East Kildonan

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A POPULAR SUBURB

DAWN PETER

East Kildonan is a popular suburb running west from the Red River to Panet Road on the east and again north from Oakland Avenue almost to Harbison Avenue in the south. Largely residential and stretching down Henderson Highway, E.K. residents constantly course downtown over the Disraeli Freeway.

Those who call East Kildonan home know the community by heart – this is a community with deep roots and a lot of long-time residents. They’ve gone to school here or started a family here. Some like the access to other parts of the city while others are hard-core locals who wouldn’t venture past the bridge.

Life in this big neighbourhood is busy for families – and for traffic. Teens hang out after school near the malls while young parents play at the pool or stroll down the sidewalks. The many parks and pathways also attract young singles in the summer who bike or rollerblade with a friend or a pet.

Locals vary from Harley Davidson fans to Winnipeg Jets fans. Working- class and middle-income families find housing fairly affordable here, especially east of Henderson Highway. Further west, along the river, bigger, more affluent homes have more seclusion and winding, seemingly exclusive roads. Lush, green groves and bustling community centres are on both sides of the road with many trails teeming with activity.

East Kildonan is home to two school divisions with 15 schools and three community centres – great for families with kids of all ages. There are many small parks and many acres for leisure activity in outreaching Kil-Cona Regional Park. The nearest hospitals are the Health Sciences Centre downtown and Concordia Hospital, plus the family health centre.

The most common ways to get around the main routes are by vehicle and bus. There are 14 bus routes and major roads to follow, but the side roads and pathways that follow the river and through residential blocks are ideal for foot traffic and cyclists. The airport is past the city centre, at least 13 kilometres away.