Boundaries
Bells Corners is a bit like an island, surrounded on three sides by the National Capital Commission Greenbelt. Its eastern border is Highway 416.
History
Named for Hugh Bell, who built a tavern here in 1834, the small community of Bells Corners emerged to serve people travelling between Ottawa and nearby Richmond. It was almost wiped out by a catastrophic fire that swept through much of Ottawa in 1870. Bells Corners remained small until after the Second World War. Lynwood Village, the area’s first major housing development, was built in stages between 1950 and 1966. Residential construction of nearby Westcliffe Estates began in the late 1960s. Many residents moved to the area to work at Computing Devices Canada (now General Dynamics) on Robertson Road.
Claim to fame
Almost surrounded by the NCC Greenbelt, Bells Corners offers lots of easy access to wooded hiking trails, including the Jack Pine, Lime Kiln, Beaver, Stony Swamp and Sarsaparilla trails. Stony Swamp is also home to the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre.
Bells Corners neighbourhoods
Although a relatively small area, Bells Corners has several neighbourhoods, including:
- Arbeatha Park
- Bellwood Estates
- Lynwood Village
- Westcliffe Estates
Who’s building where
No major projects.
In the area
The Queensway-Carleton Hospital, Bayshore Shopping Centre and the Bruce Pit dog park are just beyond the area’s borders. Locals also know that they can take back roads to events at the Canadian Tire Centre, avoiding gridlock on the Queensway.
Schools
All four major school boards serve this area. Bells Corners has English-language public and Catholic elementary schools, as well as an English public high school and a French Catholic high school.
- English public: Ottawa Carleton District School Board school locator
- English Catholic: Ottawa Catholic School Board school locator
- French public: Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario school locator
- French Catholic: Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est school locator
The area is also home to the Tarbiyah Learning Academy.
Businesses
General Dynamics is one of the area’s larger employers. Other businesses include:
- Days Inn by Wyndham Ottawa West
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ottawa West
- Best Western Plus Ottawa Kanata Hotel & Conference Centre
- FreshCo
- Loblaws
- Canadian Tire
- Winners
- Kichesippi Beer Company
- Whiprsnapr Brewing Company
- LCBO
Amenities
Bells Corners has a good range of recreational facilities, including basketball courts, baseball diamonds, cycling paths, and indoor and outdoor ice rinks. Other amenities include:
- Bell Centennial Arena
- Nepean Creative Arts Centre
- Maple Hill Urban Farm
- Lynwood Park Community Building
- Westcliffe Community Centre
Services
Bells Corners has a wide range of shops, services and amenities, including churches, a mosque, retirement residences, medical offices, veterinarians and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 593. Many are clustered along Robertson Road. There are also several community associations, including:
Transit options
OC Transpo runs express and local bus routes to Bells Corners. As part of Stage 2 of Ottawa’s light rail transit (LRT) project, the Moodie and Bayshore Confederation Line LRT stations are scheduled to open just north of Bells Corners in 2025.
The Queensway (Highway 417) is the main route between Bells Corners and other parts of the city. Carling Avenue, Baseline Road and West Hunt Club Road are secondary east-west routes.