venues available for residents, as well as being home to the Hyacks football team and a frequent venue of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League. Golf aficionados will certainly feel at home in New Westminster, where they will be within an hour's drive to more than 30 golf courses. The Moody Park Arena, offering ice skating and hockey and the Mercer Stadium Track are minutes away by car and within walking distance of Connaught Heights. Also nearby are community pools, parks and gyms.
Numerous festivals take place in New Westminster each year, including the two most popular, Heritage Week in November and the Hyack Festival in May. Both include plenty of activities for children, from amusement park rides and face painting to parades and art contests. The Hyack Festival is known for its traditional May Day Celebration, which includes the crowning of the May Queen and the Maypole dance. Connaught Heights also has frequent festivals and events, such as the Penny Festival hosted by the Connaught Heights Church, the annual carnival and more.
Investing in Connaught Heights Real Estate
While New Westminster attracts people of all ages, Connaught Heights is a neighbourhood made up primarily of families. Parents place a priority on the conveniently located healthcare options, from the Royal Columbian Hospital to the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine and Care Point Medical Centres; there is also a family physician's clinic right in the neighborhood. Parents also enjoy having the ability to walk their children to and from the high-quality Connaught Heights Elementary school, which earned a Fraser Institute rating of 7.2 out of 10 in 2013-2014.
New Westminster is the fastest-growing city in the province, as well as one of the fastest-densifying. It is estimated that within 20 years, the population of this quaint town will double. The population increased 12.7% between the 2006 and 2011 censuses; staggering when compared to the national growth of just 5.9%. From Vancouver residents relocating in an attempt to find more affordable housing to an increase in interest from investors and families from all over Canada, the demand for homes in New West is growing.
The benefit of investing in a relatively small and more historical neighbourhood like Connaught Heights is in the housing type. Most homes are single-family, detached homes and many are considered high-potential "fixer upper," homes that could use some updating and remodeling and therefore carry a significantly lower price tag than the more modern ones in, say, Queensborough. Low price tags combined with fast growth and increased demand result in growing property values and excellent returns for investors and young families poised to purchase their first homes..
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